Boys' Own
Boys' Own or Boy's Own or Boys Own, is the title of a varying series of similarly titled magazines, story papers, and newsletters published at various times and by various publishers, in the United Kingdom and the United States, from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century, for preteen and teenage boys.
History
In 1828 in London, and in 1829 in Boston, US, an encyclopedia for boys by William Clarke was published, titled The Boy's Own Book: A Complete Encyclopedia of all the Diversions, Athletic, Scientific, and Recreative, of Boyhood and Youth.[2] According to sports historian Robert William Henderson, "It was a tremendous contrast to the juvenile books of the period, which emphasized piety, morals and instruction of mind and soul; it must have been received with whoops of delight by the youngsters of both countries."[3] The encyclopedia was frequently updated and reprinted through the end of the century.
Beginning with
Titles of some of the other varying magazine franchises called "Boys Own", which total more than 15 different publications, included Boys' Own Journal, Boys' Own Library, Boy's Own Paper, The Boys' Own, Boys' Own Times and News of the World, etc.
Content
The contents of the various magazine titles consisted largely of boyish and manly
, and other genres of interest to boys.See also
- Boys' Life
- British boys' magazines
References
- ^ a b Tosh, John. Masculinity, 1560-1918: Men Defining Men and Gentlemen. Part 3: 1800-1918, Sources from the Bodleian Library, Oxford. Adam Matthew Publications.
- ^ Clarke, William. The Boy's Own Book: A Complete Encyclopedia of all the Diversions, Athletic, Scientific, and Recreative, of Boyhood and Youth. Fourth Edition. Vizetelly, Branston and Co., 1829.
- ^ Henderson, Robert William. Ball, Bat, and Bishop: The Origin of Ball Games. University of Illinois Press, 2001. p. 153.
- ^ Phil Stephensen-Payne, "The Boy's Own Magazine," Magazines
- ^ Boys Own. Alphabetical listing of various serials under that title – see The Boys' Own through Boys' Own Times and News of the World.