In this episode, historian Benjamin Woolley goes on to trace the cultural and political impact games have had on britain over the past 200 years. It was the British that developed the idea of a board game as a way of moral instruction and exported it to America, where it was adapted to promote the dream of free enterprise and economic success.
Woolley explores many of the classic games which formed part of teaching, before turning into games of entertainment and social prowess.
He starts by looking at a game called The Mansion of Bliss, which was used to entice children to attend schooling. This was later imitated by a game called Mansion of Happiness (from the USA), in the 1890's which was a game of chance.
I'll list a few others that were described briefly:
- Chequered Game of Life, in which your moves may be relevant, or echo those made in real life.
- Pank-A-Squith, a game in which the aim is to get a suffragette woman into parliament.
- Brer Fox & Brer Rabbit, a game created in 1913 about land tax which created political discussion between the players, aimed at families.
- The Landlords Game, the american version of Brer Fox, which later transformed into a basic form of Monopoly by Elizabeth McGee Philips.
Carrying on with Monopoly subject, here's a fun fact... Monopoly sets were sent to prisoners of Colditz, containing hidden maps, files and compasses to aid escape during the war.
- Cluedo, developed during the Blitz and devised by solicitors, was originally called Murder. Later taken to the USA, a dislike was taken to the character Reverend Green, so was renamed Mister Green.
Woolley went on to trace the development of board games, some of which, like Monopoly and Cluedo are still today's family favourites. Board games have evolved to include fantasy games like Dungeons and Dragons, however most mainstream games designers have joined the digital games revolution.
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