Any recollections of Les Kellet v Terry Ridge,reason I ask the famous no bout Rudge disqualified at the ringside entrance gate at BelleVue Vue punch landed no return match no gee up no obvious reason no bout,asked Les no answer.
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Yeah, the refs generally stuck to their own promotion.
The one big exception I can think of was Mr Joe Hill who had a little feud going with McManus in Nottingham.
When McManus then had a title bout at the Albert Hall in I think 1968, Joe Hill was the specially appointed referee. Against Clayton Thomson, from memory.
I suppose Marco and Hill getting to ref at the big venues may just have been a career favour they simply wanted to do - why not. Rather like Pallo and Logan when they each had their tiny and improbably Championship reigns.
Thanks for your tales Paul which are coming as big surprises.
I imagine Barry Douglas was on his own shows because he was running them? Did he act as promoter and matchmaker? I would have thought so.
Nice info Paul and of course Bill Benny was doing the Free Trade Hall up to his death.
Sorry just realised some outstanding queries Rons list of refs fits well for the three alternating promoters with the exception of Lou Marco very much a Dales man was this yet another instance of a Southern invasion very odd just like Billy Riley running Nelson then Johnny Allan in conjuction with Dale Martin (metro).Re Relwyskow men yes they had regulars who didn't get much elsewhere apart from Barry Douglas there was Pete Meredith, Dave Shade Dave Ramsden.Regarding Jessica Rodgers losing BelleVue Vue a lot was happening at this time and competion was fierce.Very much like the mid sixties when loads of deals were being done one such Bill Benny and a dj were in the process of buying Hulme Hippodrome to turn into a wrestling stadium this curtailed by Bennys death,I don't have to identify the dj and wannabe wrestler do I, not worthy of further discussion.
Great stuff , I wonder how these promoters came to get it off Dick Rogers.
I assume Dick had a lease , and at the time he had cut it down to just Saturdays.
Not sure how we can find out
Hi all. Re refs at Belle Vue. Lew Roseby worked for Best or Wryton. Joe Hill for Beresford. Relwyskow were realy involved with Belle Vue. Rember late 1965 when they had a tournament lasting 5 or 6 weeks for the GEO. RELWYSKOW GOLD BELT. Hope this helps.
Regards to all, Ian.
Ernie Lofthouse and Jack Proctor were referees for Morrell.
Originally BelleVue Vue was shared over months intervals in later years this became fluid like a lot of things in the organisation relwyskow were indeed involved and it was actually their md who intervened in this incident on a WRYTON show which was odd.The incident happened for a reason for sure and there were three theories possibly conspiracies theories more of which later.
Thanks again, Ron. Sorry I wasn't around in those days and don't know which promotions the refs were attached to, except of course that Martin Conroy was associated with Wrytons
I am almost certain that Joint Promotions took over at Belle Vue as soon as the circus was over in early 1957.
Starting last week in February this is how the referees were used.
I am very poor at this so can anyone work out who each ref was affiliated to , to see who was likely to be promoting.
Doug Relwyskow
Lew Marco
Ernie Lofthouse
Lew Roseby
Martin Conroy
Missing a bill
Joe Hill
Lew Roseby
Martin Conroy
Doug Relwyskow
Jack Procter.
Just looked at some bills at Belle Vue. Roster wise you just can't tell what was what with the roster always looking a good mix.
But there were a lot of referees rotating so it looks to me as though there was pretty much total freedom on the wrestlers but each organization ran a show.
If it comes to that...what was Relwyskows actual Roster , he just seemed to promote all over Scotland using Morrell and Wryton wrestlers.
Many Thanks, Ron, as always helpful! I will look forward to hearing whether Bkendo1 has anything to add. I am fascinated by the history of those individual promoters and the way they worked together (or not!) as Joint Promotions. I would love to be able to eavesdrop on one of their regular meetings (in Leeds?) where they decided what was happening over the next month. I wonder if anyone ever kept the minutes of those meetings and, if so, whether they exist anywhere! On the Liverpool front, it would be interesting to know what different roles Bill Best and Arthur Wright had in arranging the Stadium shows.
1978....Maybe it was a jewel in the crown. All though the war up to 1956/57 wrestling was run by Dick and Jessie Rogers and it was twice a week for many years plus with bank holidays sometimes as many as four shows. The hall was also packed out.
I always though Relwyskow had a slice as well , but I knew nothing of all this as a fan , and this is not an answer , just my theory. Everyone wanted in on the action so they shared it. In fact did they have to buy out Dick Rogers because he went on well past the formation of Joint.
Many Joint wrestlers never wrestled for Dick and then popped up when he moved on. Bartelli for example. Don't think Ghoul worked for Rogers either..
Maybe Bkendo1 knows the exact history and maybe he can put us right on if Relwyskow was or had been involved also. Certainly Doug Rel was ref there on what looked like Rel shows.
Seem to remember a period where Conroy was always MC no matter whose show it was........or am I dreaming.
Don't know if anyone can help with this, but: for how long did Belle Vue alternate between Wryton and Morrell & Beresford? What was the reason? Did they use a completely different set of wrestlers? Surely there must have been some cooperation between them in order to avoid the same match being on two weeks running?
I was a pretty keen fan , not sure if I was there , certainly saw McMichael v Maxine a few times , but keen as I was you seldom got a rumour.
Don't think anyone on here will solve this one , but it's a pretty tasty tit bit Paul.
Sorry for the confusion I said famous bout because word shot round the regular fans in the northwest.Ron I think that's the bill but there was a couple of subs.Next week at Hanley couple of guys were discussing it basically saying what the he'll was going on.This is how it happened at BelleVue Vue fairly lengthy walkway used for circus and was gated at the end. Terry Rudge got to the gate steward opened it Terry lingered Les appeared words exchanged swinging punch to Les landed perfectly ie target and strenghcrowd erupts now this is where it gets odd no announcement from the ring,promoter dashes up walkway approaches Les not Terry who moved towards the ring, now further complication BelleVue Vue alternated between m and b and wryton this was a wryton show but wasn't a Wryton director who appeared signal ring bell and disappeared with Les.Week or so after I asked Les what happened he didn't reply but later in evening said they're out to get me don't know if connected but at the time Les appeared paranoid with various theories even told me refuse to work under a certain ref, as if I had that clout.why bring Terry for rare northern appearance to have anon bout and waste Les talents,if it was timing it could have been sorted or another bout curtailed.I asked anyone witnessed the bottom heard the rumours.
Intriguing post. Not sure I fully understand what’s being said/asked?
Haven't got a clue , but for starters are we talking 1974
Give us a bit more help. Please. Famous to those that know. And you were in a better position to know than any of us. Disqualified at the entry gate? What's that mean? When was this? I'm going to lie down now. God knows what Anglo Italian is doing.
Ooooooooooh!