Watching Live Wrestling often left you with Thoughts and Memories of the Great Bouts
and the Wrestlers themselves-especially your Favourites!!
But let's not forget the 'Unsung Heroes' who were Vital to Staging the Shows and Running
the Halls!!
Take for example the Iconic WIMBLEDON PALAIS:-
We had the Eight Commissionaires to greet and look after you on Arrival-
We had the Popular GRAHAM GUTHRIE-the Master of Ceremonies
We had those two regular and trusty Seconds-SYD CROWHURST and BEN POOLE
And also last but not least the Resident Timekeeper-CYRIL COATES
Without this Great Team of Professionals organising Matters-Shows wouldn't have run
as smoothly so we could sit back and watch Great Wrestling Matches!
Pictures to follow
MAIN MASK
They certainly were on of the few venues who liked to list all the personnel. Thanks for the photos!
It's good to remember these mostly unknown people that were a part of our wrestling. When I went to the wrestling we were often not told who the referee was let alone seconds and timekeeper.
I remember you posting about the bolts on the steel roller doors Bernard and you copping in for free.
If anyone in Lancashire locked the doors it wouldn't be a man in a fancy hat it would be a woman called Vera or Doris. Us men know our place.
St James Hall at Newcastle had about 8 British Legion doormen etc and one man in civvies called George in charge of them took the entry turnstile.
I have posted before about "putting the bolts in on the steel roller doors" for George, and him letting me in for free to see the top of the bill and the last bout.
Here are the eight commissionaires who we were told made things run smoothly at Wimbledon Palais. Eight! That hall must have attracted a lot of drunks if it needed that many bouncers. . Correct me if I'm wrong but I can't see us having any commissionaires at Preston Public Hall. And certainly not being brave enough to dress up like that.
I've got to admit I didn't take much notice of the timekeepers or the seconds; usually mysterious anonymous individuals. Important people indeed, they played their part in making the whole business seem credible. For most of the independent shows I went to even the referees remained anonymous two exceptions being Duke Badger and Brian Dixon. Different at the Joint shows, who could miss Ernest Lofthouse, Don Branch, Martin Conroy, Emile Poilve?
Main Mask has supplied photos of those unsung heroes down the Palais.
MC Graham Guthrie
Timekeeper Cyril Coates
Seconds Syd Crowhurst and Ben Poole
Another defeat, so near but so far,
Alan
DOWN AT THE PALAIS!!!!