Women's Leisure Activities
Women's leisure activities included in large part many traditional pastimes: reading, embroidery, music, and traditional handicrafts. More modern pursuits were introduced to women's lives during the 19th century, however.
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Croquet by James Tissot. Croquet was a popular lawn game in Britain beginning in the 1860s.
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Pot Pourri by Herbert James Draper (1895). A traditional pastime was making pot pourri by dipping dried flowers in perfumed water.
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The Fair Toxophilites by William Powell Frith (1872). Archery, or toxophily, became a popular leisure activity for upper class women in Britain.
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On the Shores of Bognor Regis by Alexander Rossi (artist). Seaside picnics near resort villages in England became accessible to the middle classes later in the Victorian era.
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An illustration from the book Horsemanship for Women by Theodore Hoe Mead (1887). Women equestrians rode "side saddle", succeeding at challenging manoeuvres despite this sport handicap.
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A Rally by Sir John Lavery. Badminton and tennis were popular occasions for parties, with women playing "mixed doubles" alongside male players.
Read more about this topic: Women In The Victorian Era
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—Minnie Maddern Fiske (1865–1932)