I partnered Eric Liederman (from Hull) in tag against Jake several times at the Spa,Scarboroug. Jake often partnered Carl Kramer or Klondike Jim (who was Klondike Jim?)I ask. It was quite an experience as I was only 13 and a half stone at the time, so I was the whipping boy you might say. I wouldn’t of missed it for the world though.Great times. R. I.P. Barry. One hell of a guy. 💪
RIP Jake. One of the great characters of wrestling along with Bill. Worked with him on occasions. Top man inside and outside the ring. Eddie Rose(Manchester)
Since I posted yesterday I have had time to pause and recollect and there are two stories involving Jake from my punter days which I would like to share.
When I was a student at Leicester, the entertainments committee booked, through Jake, an evening of wrestling and striptease. This angered many of the young feminists on the student body and those participating (of which I was one) had to push our way through a picket line of militant placard-waving young ladies trying to block access to the venue. The wrestling part of the show went well but, when the stripper was introduced, one of the militants had found her way to the lighting equipment and, just as the young lady began removing her top, the hall was plunged into darkness. Heroic Jake stepped forward and urged all of us with matchsticks and lighters (this was early 1970s and there was no smoking ban) to provide light and the young lady concerned performed her routine to the light provided by the student body which, in many ways, had a seedier Soho cellar appeal to it than could ever have been provided had she performed to the spotlight originally intended. Also, with her being put to some distress, she concluded her performance to rapturous applause rather than the polite handclap which I imagine she would have received if things had gone according to plan. Jake took the microphone and shared with us his observations that the stripper was a beautiful young lady and the student who had got to the lights was an overweight lesbian.
Another memory of Jake was in a tag match on a Jack Cassidy show at Manchester's Houldsworth Hall on Deansgate where, in tag with Barry Willis, he found himself facing Sugar Ray Do Do (Ezra) and a young black lad whom I had never seen before or since, Kelvin Kenyatta. The match concluded with Jake pinning Do Do for the winning fall but as referee Jack Mawdesley was counting the shoulders down he missed mischievious Jake grabbing and holding aloft through his trunks Do Do's manhood to the whooping delight of three ladies occupying the front row seats and shouting, "What about that then ladies?"
Just like Roger Wells, Klondike Jake was billed to be far bigger than he really was. I reckon only 15 or 16 stones?
In the South he was billed as being from the north. I don't know where they billed him from when he wrestled in the north? I believe he was from Devon.
He really gave his all to his show and must have excited plenty of fans seeing that type of wrestler for the first time. His exaggerated scowls only barely concealed a great big grin!
I'm very sorry to hear this. I did not know Klondyke Jake (only as a punter) until I booked Les Kellett in the twilight of his career in the mid 1980s to top the bill for me at The Gala Baths in West Bromwich but by then he was only working with Jake so I had to book him in order to secure Kellett. I was a little wary as I had heard various stories about him but, like Kellett himself, he turned out to be the perfect employee and he and Les gave me a bout well worthy of top billing status (I had Count Bartelli in the main support bout).
I was so pleased with his performance that I booked him again for a smaller venue I was running at the time (Walsall Football Club) and he brought along his opponent, another easygoing worker called "Judo" John Brown. It was shortly after this that I abandoned wrestling promoting in favour of snooker and jazz so did not trouble Jake again.
He was easier to get along with than many at the time and I have good memories of him.
I partnered Eric Liederman (from Hull) in tag against Jake several times at the Spa,Scarboroug. Jake often partnered Carl Kramer or Klondike Jim (who was Klondike Jim?)I ask. It was quite an experience as I was only 13 and a half stone at the time, so I was the whipping boy you might say. I wouldn’t of missed it for the world though.Great times. R. I.P. Barry. One hell of a guy. 💪
So many great memories from Graham. Thank you.
A sad loss. RIP Jake, One of the best lads in wrestling along with his good mate Bill.
Eddie Rose(Manchester)
The Klondykes, the BBC2 documentary. You wouldn't see this on Dale Martin.
RIP Jake. One of the great characters of wrestling along with Bill. Worked with him on occasions. Top man inside and outside the ring. Eddie Rose(Manchester)
Since I posted yesterday I have had time to pause and recollect and there are two stories involving Jake from my punter days which I would like to share.
When I was a student at Leicester, the entertainments committee booked, through Jake, an evening of wrestling and striptease. This angered many of the young feminists on the student body and those participating (of which I was one) had to push our way through a picket line of militant placard-waving young ladies trying to block access to the venue. The wrestling part of the show went well but, when the stripper was introduced, one of the militants had found her way to the lighting equipment and, just as the young lady began removing her top, the hall was plunged into darkness. Heroic Jake stepped forward and urged all of us with matchsticks and lighters (this was early 1970s and there was no smoking ban) to provide light and the young lady concerned performed her routine to the light provided by the student body which, in many ways, had a seedier Soho cellar appeal to it than could ever have been provided had she performed to the spotlight originally intended. Also, with her being put to some distress, she concluded her performance to rapturous applause rather than the polite handclap which I imagine she would have received if things had gone according to plan. Jake took the microphone and shared with us his observations that the stripper was a beautiful young lady and the student who had got to the lights was an overweight lesbian.
Another memory of Jake was in a tag match on a Jack Cassidy show at Manchester's Houldsworth Hall on Deansgate where, in tag with Barry Willis, he found himself facing Sugar Ray Do Do (Ezra) and a young black lad whom I had never seen before or since, Kelvin Kenyatta. The match concluded with Jake pinning Do Do for the winning fall but as referee Jack Mawdesley was counting the shoulders down he missed mischievious Jake grabbing and holding aloft through his trunks Do Do's manhood to the whooping delight of three ladies occupying the front row seats and shouting, "What about that then ladies?"
A great shame, RIP.
Just like Roger Wells, Klondike Jake was billed to be far bigger than he really was. I reckon only 15 or 16 stones?
In the South he was billed as being from the north. I don't know where they billed him from when he wrestled in the north? I believe he was from Devon.
He really gave his all to his show and must have excited plenty of fans seeing that type of wrestler for the first time. His exaggerated scowls only barely concealed a great big grin!
I'm very sorry to hear this. I did not know Klondyke Jake (only as a punter) until I booked Les Kellett in the twilight of his career in the mid 1980s to top the bill for me at The Gala Baths in West Bromwich but by then he was only working with Jake so I had to book him in order to secure Kellett. I was a little wary as I had heard various stories about him but, like Kellett himself, he turned out to be the perfect employee and he and Les gave me a bout well worthy of top billing status (I had Count Bartelli in the main support bout).
I was so pleased with his performance that I booked him again for a smaller venue I was running at the time (Walsall Football Club) and he brought along his opponent, another easygoing worker called "Judo" John Brown. It was shortly after this that I abandoned wrestling promoting in favour of snooker and jazz so did not trouble Jake again.
He was easier to get along with than many at the time and I have good memories of him.
R.I.P Big Man.
RIP Jake , here are some of your early days.
Oh No!!
I Was Watching one of his Bouts-Tagging with KLONDYKE KATE!!- Just Last Nite!
I Believe his Debut T.V. WOS Match Was against COUNT BARTELLI- I Have This
On DVD!-JAKE Lost by D.Q.!!
Another One Passes to The Dressing Room in The Sky!!
We are Losing Too Many Wrestlers Now!!
MAIN MASK