Billy Joyce and his BELT!

I would start in Warrington or that area.

I don't think its British title of any kind, because it is not. Photo was taken when the 60s Mount Evans belts set was already in use. So yes, I agree with you, its either Euro heavyweight, or a tourney winner belt. Again when Steve Wright had it was BRITISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP, looks like a name of some sort of elimination series.

Another idea Ruslan.

In May 1960 "Parade of Champion" when all the champions were presented with their belts, which led to "that photo," which we discussed previously.

Seems feasible that these were the new Mountevans belts, the ones we remember, or why else would they have a presentation?

Billy Joyce won the British heavyweight title in April, 1958, two years before the new belts. So this belt may have been used for the next two years,

EDIT: Now I've posted this I see that Ray beat me to a similar conclusion and posted these images in the That Photo topic

That photo

As far as I can see plus some guessing , after Assirati had finished with Joint , it was sorted that Baldwin would be champion again as he had been whilst Bert was in Asia. But others got a go and there was a lot of swapping.

Don't think Joyce got it until early on 1958 , but again it kept being dropped and won back. Baldwin seems to have dropped it by end of 1957.

And of course within a few years Joyce and Robinson did their shows all over the country , just a good training workout for them. There were so many title matches that we could not possibly follow them all , nor make a real lineage , many have tried.

I have no idea what happened with the European. Assirati had held it , but it seemed to have had a break here until it was convenient for Joyce to have it. It was a good script that for a while Robinson would have one belt and Joyce the other , then one of them got both , but many , many draws as well. A great seller at Belle Vue.

Very hard to make sense of it all and maybe a shortage of those quality pictures that Ruslan seeks.

I noticed recently that at one time Ernie Riley had three title fights for the light heavy championship against Billy Howes , in an obscure location , The Sankey Works Canteen in Shropshire.

I think we would be amazed at the Creative writing that went into this industry.

They could do anything , the news did not travel.

This photo certainly looks like Billy in his heavyweight days. I'm not aware of Billy winning any titles other than the British and European. What other significant ones were there?

Over the years you have uncovered a few local tournaments that the majority of fans were unaware of.

Maybe it was one of them.

Thanks for commenting dear friends. My guess is that one of the JP promoters owned this particular 1900s belt either Morell himself or Green maybe Relwyskow maybe Wright maybe Beresford? Guessing game of course. But worth trying. I thought maybe Billy Joyce won an "open to all" tourney and this belt was at stake in it. I don't think it was "just a photo with a belt" I am positive about some pro wrestling title being behind it. Let's investigate it dear friends!

Here is Ernie Riley with one.

I am sceptical that they took them home.

I think the promoters had them for Photo opportunity , but I am guessing.

We've seen time and again a wrestler in a belt doesn't mean he actually won a match for that title.

Joyce was British and European heavyweight champion and British light heavyweight champion.

As British heavyweight champion in the 1960s he used the 1960s Mountevans belt and the same again when he won the light heavyweight title.

We need a photo of the European heavyweight title.