It's always Interesting to look at Evidence as to what went on 'Behind-The Scenes with Promoters?!
Stuff that the Every Day Fan would never usually see or know About!-Communications between the
Venues and the Promoters-Agreements and Arrangements for Shows etc.!!
So following on from my Recent Topic-LETTERS FROM PAUL-When we looked at the same for
PAUL LINCOLN MANAGEMENTS LTD.- Here is another Very Rare Letter from Promoter NORMAN
MORRELL to an Official at NEW ST. JAMES HALL-NEWCASTLE-as to how a Proposed Show would
be 'divided up' regarding what Each would Contribute!
This is HAND-SIGNED in INK by NORMAN and Dated 1951!- A Super Piece of Historical Wrestling
Memorabilia from almost 70 Years ago!!
There will be more LETTERS FROM PAUL soon too!!
I hope this Official didn't 'Welsh' on the Deal!!
MAIN MASK
Thanks folks. BUT this was when I was 12 or 13.
Now watch out!
Possibly, but they did have wrestling on Easter Saturday as normal.
Easter fell on the following Saturday that year, which may well explain the move.
I thought you were uncontrollable Bernard.
By the way, we discovered a while ago that St James Hall had a period of shows on a Saturday and Wednesday.
At the time I did not remember Wednesday shows , but I obviously knew and had forgotten.
I would not have been able to afford to go twice a week and as I had not long started grammar school would have been restricted under parental control!
Thanks MM. I saw that show. Unusual for me getting there on a Wednesday.
Some background knowledge.
Mr Welsh was a lovely man, always dressed in long tails , a proper dress coat. His
daughter came on here at one time.
I can confirm that this is Norman Morrell's signature. Perhaps the Wednesday bill was a special to fit in a bill with Chief Thunderbird, if he was being used at other venues on Saturdays.
Not only Thunderbird, but also 2 of my favourites, Norman Walsh and Bernard Murray. how could I miss that?
It's a very skinny contract, a deal of gentlemen's agreement must have been involved. Like the ring?
But I can just add something very specific about Charlie Fisher when he was emceeing. He always passed very visibly through the hall, doing a headcount. He mouthed the numbers. He was totally focused. Quite unapproachable.
The relationships of trust and mistrust between venues and promoters is something we collectively seem to know virtually nothing about. We haven't any stories about halls and promoters falling out through dishonesty, or honour.
There was wrestling the previous Saturday and the following Saturday as usual. This was an extra show it seems. Top of the bill was the visiting Chief Thunderbird (the original, not the 1960s Polish one). I wonder if Morrell wanted an extra booking and the price he had to pay was splitting the profits. Just a thought.
The plot thickens. March 21st 1951 was a Wednesday. Regular St james shows were on a Saturday.
What a fascinating piece of memorabilia that gives us a new insight into how business worked. We know of promoters who "sold" entire shows for a fixed fee, including some of the Joint Promotion members. When asking around no one had any knowledge of Morrell doing that. Well, this is different and not something I've heard of before. What it doesn't tell us is if Morell paid for the hire of the hall, and what about the hall staff. I wonder if this arrangement was unique? Few are.
Another thought. This refers to one week only. St James Hall was weekly. Morrell wouldn't have sent the same letter every week. So was there something special about March 21st?