Dr Patrick Chaplin
(aka Dr Darts, Darts Historian)
Darts owes an enormous debt to one man who has recorded the game's history, the sport and players since 1900. As I get older, I realise the importance of recording historical events for future generations. Unfortunately, many myths still get rewritten as true in this sport, and in some cases, research is required to find the true origins of the sport and to quell untruths.
Patrick is not only a collector of darts memorabilia; he has put this to good use. For many years, he contributed to Darts World Magazine and spent ten years writing a thesis about Darts in England 1900-39 - A Social History. The thesis recorded the early history of the sport of darts, from the humble game played mainly in the public houses of England to a major social phenomenon during the War years, which gave Patrick a PhD. With a few amendments, the thesis was made into a book of the same name, which was published by Manchester University Press in 2009 in hardback copy and later in paperback in 2020.
Patrick self-funded his part-time postgraduate research and was awarded a PhD by the Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, in November 2007.
Patrick said, "After ten years of intensive research, I am thrilled to have gained my doctorate and made a significant contribution to the study of interwar popular culture."
Patrick added, "My study of darts began as a hobby but developed into an obsession. Eventually, I knew that I could make a positive contribution to the study of English popular culture by researching the social history of darts. I approached the Anglia Ruskin University with my outline plan. This, thankfully, was accepted, and I then embarked on my journey towards a PhD".
Patrick was later made a research fellow in 2008. Parick said, "On 21st April 2008, I received a letter from Professor Monika Pruetzel-Thomas, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences at ARU, confirming my designation as Research Fellow in History".
Patrick's research hasn't stopped there, as Patrick has recorded and shared many more years of darts history, although this may not feature in a book. Patrick has published many details on his own website.
Although Patrick may class himself as a social player of the sport, he is the author of several Dart Books and Autobiographies, including autobiographies for John Lowe (MBE) and Trina Gulliver (MBE).
Partick has also been featured many times on TV and Radio, answering questions about the sport, and even his FREE monthly Dr Darts Newsletter (Darts History) has been featured on the topical news program 'Have I Got News for You', October 2022.
I have been fortunate to have known Patrick for over twenty years and worked on his website for part of that time. He now self-maintains the website and regularly adds to the hundreds of features that have already been published.
It is important for any research to contain evidence, as history can get distorted by those who take what may be written, in some cases in all good faith, on the internet as accurate. Patrick's research is steeped in historical evidence and has uncovered some of the many mistruths surrounding the sport.
As for more books on the subject, we will have to wait and see. But there needs to be enough interest from past players to make any further contribution viable.
If you haven't already visited Patrick's website on darts, now is the time to do so. Patrick writes about darts and is involved in Pub History and the local history of Malden, Essex, where he lives.
Patrick Chalpin Dart Books:
Books that Patrick has written or co-written:
- Darts in England. 1900-39 – A social history
- 180! Fascinating Darts Facts
- Darts: Skill – Tactics – Techniques
- Scoring for Show, Doubles for Dough: Bobby George Darts Lingo – Patrick Chaplin
- The Official Bar Guide to Darts – (Designed for the American Market)
- Golden Girl – Trina Gulliver Autobiography
- John Lowe – Autobiography
Patrick has contributed to Darts Magazines, is the chairman of The Pub History, and provided history into Maldon, Essex and is the co-author with Irene Allen of Landford, an obscure Essex Village Transformed. He has also revisited a book first published by Ken Subbings, A Brief History of Maldon's Inns, Ale Houses and Breweries.
