British Inn Signs and their Stories by Eric R. Delderfield

^ Collins, Tony and Vamplew, Wray (2002) Mud, Sweat and Beers: A cultural history of sport and alcohol Berg, Oxford, England, page 8, ISBN 1-85973-553-3.^ a b c Wright, Gordon (2006) The Dictionary of Pub Names Wordsworth Editions, Ware, Hertfordshire, England, page 116, ISBN 1-84022-266-2.Glig-gamena Angel-deod: Or, The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England. Longman, Hurst, Rees, and Orme Lackington, Allen and Co John and Arthur Arch B. A Complete History of Fighting Dogs pp 109–110 Howell Book House Inc. Duck-baiting declined in the late nineteenth century. The rowdy assemblies associated with the activity caused public alarm.

On the weekends, families, friends and their fighting dogs would frequent these locations. Rural inns, with names like ' Dog and Duck, St George's Fields', located in St George's Fields, Brixton, Hampstead, Dulwich, Stamford Hill, Tottenham, Stoke-on-Trent, Newington and Tooting had ponds where the baiting took place. Locations ĭuck-baiting events were held in and around London. It was a favourite spectator sport for Charles II of England. 'another barbarous pastime and for the performance it is necessary to have recourse to a pond of water sufficiently extensive to give the duck plenty of room for making her escape from the dogs, when she is closely pursued which she does by diving as often as any of them come near to her.' Strutt's Sports and Pastimes says of duck-baiting: Prizes would be awarded to the dogs that caught the duck in the least amount of time.

The dogs would take turns catching the duck. Those who backed the dog might throw stones at the duck in an attempt to disable it, which caused fights among the spectators. Spectators would gamble and joined in the noise to encourage their animal of choice. Inevitably, the dog could not match the duck's speed underwater and would surface in rage. A spectacular diving exhibition ensued, as the duck dived the dog dived to pursue. The dog dived into the pond coursing the duck, which was unable to fly. Duck-baiting is a blood sport involving the baiting of ducks against dogs.ĭuck-baiting involved releasing a pinioned duck on to a pond.

British Inn Signs and their Stories by Eric R. Delderfield