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Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
From the collection of Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum and Village
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Leisure object - Set of skittles, 20th century

  • Four upright bottle-shaped wooden skittles in a line across the page.

    Upright skittles side profile

  • Skittles have a hole in the centre of the knob on top

    Upright skittles from above at an angle

  • The difference between the surfaces shows that the stained finish has worn off.

    Some upright, some horizontal, from above at an angle

  • Four upright bottle-shaped wooden skittles in a line across the page.
  • Skittles have a hole in the centre of the knob on top
  • The difference between the surfaces shows that the stained finish has worn off.

Historical information

These handmade skittles in this set appear to have had a lot of use as the surfaces of the skittles are well worn. The skittles have a hole in the top, indicating that they were made on a wood lathe.

The game of skittles is played indoors and outdoors. It is a traditional target game or sport and the forerunner of the sport of bowling. A standard skittle set has nine skittles and one or two balls. The skittles would be arranged in a diagonal square pattern and a ball would be bowled towards them, for a given distance away. The object is to knock down as many skittles as possible.

Significance

These skittles are representative of the traditional games played by children and adults over the centuries.

Physical description

Set of four wooden skittles, cylindrical body tapering inwards to form a narrow keck with a knob on top. Knob has two flat surfaces. The bodies and knob tops of the skittles sow remnants of wood stain but the bodies' surfaces are worn. The tops have a scored line around their circumference. The bases are rounded, with the edges off the floor. The top and base of the skittles have a hole in the centre.

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