Selling Canada's virtues through sport

Published on Tuesday 17 May 2005 13:36

THERE has been much talk recently of the Scottish Executive's desire to attract "Fresh Talent" to Scotland.

Two touring lacrosse teams from Canada - one made up of amateur gentlemen, the other of Iroquois natives – came here to promote the sport of lacrosse but also to use it as a marketing tool to attract Scots to Canada.

A similar tour had taken place in 1876, during which the players wowed predominantly English audiences – including Queen Victoria – with their skills. From the outset, the 1883 visit seems to have been planned to include a much longer stay in Scotland. Correspondence between the organiser, W G Beers of Montreal, and representatives of various Scottish teams and town councillors, show a keenness to visit as many venues as possible.There are several reasons for this: The Canadians travelled without any payment upfront and were also responsible for the expenses of their Iroquois opponents, meaning that more matches could lead to increased gate revenue. Secondly, there was a genuine desire to show off lacrosse and promote participation in the sport – the histories of many English clubs, in particular, demonstrate that they were successful in this aim.

Finally, and with particular reference to Scotland, there was a strong awareness that the trip could be used to promote emigration to "new" parts of Canada, such as Manitoba. During the voyage to Britain, Beers wrote to the Toronto World that:

"…heads as well as heels have a mission now, and none of us who would never think of indulging in a mere lacrosse venture, feel that the real object we have associated with the sentence may rank it as one of the efficient if one of the most novel of immigration schemes. It seemed like business when side by side of the boxes of lacrosse sticks, cases of immigration literature were piled into the cars."

It is likely that there was little effort to induce unwilling Scots to emigrate, as had happened in the past, but that the propaganda was aimed at securing the residence of those who had already made the decision. The 1880s saw a fiercely contested market for emigrants, and the Canadians wanted their case to be heard before Scots headed for other destinations, such as Australia, South Africa or the US.

The teams arrived aboard the Sarnia into Liverpool on 15 May 1883, heading straight for Dumfries and their first challenge match. This was won relatively simply by the Canadians, 4-0, an outcome explained by The Scotsman that "the Indians were out of form, having suffered severely from sea-sickness."

After Dumfries, both teams headed north to fulfil appointments in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee, Inverness and Edinburgh. The local press reported the matches in detail, stressing the various connections with Scotland. Many of the Canadian players were Scots, and by their sheer athleticism living advertisements for the benefits of emigration (the gentlemen's team included W K McNaught, the legendary goalkeeper who had also authored a book on the game, and the dashing Ross "Cast Iron" McKenzie, world-record holder for throwing the lacrosse ball, at point).

Editors also persistently demonstrated the Victorian love of the curious, and of the "noble savage", sated here by the sight of the battle-dressed Iroquois rather than kilted Highlanders. The nature of the relationship between lacrosse and shinty was also pondered.On the web

Scottish Lacrosse

Canadian Heritage Gallery

Lacrosse World Cup 2005

Fresh Talent Initiative

The link between sport and emigration was most obvious in Inverness, which was identified as the destination most likely to contain potential emigrants. This was a period of ongoing land agitation in Scotland, and a Royal Commission under Lord Francis Napier was touring the Highlands and Islands to hear evidence from crofters, factors, landlords and others to see what might be done for the region. For many politicians, and in various parts of the press, there was a more simple solution to the "Highland Problem" – emigration. One of the main recommendations of the Napier Commission in 1884 was, of course, a system of emigration to thin the inflated population of the Highlands.

Great efforts were made by local worthies in Inverness to ensure a large attendance. Charter trains and boats were laid on to bring spectators from throughout the area, and a programme of events was arranged which served to blur the distinction between sport and politics. Alongside the match itself, it was hoped that a general holiday would be declared to allow everyone to attend, and a lecture was scheduled for the following day on "Indian Tribes of North America". The lecture would be led by the Rev D V Lucas, of Montreal, formerly a missionary among the Native tribes. Amid the enthusiasm for all things Canadian, spectators at the public lecture would also receive a free copy of the reverend's 40-page promotional booklet, All About Canada. The game in Inverness was won, 4-2, by the gentlemen, but in the carnival atmosphere this was of minimal importance.A quite different feeling pervaded the game in Edinburgh, later in the same week, arranged to coincide with the Queen's birthday celebrations. Although promotional materials were still available, the spectators at the Grange Cricket Ground were more interested in witnessing the sporting spectacle for its own sake than in hearing about the attractions of the Dominion. With the admission charge a mere shilling, the crowd was so large that it spilled onto the playing area. The Scotsman recorded that "the fine weather, coupled with the novelty of the game and the reputation of the Canadians, drew out a large and fashionable attendance, numbering between three and four thousand, among whom were many ladies." The game ended in an exciting 5-5 draw, and was followed by cheers and speeches in recognition of the monarch's birthday.

After spending the night at the Balmoral Hotel, the teams headed south, and in England this tour is noted as one of the defining moments in the history of lacrosse, encouraging the formation of new teams which excel in the game to this day.

The place of the tour in Scottish history is more complex. It gives us not only a valuable insight into the Victorian fascination with the "noble savage", but also of emigration schemes, notions of national pride in successful returning emigrants and the strong emotional links which already existed between Scotland and Canada.

Dr Andrew G Newby is lecturer in Scottish History and coordinator of the interdisciplinary MSC in Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh. His first book, a biography of the Glasgow-Irish land reformer and trade unionist Edward McHugh, was published by Mellen Press in 2005.