The Boy's Own Paper

The Boy's Own Paper, No. 138, Vol. III (September 3, 1881)

This cover depicts two boys tumbling down a steep hillside in rough play, one airborne mid-fall while the other sprawls across the ground. Spectators gather on the ridge above. The caption reads "Down he went like a ninepins."

The Boy's Own Paper, published by the Religious Tract Society from 1879, offered adventure fiction, school narratives, natural history, and practical instruction aimed at respectable middle-class youth. Edited by George Andrew Hutchison and illustrated by established Victorian engravers, each weekly issue combined serialized tales of exploration, naval service, and sporting prowess with factual columns on science and practical skills. The paper positioned itself as a wholesome alternative to sensational penny dreadfuls, combining imperial adventure narratives with moral instruction suitable for its young male readership.