is a comparative newcomer, as far as the longevity of shuttlecock games go, having come into existence sometime during the latter half of the 19th century. The precise date is unknown.
Although historians are agreed that the game gets it's name from Badminton House in Gloucestershire, England, the ancestral home of the Dukes of Beaufort, there are varying opinions as to who invented it or where it originated.
But enough of conjecture, let us see what contemporary evidence is available in support of each theory.
A letter to THE FIELD, THE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S NEWSPAPER dated 31st May, 1873 (page 531) reads as follows:
"THE BADMINTON GAME OF BATTLEDORE - I hear that this game is a favourite one in India at the present time. Can any of your readers give me particulars as to the manner in which it is played, what implements are required &c.? - K.."
Over the next few weeks there were a considerable number of published replies. Initially these came from persons in England who described what were obviously adaptations of the children's game of Battledore and Shuttlecock played indoors with a net.
Then replies from India started coming in from different parts of the country, describing games called Badminton but with differing rules. These are as follows:
Preceding this letter was the following editorial:
"SEVERAL MONTHS SINCE a correspondent inquired in our columns about the game of "Badminton" and several letters were inserted in reply. A correspondent in India seeing the inquiry, has now sent us a little pamphlet, entitled "A Handbook of Badminton, with rules for Playing the Game" by Major Forbes, S.C., and is published at Calcutta by the Great Eastern Hotel Company. A note accompanying the pamphlet, says: "Your Indian readers will be glad to see a notice of these rules in your paper." We think however, that it will be of more interest to a larger number of our readers if we give them complete. People in England would scarcely send to Calcutta for the rules, and residents in India will not be debarred by our publication from obtaining them in the much more handy form of the original pamphlet. We also give below a letter from a Nagpore correspondent on the same subject; and another set of rules, as adopted at Murree, in the Punjab, we must reserve for a future impression."
To round off this flurry of correspondence, there came a letter dated 18th October, 1873 (page 409) from one of England's landed gentry:
Sir, - I have read with much interest Major Forbes account and rules of the game of Badminton. Other owners of country houses in a wet climate, like myself, have no doubt often felt that a game with plenty of exercise for ladies and gentlemen, that could be played under cover, would be a great acquisition. Any of your readers would confer a great benefit if they could tell us if Badminton is ever played under cover, and also of any other suitable game that would meet our wants? A flat even floor, cement or paving, 30ft. by 40ft., protected by a roof and open all round the sides could be built at a cost of less than £100. Under such a protection from rain, many an hour on a wet day might be spent by one's guests in healthy exercise, and with much pleasure and enjoyment. A HOST."
The reason for the question are two early 20th century trade advertisements by British Sports goods manufacturers.
January 1902 - An advertisement for Badminton equipment in the end papers of a book entitled "Revised Laws of Ping Pong" included the following:
December, 1909 - A joint whole page advertisement in the "Badminton Gazette", by A.W. Gamage Ltd., Holborn, London & Benetfink Ltd., Cheapside, London included the following:
These advertisements pose the following questions:
1. I cannot imagine Sports Goods manufacturers stocking equipment for which there was no demand, so who bought them?
2. Does it mean that Badminton was played with balls in Britain as well as with shuttlecocks?
3. Were the balls made in Britain, or were they imported, possibly from India? If John Jaques advertisement is literally correct the firm actually made them.
4. Were the balls of the same construction and size as those used by India's Ball Badminton?
The contemporary answers to these questions are all embedded in the "Ball Badminton" page.
Fristly, it is evident from the description in the two advertisements that the balls were not of the same construction as their Indian counterparts.
Secondly, it is likely that, because of the specified weight criteria, that they could have been the same type of construction as celluloid table tennis balls but with the addition of a worsted covering.
Thirdly, The fact that only two advertisements for them have come to light, so far, within a relatively short space of time [7 years] could mean that they did not catch on in the England as an alternative to the shuttlecock. In fact Col. Beddowes in his 1907 letter on the subject of "Ball Badminton" was quite scathing about them.
TO SUM UP. It seems to me that specially made balls for playing Badminton in England were an experiment which failed. In the end the problem of wind was solved by taking the game indoors.