Les Kellett Referee

No. He always seemed to be strictly "on the job".

Of course, now I know that some things were pre-arranged, but at the time I didn't see anything like the antics that he pulled when wrestling for DM.

Bernard, did Kellett use any comedy when he was refereeing?

So Ernest Lofthouse and Les Kellett didn't get on with each other. I have mentioned in the past regarding the pleasures of working with Mr Lofthouse therefore my sympathies are with Les Kellett.

That was probably because Les would see that Ernest Lofthouse was not practiced in the way that things were run when he first started.

The farm was more a large smallholding behind the terminus cafe.Les lived in Edinburgh,Ernest Lofthouse and Les didn't get on to put it mildly.

I have often read about his working on a farm.

One story told of how he was building a dry stone wall, jammed and gashed his finger badly, his companion wanted him to go to hospital. But Les said, we'll finish this wall first.

Now where was this farm and when did he move there?

So Les lived in Scotland during the war and for several years afterwards? Lots of work up there so that would make sense.

He bought the Transport cafe in Bradford in late 1965 or early '66. Where was he based in between those times?

You are right Graham.

I remember one night when he disqualified Sandy Orford and Sandy moved towards Les "looking menacingly".Whether there was any intention of an attack or not, we will never know.

But Les knew his way around a ring and especially St. James Hall ring.

He flew across to the red corner, up on the ropes , off came the round wooden knob at the top of the post.

Les came down off the ropes and towards Orford. Sandy stepped back and immediately left the ring.

Now I think that it was probably all planned, but at the time I was impressed with his quick thinking.

I would imagine that Les Kellett would have been great as a referee. No one would have taken any liberties with Les in charge.

MORRELL and BERESFORD

You could well be right Ian , I am going by recall not records as I don't have any for the City Hall, he was a big draw at the time, and I do remember he smiled broadly at his reception , I wonder if it was down to being back in Newcastle .

Hi Powerlock, Thanks for your reply,but i think on looking back into my files youare right that Kellett did fight Graham ,but i have down nearer 72/73 which by that time Newcastle had become a Morrell & beresford Promotion. Please tell me if im wrong.

Allthe best,Ian

Makes sense Bernard.....Agreed

Because I believe that he trained for Morrell.

Unless they were trusted people did not get trusted with jobs like referee, because they were Morrell's understudy at Newcastle.

Why else would someone like Les Kellett be allowed to run the Newcastle nights as a referee, if he wasn't a Morrell man and trusted.?

If Norman Morrell wasn't there ,Les made all of the decisions, including standing in for a non-appearance.

Kellett is prolific at Newcastle up to 1958 as Dave Sutherland suggests.

But I would question why we tag him as a Morrell man.

Les certainly lived in Scotland for a while and was mates with George Kidd and Chic Purvey , and Scotland was a Relwykow area.

So why not a Relwyskow man who worked sometimes for the others.

Has anyone noticed that Kellett never ever appeared on any of Morrells bills anywhere in the country after the split,but did work for Morrell& Beresford Proms.

Regards to all.Ian.

I certainly never saw Les Kellett referee at Newcastle, neither do I remember ever seeing him billed to wrestle. Looking back through Ray's archives the last time that I can find him appearing there was on 12th April 1958 (a K.O. against Gordon (Tommy) Kilmartin.

If He took up promoting in the North, maybe that is one of the reasons why he and Morrell fell out, leading to the split.

But the 1940's is a bit early for a split about 1953.

Les was actually a promoter at Hartlepool. I don't know if he took over from Wryton or ran it for them. See.

I have an example here where I know from newspaper reports he was the referee that night , but look at the promoter Mont Leslie. Is that our Les.

Hi Power. Les was such an influence in Morrell's activities, that I think there must have been a big fall out for Les to go off to DM and start wrestling full time again.

Not exactly sure, but I think about 1953 when Ernest Lofthouse became the normal referee at Newcastle and Les disappeared.