Sport i aktywność fizyczna w życiu emigrantów polistopadowych w Anglii

Abstract

Presented article deals with the problem of sporting life and other forms of physical activity of the Polish political exiles who after the November Uprising took refugee in Britain. Refering to various sources, the author tries to establish how important was sport to the Polish emigrants, what were their favourite sports and to what extent they were influenced by the British sporting patterns. It is evident that sport was not one of the emigrants’ priorities. Focusing on the politics of exile, everyday hardship and a slight contempt for some disciplines perceived by the Poles as ungentlemanly, caused refugees to abstain from active participation in many British sports. It does not mean that sport was completely absent in emigrants’ life. Many of them were keen walkers and fencers. A few who could afford to do that practised horseback riding and hunting.