What game is this and where? Grandfather Simpkin

[carom]

My cousin has sent me this photo of her maternal grandfather, (our link is the paternal line, so I know little of her maternal side).
Basically trying to work out what the game is and where it was taken. My first thought was that is in India, probably a game adapted from something done on horseback.
My cousin is certain it is in England.
Any ideas?

[Treetotal]

What an interesting photo...they look like skates but I have no idea what the sport could be. This will bring it back up the board for you.
Carol

[mazi]

Could it be a form of “Bandy”, a sort of ice hockey played with straight sticks and a small ball,
But the roller skate version.


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandy


Mike

[Treetotal]

I think you could be right Mike "Rink Bandy" is played on a field.
Carol

[carom]

Thanks for the replies. I wondered about bandy or roller hockey. What puzzled me is the length of the sticks, you'd have to be bent almost double to hit a small ball.

[Mike in Cumbria]

Nothing about the photo suggests India to me.

[Trishanne]

I cannot find a photo of Bandy using sticks like that, every one I've seen theyare playing with hockey sticks. Also what are the wooden frames behind two of the players?
Pat

[BumbleB]

Six members - or two teams of 3? 

It might be interesting to know where "Grandfather Simpkin" came from.

[familydar]

Could it be some sort of mock combat, no ball involved?  With the sleeveless jerkins acting as some form of rudimentary body armour?  The sticks remind me of the ones Morris dancers use.