Not currently on display at the V&A

Amusement in English History

Board Game
ca. 1840 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The last of the board games reflecting English history were published at the beginning of the reign of Queen Victoria. Dramatic social changes were taking place and the idea of teaching through this form of play was quickly falling from favour. However, with the accession of the new queen in 1837, a number of games were updated to include her coronation and marriage. This game looks very like a dissected puzzle. Portraits of 40 British kings and queens--in 80 playing spaces altogether--are shown with events from each of their reigns.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Board Game
  • Rules Booklet for Board Game
TitleAmusement in English History (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Hand-coloured lithograph, mounted on linen
Brief description
Hand coloured historical game, Amusement in English History, published in England by William Sallis about 1840
Physical description
Design: lithograph, coloured by hand; 12 sections mounted on linen; showing 40 compartments with representations of events in English history and medallion portraits of the sovereigns from the britons to queen victoria
No. of squares: 80
Squares illustrated: all
Square numbering: all
Squares titled: all
Subject of starting square: The Britons, pre Roman
Subject of ending square: Queen Victoria
Dimensions
  • Length: 50.5cm
  • Width: 65.2cm
Object history
40 separate illustrations each with a portrait of a sovereign in a rounder beneath which is an event from the reign concerned. There are 40 compartments which with the portraits and text make up 80 moves around the game.
This a different format to the norm of the race games, more like some of the early dissected puzzles and latter board games such as snakes & ladders.
William Sallis at address from 1852 to 1866.
CGG-Games & Puzzles, 1991
Historical context
Rewards: extra turns and forward movement
Forfeits: missing turns, staying in the same place and backward movement
No. of Players: any
Equipment required: card markers and numbers similar to the previous games of British Sovereigns

Rules:
AMUSEMENT IN ENGLISH HISTORY

RULES
I. The Card sold with the Game is to be divided. The Letters are to mark the players' position on the Game; the Numbers and Blanks are to be placed in a lady's reticule or bag.
II. Draw for the first player; the highest number to begin.
III. Each player on drawing a number is to place his letter on the same number on the Game, unless otherwise ordered in the directors, which must be read aloud. When it is his turn to draw again, he must add his number to the one where his letter stands, and remove it accordingly. If he draws a blank, he must remain where he is. Each card is to be returned to the bag.
IV. The game is to proceed in this manner till some player arrives at the Marriage of Queen Victoria, who wins the game.
V. When a player is sent back, he is not to read the Directions, but wait his turn to draw again.
The history of each reign may be read or omitted at the time of playing, as the players think fit.

Following the Rules are the Directions which accompany most but not all of the medallions. These must be followed when playing the game.

Following the Directions are the descriptions of each of the medallions which may or may not be read aloud during the game and these can be omitted if all the players agree. The first describes the pre-Roman Britons and the last Queen Victoria and includes her marriage, February 10, 1840 but not the birth of her first child in 1841. This suggests the date of 1840.

The medallions are arranged with No. 1 in the top left corner, 16 in the top right, 17 starts on the left as the second row; this pattern continues until No. 80 in the bottom corner of the right at the end of the fifth row.

Rules placement: booklet
Summary
The last of the board games reflecting English history were published at the beginning of the reign of Queen Victoria. Dramatic social changes were taking place and the idea of teaching through this form of play was quickly falling from favour. However, with the accession of the new queen in 1837, a number of games were updated to include her coronation and marriage. This game looks very like a dissected puzzle. Portraits of 40 British kings and queens--in 80 playing spaces altogether--are shown with events from each of their reigns.
Collection
Accession number
E.1782&A-1954

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Record createdMarch 4, 2000
Record URL
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