Eton Wall Game (1956)

from the traditions of the east to an English tradition the public school it was in 1440 that Henry the sixth founded Eton College for 74 scholars today besides 70 who are at Eton with scholarships that I 1100 others who pay their way times have changed yet old customs still survive like the famous war game over 100 years old the game is played with a simplest equipment one ball look closely this is the last time you'll see it and one war which can also be used as a spare dressing room kits for the match is a much more complex affair the boys being allowed considerable laxity that goes for the rules too which is just as well the game is now underway you can tell by the clouds of steam and mud see if you can guess what's going on if you've given up let us explain the game eliminating unnecessary details perhaps you remember a ball well that ball is being forced carried or kicked in the direction of Windsor by one team opposed by upwards of a ton of determination going the opposite way the rule is of course to play the ball but as you'll notice some of the players are a little short-sighted the game is between scholarship boys called colleges and Oppidan who live in masters houses in the town but it's quite safe to leave the game for a while so let's look at some of the unchanging aspects of life at the great college the historic buildings and the familiar yet attractively novel dress of the boys the game now as you can see has reached a new peak of excitement so you can be sure that the players underneath that leaving mass are playing with great zest and skill not that there's any need for anxious mothers to worry unduly for the rules assured us that the boys do not deliberately strike by strangle smother or jump on an opponent their motto may not be do unto others as they were do unto you but to teach them otherwise is like beating your head against a brick wall

Channel: British Pathé

Views: 73,405

Keywords: games, College, Windsor, of, school, weather, Reuters, cold, British Pathe, BritishPathe, upper, Berkshire, outdoor, 203.09, documentary, children, class, Eton, schools, footage, sports, uniforms, Duke, Henry, personalities, newsreel, Gloucester, CP 055

Id: pRwJHzsLB98

Length: 2min 17sec (137 seconds)

Published: Sun Apr 13 2014