Cock Fight Day

Warning. Alexander Gunn’s description of Cock Fight Day at school describes some cruel practices. In publishing his article, I am neither endorsing nor criticising what he wrote..

Cock fighting was banned in England and Wales with the Cruelty to Animals Act 1849. Sixty years later, in 1895, cock fighting was also banned in Scotland. It continues in secrecy in the UK and is still common in many parts of the world.

  

Written by Alexander Gunn aka A Native of Badbea. Printed in the Northern Ensign 4 November 1880 Part A

“Cock-fight day was a great day in my school time, not only with the young but with the old people as well. This sport was held on a particular day, and at a certain time of the year, as regularly as the year came round. It was held on the first Tuesday of the February moon, old style. This was also called “Brose day,” of which more afterwards. The schoolhouse was the place selected for the cockfight, and as a consequence we had a holiday – a rare thing in those days. There was not a household in the place but was represented on these occasions by some member of the family. Old or young, and great was the preparation in training the birds, in the shape of removing any supposed superfluous feathers; and in cases where the bird had a very large hanging comb, the barbarous and cruel practice of cutting it was resorted to, that his opponent might not be able to seize him by his crown-piece. There were no artificial spurs used, but sometimes a quantity of snuff was placed beneath the wings, which, when the cocks began to fight, was expected to blind the opposing bird. Married men would be seen winding their way school-wards with a cock under their “oxter.”

Source: httpscommons.wikimedia.orgwikiFileCOCK_FIGHT-2.jpg

“The birds were set down two and two, and there might be as many as half-a-dozen on the floor at the same time, and great was the interest shown by the spectators as one bird after another was put hors de combat, all spattered with gore. A fresh bird was then laid down to attack the conqueror, and great was the joy and the supposed honour to the owner of the victor, which was looked up to as deserving of great honour till the season came round again, when the same programme was gone over, and should the same cock be victorious a second year, the honour was proportionately great. The only good features in connection with these cruel and barbarous practices was that there was no betting, or anything of that sort practised. There was not one penny at stake on the whole affair, whoever lost or won. The “sport” was indulged in simply as an ancient and general custom which prevailed all over the country.”

To be continued:

 

Cock fight in London C 1808

 

This is a re-print of "The Royal Past Time of Cock Fighting" of one of the earliest English language books ever written on game fowl and cock fighting. Written in 1709 by an individual identified only as "R.H. A Lover of the Sport."