Description
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is one of the most effective fighting arts in the world.
125 years ago, a Victorian entrepreneur nearly derailed it.
In this video, I examine the historical evidence behind Edward Barton-Wright and the creation of Bartitsu at the turn of the twentieth century. Using contemporary sources — including Percy Longhurst, William Bankier (“Apollo”), Walter Armstrong, and William Garrud — I look at what was actually being demonstrated in London in 1899, and whether Bartitsu was ever a coherent integrated system at all.
This story connects directly to the early transmission of Japanese jiu jitsu to Britain, the role of Yukio Tani and Sadakazu Uyenishi, and the British chapter in the career of Mitsuyo Maeda — a chapter that would eventually influence the development of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
If you haven’t seen my full breakdown of Sadakazu Uyenishi and his influence on Maeda, you can watch it here: https://youtu.be/TcfMVI4L9wk
Topics covered:
– Edward Barton-Wright and the Bartitsu Club
– Japanese jiu jitsu in Britain (1899–1903)
– Percy Longhurst and “Jiu-Jitsu pure and simple”
– William Bankier (Apollo) and early demonstrations
– Walter Armstrong’s commentary
– William Garrud and technical lineage
– Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes’ reference to “baritsu”
– The early global spread of jiu jitsu
This is not an attack on modern practitioners of Bartitsu. It is an examination of the historical record.
As always, sources are drawn from contemporary publications of the period.
Be careful who you call a founder. Be careful who you call a master.