The University of St Andrews holds antique examples of these “gutta” balls in its collection, which is now being redisplayed and re-examined in order to highlight any potential connections to British colonialism.
The exhibition is funded by Museum Galleries Scotland, which has also supported a Scotland-wide review of national ties to the slave trade. Its display highlights the financial connections between St Andrews and figures who profited from slavery.
The Re-collecting Empire exhibition, running at St Andrews affiliated Wardlaw Museum until October, also includes displays arguing that European textile mills created wares inspired by styles “that originated overseas” in the colonies – and therefore “exploited the originating culture”.
The Re-Collecting Empire exhibition, which runs until Oct 22, is part of St Andrews pledge to continue “examining the legacies of Empire in our collections and exploring how we can build a more equitable future”. It is part of a broader trend of academic “decolonisation” accelerated by Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.
Dr Emma Bond, exhibition consultant and St Andrews academic, said: “The Re-collecting Empire exhibition opens at a time when museums and galleries across the UK and beyond are rethinking how best to care for objects in their collections that were acquired during periods of colonial rule.”
Golf has been played in St Andrews since the 15th century. Land was set aside for people to play the sport in 1552, and St Andrews Links was effectively created.
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, founded in 1754, is also credited with first codifying the rules of the game in its recognizable modern form.
.