Acky, Acky 1, 2, 3! Playground games and rhymes in Herefordshire & Worcestershire, 1880–2010

£12.99

John Turrell

Available on back-order

Description

THIS TITLE IS NOT YET PUBLISHED AND WILL BE AVAILABLE DECEMBER 2024 – ANY ORDERS PLACED WILL BE CHARGED WHEN ORDERED & DISPATCHED WHEN IN STOCK

If you ever played Acky 1, 2, 3, skipping games or marbles, or said You’re on! to start a game of tag, this book will bring back a flood of memories.

Based on more than 20 years of research into children’s games and child-lore across Herefordshire and Worcestershire between 1880 and 2010, this book describes the games played, the songs sung and the rhymes that were chanted by children in the streets and in school playgrounds across the two counties.

It presents a richly detailed record of children’s play from first-hand observations and from adults recalling their own childhood games. It is also, unashamedly, a journey into remembering the pleasures of playing clapping games such as A sailor went to see, see, see, Tag off-ground, What’s the Time Mr. Wolf or Kiss Chase, and deciding who was going to be ‘on’ by counting out eenie, meenie, macaraca or one of the ruder Ip, dip rhymes.

Contrary to popular belief, children’s games are still alive and thriving. Children are just as enthusiastic and inventive as they ever were and they still enjoy funny, silly, complicated or skilful games, just as their parents and grandparents used to. This book offers an uncensored and comprehensive record of this often-overlooked aspect of social history.

PLEASE NOTE: Readers will find examples of offensive language at various points in the text and should be prepared for that. This book records the words used by the contributors without any attempt to censor them.

John Turrell is a former teacher, and researcher with a long-time interest in children’s play and language.

Paperback | 272 pages | 234 x 156 mm | Dec 2024
b&w illus

ISBN 9781910839812

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