John Hulley (19 February 1832 – 6 January 1875) was an English gymnastics and athletics entrepreneur who encouraged public participation in physical education to improve health and well-being, and was one of the instigators of the Olympic movement in Britain. At his Liverpool Gymnasium in 1865 he established the National Olympian Association, the forerunner of the British Olympic Association. With William Penny Brookes and Ernst Georg Ravenstein, he organised the first National Olympian Games in 1866. He organised a series of Assault-at-Arms gymnastic events in Liverpool and Manchester. He organised six Olympic Festivals between 1862 and 1867 in Liverpool and Llandudno. With Robert B. Cummins, he exposed American magicians the Davenport brothers. He introduced the velocipede into Liverpool.
Early life John Hulley was born on 19 February 1832 at 10 Gloucester Street, Liverpool, Lancashire, the only son of John Nevitt Hulley (1803–1840) surgeon, and his wife Elizabeth Speed of Overton, Flintshire (1799–1890).The National Archives reference C 15/204/H136 He was baptised at St David's Church, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool on 19 July 1832.Register of St David's Church, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool His four uncles, grandfather and great grandfather were all in the medical profession. His ancestors came from Frodsham and previously Rainow in Cheshire.
From an early age Hulley had a keen interest in physical activities, education and fitness. He was taught by Louis Huguenin, the famous French gymnast who had settled in Liverpool in 1844 as a teacher of Gymnastics. John attended Huguenin's school in a court at the top of Lord Street for several years before matriculating from the Collegiate Institute, Shaw Street, Liverpool in 1850.Liverpool Citizen, 25 February 1888 – Some Old Liverpudlians [By One of Them] – No. 11 – John Hulley, Gymnasiarch John was destined to succeed his teacher and became the uncrowned king of the local gymnasts.
Vocation in physical education
In January 1858 Charles Pierre Melly, a Liverpool philanthropist (an ancestor of George Melly, musician and entertainer, and Andrée Melly film actress) applied to purchase a piece of corporation land for the purpose of transforming it into a free recreative ground, and fitting it up with a gymnasium and other appliances for the use of the local working-class people.The Standard, 12 January 1858 – Recreations for the People With John Hulley, he founded the Liverpool Athletic Club at the Rotunda Gymnasium, Bold Street, Liverpool (with the motto mens sana in corpore sano – a healthy mind in a healthy body), and was its first president.Liverpool Mercury, 3 December 1863 – Grand Assault at Arms
Hulley's first public speech on the role of physical education was given on 25 April 1861 at the Theatre Royal, Williamson Square, Liverpool and was part of a display by members of the 79th Lancashire Volunteer Rifles entitled "A Grand Assault of Arms". Several members of the Manchester Athenaeum Gymnastic Club and of M. Huguenin's Liverpool Gymnasium performed a great variety of gymnastic exercises.Liverpool Mercury, 25 April 1861 – The Assault on Arms at the Theatre-RoyalMorning Post, 29 April 1861 – "Assault of Arms" at Liverpool Another Assault-at-Arms was held at the same venue in December 1861, where Hulley delivered an address on physical education in which he stressed the need for physical as well as mental excellence.Liverpool Mercury, 5 December 1861 – Grand Assault on Arms
Olympic Festivals
The 1st Grand Olympic Festival was held at Mount Vernon Parade Ground, Liverpool in June 1862 and John Hulley, Honorary Secretary of the club organised the event.Liverpool Mercury, 12 June 1862 – The Grand Olympic Festival The Liverpool Mercury reported that Hulley was praised by Mr. Melly who said that "it was entirely owing to John Hulley's indefatigable and praiseworthy exertions that the festival had been brought to such a successful and highly satisfactory issue". The Mercury's report also acknowledged the work of John Hulley in making a success of the festival.Liverpool Mercury, 16 June 1862 – The Grand Olympic Festival
An Assault-at-Arms was held at St. George's Hall, Liverpool in December 1862, again organised by Hulley.Cheshire Observer and General Advertiser, 2 May 1863 – Letter to Editor – Physical Education This was followed by the 2nd Olympic Festival held on 13 June 1863 at the Mount Vernon Parade Ground, Liverpool in front of 12,000 to 15,000 spectators.Liverpool Mercury, 15 June 1863 – Grand Olympic Festival A Grand Assault-at-Arms held at the Theatre Royal, Liverpool by the Liverpool Athletic Society on 2 December 1863 was the occasion when the prizes won at the Olympic Festival in June were distributed to the winners.Liverpool Mercury, 3 December 1863 – Grand Assault at Arms
The 3rd Olympic Festival took place in the Zoological Gardens on 9 July 1864, having been postponed from a week earlier due to bad weather, and was formally opened by Sir John Jones.Liverpool Mercury, 2 July 1864 – Programme for the 3rd Olympic FestivalLiverpool Mercury, 4 July 1864 – Postponement of the Olympic FestivalLiverpool Mercury, 9 July 1864 – The Olympic Festival In his address he said inter alia "I am sure you will excuse me if I bring to your notice the name of an individual who has exerted himself on behalf of the Athletic Club in a manner not to be exceeded – I mean Mr. John Hulley. (Loud cheers.) You are indebted to him for the club which has been established at Liverpool; you are indebted to him for these festivals, and as far as my knowledge goes, the most indefatigable exertions for the promotion of physical education have been displayed by him". (Cheers.)Liverpool Mercury, 11 July 1864 – The Olympic Festival
