As you may know, I was a fan who got to work a few bouts. One thing I used to do was sit on the top turnbuckle while my opponent made his way to the ring. I got this from Larry. Top man. Truly missed.
Laurence R..I..P. was a Tyneside wrestler well known in the North, along with Frankie Robb, Dick Lanagan and umpteen others. He was a regular in the square ring in Tyneside,. I wrestled him many a time in Whitley Bay Priory theatre, also Tynemouth, his home village of Thorkley, Ron Taylor’s wrestling booths at the Hoppings. and the Goose Fair in Nottingham.
I was there when Dickie Swales was sat on the crate in Ron Taylor’s caravan and it started to move.. It was Laurence who lifted the lid to find it was Daisy the crocodile from the film called an Alligator named Daisy (1955). It was retired. Ron Taylor used it in his menagerie.
The photo you’ll see Laurence with a stick (second left) this was before he had the operation on both knees, as carpet fitting had took its toll, not the wrestling!
Les Prest, Black Jack Mulligan, Sean McNeil, Jimmy Devlin, Jim McCormack.
Black Jack, (Laurence or Laurry) was the perfect villain who really got the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. Don’t know if any of you on this site knew,that in his earlier days of wrestling, he wore a mask and wrestled as the Panda and the last time that I spoke to him, that was about 5 years ago just before lockdown, he told me that he still had his Panda mask in his possessions. I appeared on several bills as he, wrestling mainly for the opposition.He wrestling as the Panda several times against an opponent not very much heard of nowadays called The Reverend Michael Brooks and Black Jack really sold it to the crowd,as you could imagine.
I remember Rev Michael Brooks his parish was in Throckley on the western outskirts of Newcastle, billed as the wrestling vicar on some bills. I saw Ron Taylors booth when they did the Newcastle toppings every June, there was always a masked man but cannot remember more than thatI started going in with my dad at about 7 or 8,(1964). I saw Blackjack a number of times at the City Hall sometimes as a stand in for a no show but he always gave value for money.
Two of my favourite matches to watch on YouTube are George Kidd (in his last singles match on TV) vs Black Jack Mulligan and Sammy Lee (later The Tiger Mask) vs Black Jack Mulligan, where Black Jack sells all their moves brilliantly.
I once read a topic on an old website where someone asked if Black Jack Mulligan had ever won a match. After much searching one win was found, when Black Jack won in a semi-final of a four man tournament but he lost in the final. That was the only win anybody could find! He made a career out of making other wrestlers look good. RIP Black Jack.
To the average attendee or armchair watcher Black Jack Mulligan was the perennial loser, but Larry could make the most hapless opponent look like champion. He could adapt to any style in the ring and have the fans howling for his blood all whilst he was making his often lesser opponent look good. Larry and a small selection of others were the trusted men who were made sure the 'names ' had a relatively easy night' time and time again but made it look that they'd put them through it.
Larry, Peter Kaye and one or two others were unique in the sport, far more than jobbers, these were trusted men and we won't see their like again.
Larry was on the first show I ever attended, tagging with Mal Kirk against Shirley and Mick McMichael at Whitby in 1982. He signed his autograph in the bar afterwards and chatted with us. Pete Ross and John Cox were also there. This is a sad loss. R.I.P. Larry.
Sad news indeed following Peter's passing. Lawrence had the skill but initially was underused moving to York's meant better opportunities . His black jack mulligan phase was something max actually got right
As you may know, I was a fan who got to work a few bouts. One thing I used to do was sit on the top turnbuckle while my opponent made his way to the ring. I got this from Larry. Top man. Truly missed.
Remembering him from the (then) reunions in Blackpool.
R.I.P. Black Jack
The British Wrestling Remembered Facebook page has photos of some of the attendees at his funeral
Jim McCormack has written:
Laurence R..I..P. was a Tyneside wrestler well known in the North, along with Frankie Robb, Dick Lanagan and umpteen others. He was a regular in the square ring in Tyneside,. I wrestled him many a time in Whitley Bay Priory theatre, also Tynemouth, his home village of Thorkley, Ron Taylor’s wrestling booths at the Hoppings. and the Goose Fair in Nottingham.
I was there when Dickie Swales was sat on the crate in Ron Taylor’s caravan and it started to move.. It was Laurence who lifted the lid to find it was Daisy the crocodile from the film called an Alligator named Daisy (1955). It was retired. Ron Taylor used it in his menagerie.
The photo you’ll see Laurence with a stick (second left) this was before he had the operation on both knees, as carpet fitting had took its toll, not the wrestling!
Les Prest, Black Jack Mulligan, Sean McNeil, Jimmy Devlin, Jim McCormack.
Another Great Loss along with TALLY-HO PETER KAYE Sadly!
LARRY was a 'Carpenter'-Like PETER-without his Presence in The Business-Bigger
Stars would not have looked as good!-especially on Television!
A great example being GEORGE KIDD's Last Professional Bout in which LARRY
made an Ageing KIDD STILL look Great-although he was Well Past the Time to
Retire!-So BLACK JACK made GEORGE's T.V. Appearance Farewell a good watch
and Cemented Further the Legacy of The Long-Time World LIGHTWEIGHT
Champion!
Watch ANY of LARRY's Matches-he could Certainly Wrestle Very Well and was
Really Accomplished in Utilising Many of the Holds!
Sadly-I Never got to Meet him!-He was due to come to a BLACKPOOL Reunion
a Few Years Back-but Pulled Out a Week before as his Leg was giving him
a lot of Trouble!!-BLACK JACK was Very Good at his Job!
A Great Loss!- Thanx LARRY for your Invaluable Contribution to BRITISH Wrestling!
Below MAIN MASK is Holding One of My Original Posters for The GUILD HALL
in PRESTON in 1977!-It Features BLACK JACK MULLIGAN Tagging with
TALLY-HO PETER KAYE against The ROYAL Brothers!!
We Know The Result here Don't We??-Great Rest of the Bill Line-Up too!!
MAIN MASK
Black Jack, (Laurence or Laurry) was the perfect villain who really got the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand. Don’t know if any of you on this site knew,that in his earlier days of wrestling, he wore a mask and wrestled as the Panda and the last time that I spoke to him, that was about 5 years ago just before lockdown, he told me that he still had his Panda mask in his possessions. I appeared on several bills as he, wrestling mainly for the opposition.He wrestling as the Panda several times against an opponent not very much heard of nowadays called The Reverend Michael Brooks and Black Jack really sold it to the crowd,as you could imagine.
R.I.P. Black Jack Mulligan.
Two of my favourite matches to watch on YouTube are George Kidd (in his last singles match on TV) vs Black Jack Mulligan and Sammy Lee (later The Tiger Mask) vs Black Jack Mulligan, where Black Jack sells all their moves brilliantly.
I once read a topic on an old website where someone asked if Black Jack Mulligan had ever won a match. After much searching one win was found, when Black Jack won in a semi-final of a four man tournament but he lost in the final. That was the only win anybody could find! He made a career out of making other wrestlers look good. RIP Black Jack.
R.I.P. Black Jack - saw him wrestle many times, cannot recall any wins but always riled up the crowd. Great entertainer.
To the average attendee or armchair watcher Black Jack Mulligan was the perennial loser, but Larry could make the most hapless opponent look like champion. He could adapt to any style in the ring and have the fans howling for his blood all whilst he was making his often lesser opponent look good. Larry and a small selection of others were the trusted men who were made sure the 'names ' had a relatively easy night' time and time again but made it look that they'd put them through it.
Larry, Peter Kaye and one or two others were unique in the sport, far more than jobbers, these were trusted men and we won't see their like again.
Thank you Larry Coulton R.I.P
Sad news. Remember Larry in various tag matches, always good. RIP.
RIP Black Jack
Thanks for replying. The news had passed me by.
Larry was on the first show I ever attended, tagging with Mal Kirk against Shirley and Mick McMichael at Whitby in 1982. He signed his autograph in the bar afterwards and chatted with us. Pete Ross and John Cox were also there. This is a sad loss. R.I.P. Larry.
Sad news, RIP.
Sad news indeed following Peter's passing. Lawrence had the skill but initially was underused moving to York's meant better opportunities . His black jack mulligan phase was something max actually got right
https://wrestlingheritage.co.uk/black-jack-mulligan/