I am a relative and remember Uncle Fred in the 1970s. I have a fair few stories about him if you want to know about him. Nigel T (Groves side of the family).

nigeltonks

Oct 19, 2023

Replying to

I live near Coventry/ Birmingham so can meet if you wish as my memories will take about half hour to tell, and of course you will have further questions afterwards. nigeltonks@outlook.com

wardolivia1

Oct 19, 2023

Replying to

Ah I don't live in the area anymore!

nigeltonks

Oct 19, 2023

Replying to

Ok. I remember him being in the pages of the Coventry Eveming Telegraph pictured with a new Rolls Royce as he gave it to his 16 year old daughter who was too young to drive it!

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Nov 29, 2021

Came across Prince Banu again recently whilst looking through Lincoln.

grahambrookjazz

Jul 23, 2020

I toyed with being a wrestling promoter in 1975 and had two false starts when nerves got the better of me before actually promoting my first show with the help of Abe Ginsberg in January 1976. For my second false start I approached Jack Taylor to put a show together for me in my home town of Wilmslow and he put together a very good eight team K.O. tournament. I knew "Jumping" Jim Moser who was a local Wilmslow lad at the time and told Jack that he had to be on the bill but the rest of the bill would have all been from Taylor's repertory company. I then got cold feet and cancelled it but, had the show gone ahead, one of the teams would have been "Jumping" Jim Moser and Prince Barnu.

Taylor never forgave me and, although he said nothing, he got his revenge in 1976 when I promoted at The Civic Hall in Nantwich and I hired a couple of girls from him to top the bill and they never showed. I saw no point in telephoning him the next day and had no further dealings with him. Lee Sharron was on the bill and suggested, to make up for the no-show from the girls, announcing that their wage bill would be up for grabs and we would invite back all the wrestlers on the show who wished to compete in an over the top rope battle royal which saved the day.

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Jul 23, 2020

Another Prince Barnu sighting here.

Hack

Jul 22, 2020

Thanks Ron and welcome Olivia. Banu and Barnu have often caused confusion. Pleased you found the right entry

https://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/b-barnes

You should have received an email last night.

Does anyone else have memories?

With you and Rons help we can give Prince Freddie a greater Heritage presence.

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Jul 21, 2020

I see your grandad was a scrap metal dealer and had his own gym. Coventry Wrestling Club.

I think we have a few bills with him

I see that Princess Ira sometimes accompanied him to the ring and got involved in the bouts with her Stiletto's.

Fred Barnes also was the official wrestling Writer/Reporter for the Coventry Standard.

Bottom Picture , Fred Barnes instructing at his gym in 1963.

SaxonWolf

Jul 21, 2020

This link hopefully works

https://www.wrestlingheritage.co.uk/bbanu.htm

wardolivia1

Jul 21, 2020

Replying to

Thank you so much, but this is the other Barnu from new Zealand. I have found the bit about my Barnu on the website though :)

adrianpollard.shangri-la

Jul 21, 2020

If you go into WRESTLING HERITAGE-and Access 'Wrestlers'-the A-Z under 'B'

has an Entry for your Granddad!-Under PRINCE BARNU!

MAIN MASK

garnet17

Nov 29, 2021

Replying to

I knew Fred very well, I grew up in hillfields in Coventry in the 1970s & Fred was known & liked very well locally. I worked for him up at the scrapyard in Baginton in my teens in 1981 with Tom who I would be sent out with all over Coventry to collect cars, Fred made the best & strongest cup of tea & we used to start our day with one & a woodbine cigarette. Fred smoked up until he was about 60. He kept geese up at the yard that was better than any alarm system. He was a very well spoken & a very generous man, a proper old school gentleman. If you wanted to borrow one of his many nice cars, he had a couple of Rolls Royces one was purple & some nice Triumph Stags he would lend them out to his friends. He once took me & my mates around the estate in hillfields in one of his Rolls royces just for a laugh.He had a very wide circle of friends, one of whom was Pat Roach the wrestler & actor. I was watching him in "never say never again" yesterday when it prompted me to search for a bit about Fred. He had been smelting I think it was up at the yard, melting down metals & selling them as the prices were good but it created a lot of toxic fumes, he often stayed late doing it & I think it may have contributed to his developing lung cancer.

Pat attended Fred's funeral in 1989 as did I. Pat was also in the scrap business too.

You may also find something out about him from his RAF record, I think he was a navigator on Wellington bombers. He had 2 daughters Sam & Freddie.

garnet17

Nov 29, 2021

Replying to

@wardolivia1

garnet17

Nov 29, 2021

Replying to

The above picture was taken at Butlins in 1983 when Fred was about 64, he absolutely loved going to Butlins & was a fan of Tenerife.