The Foundation stone of the new Liverpool Gymnasium was officially laid on 19 July 1864 in Myrtle Street by the Mayor, with Hulley as manager and self-styled Gymnasiarch (an Athenian officer who superintended the gymnasia). Mr. C.P. Melly addressed the invited guests and explained that judging from the success of the Rotunda Gymnasium, and the large receipts from its subscribers during its short career, it was believed that if the services of Mr. Hulley could be secured then an institution might be founded which would be not only of benefit to the public, but also to those who gave their money to it.Liverpool Mercury, 19 July 1864 – Laying of the Foundation Stone of the new Liverpool Gymnasium
In 1864 Hulley had the time and inclination to write to The Times suggesting that England should adopt a type of bathing dress used by continentals – "Gentlemen, wives and daughters walking down to the water were all dressed in a seemly yet convenient fashion. The men wear simply loose, baggy trousers, and a skirted Garibaldi of the same or corresponding material. The ladies wear what may be described as a simple Bloomer costume, consisting of jackets, shaped variously according to taste and loose trousers reaching to the ankle. The dress is completed by slippers, to protect the feet from the shingle, and a straw hat, neatly trimmed to protect the fair wearer's complexion".The Times, 6 August 1864 – Sea-Bathing in England and France
Hulley's prowess in the field of physical education was formally recognised by the Wenlock Olympian Society in October 1864 when they elected him to honorary membership and awarded him a silver medal as a mark of their appreciation of his talented and valuable services in the cause of physical education.Liverpool Mercury, 18 October 1864 – No title – page 7
The medal was rediscovered in 2008 in an attic in Wallasey by a descendant of Georgiana Hulley, née Bolton, the wife of John Hulley.
The 4th Olympic Festival was held outside Liverpool for the first time, at Llandudno on Saturday 22 and Monday 24 July 1865 at the Croquet Ground above the baths. Hulley again organised the festival which included an athletic meeting held on the side of the Great Orme and a Grand Procession of Illuminated Boats on the Bay. Unfortunately this had to be postponed from the Saturday evening to the Monday due to the Llandudno boatmen re-hiring their boats to someone else after a price had been agreed with Hulley. At the end of the festival Hulley was thanked and three cheers were heartily given by the crowd.North Wales Chronicle, 29 July 1865 – Olympic Festival at Llandudno The following week's edition of the North Wales Chronicle appealed to the organisers to organise another athletic meeting.North Wales Chronicle, 5 August 1865 – Llandudno – The Olympic Festival
The Liverpool Gymnasium was formally opened on 6 November 1865 by Lord Stanley, who said "I congratulate the managers upon having in Mr Hulley, a director who is working out a very real and enthusiastic interest in the business which he is employed to do".The Times, 7 November 1865 – A Real Move in Physical Education
On the same day at the Liverpool Gymnasium Hulley took the Chair on the formation of the National Olympian Association (NOA) and the Liverpool Mercury reported the inaugural meeting with the following persons present:
This meeting was the forerunner of the modern British Olympic Association and was formed mainly through the efforts of Hulley, Dr. Brookes and Mr Ravenstein – the triumvirate of the 19th century Olympic movement. The NOA's articles of foundation provided the framework for the Olympic Charter.
The traditional winter Assault-at-Arms was held at the Liverpool Gymnasium on 8 February 1866 under the auspices of Hulley, with Sir John Jones KCB, hero of Delhi and late President of the Athletic Society in the chair. A large audience was entertained by several gymnastic performances, broadsword and fencing contests, and boxing bouts, one of which featured Jem Mace the current English boxing champion. All proceeds were donated to the Children's Hospital in Liverpool.Liverpool Mercury, 9 February 1866 – The Liverpool Gymnasium – The Grand Assault at ArmsThe Porcupine, 17 February 1866 – The Gymnasiarch and the Children's Infirmary
The 5th Olympic Festival was again held at Llandudno on 25–26 June 1866.The Illustrated London News, 7 July 1866 – The Olympic Festival at Llandudno John Hulley followed this event by organising a swimming fete for juveniles at the same venue on 27 July 1866. During his stay at Llandudno he revisited his views concerning the modes of bathing attire for males and females. He addressed a large gathering on the Parade and spoke about the need for British holiday resorts to follow the lead of those on the continent in the matter of dress. His main theme was simply that there were two things to be done before British bathing will be as decent, as moral, as enjoyable, as bathing on the continent. The first was to get men and women to wear decent bathing dresses; and the second was, to induce them to be in company. At the close of his address, discussion was invited, but, with the exception of two gentlemen who spoke in favour of Mr Hulley's views, no discussion was entered upon. The question was then put to the meeting whether the views advocated were such as met the approval of those present, and was carried unanimously. His speech was reported in the Pall Mall Gazette of 7 September 1866.Liverpool Mercury, 29 August 1866 – Llandudno – The Gymnasiarch of Liverpool on Civilised BathingPall Mall Gazette, 7 September 1866 – British Bathing in 1866
Hulley, with help from William Penny Brookes and Ernst Ravenstein, staged Britain's first National Olympian Games held on 31 July 1866 by the River Thames at Teddington for aquatic events and 1 August 1866 at the Crystal Palace Park Cricket Ground for other events. John Hulley's presence at the Games and mode of dress drew considerable attention and a report in the Penny Illustrated Paper mentioned: