Old wooden game/toy (HELP)

[Lostrider]

Hi All,

 

I need your help. I am looking for a game/toy from early 1900's???

 

Its completely wooden and consists of one stick of wood sharpened to a point at both ends and is hit with another stick at one of the ends to see how high it will go.

 

Unfortunately I have no idea what its called, can anyone point me in the right direction?

 

Many thanks,

B

 

It is an old English game. We called it Knurr-and-Spell in Hackenthorpe. It was easy to make one.

 

• You need one house brick (The Spell)
  
• An old broom hande. (The Pommel)
  
• A small piece of the round wood about an 75mm long. (The Knurr)
  

 

You shape the small piece of wood into a bullet shape so that half the length decreases to a BLUNT point.

 

Make the broom handle about cricket bat length.

 

To play:

 

1. Stand the house brick on its end.
   
2. Place the Knurr on the top of the brick with point facing the direction of travel.
   
3. Now hit the tip of the bullet end of the Knurr with a sharp downward movement with the Pommel and as it flicks up into the air, wack it as hard as you can.
   
4. The one the hits it the farthest wins.
   

 

In barnsley it was a serious sport, Pommels would be made from Pick axe handles turned down so the shaft was very light and thin and the end would be thick & heavy. I dont know if it is still played now.

 

I have seen it played where the Knurr was a marble size white ball hanging in a small pouch from a gallows like contraption.

 

Note : It is essentiall not to stand in front of the brick if spectating as this can cause serious injury if the Knurr is miss hit.

 

Here is a description of one method of playing:

Northern Spell