Just read this story, such a great read, and absolutely enjoyed it. History of pro wrestling in Great Britain and in England in particular was always based on the rivalries of different territories. In the pre 1800s time period it was North v South West, and it was like that for centuries, in the South West it was Devon v Cornwall, on the English side it was Devon v Somerset, eternal rivalry, in the 1800s it was mostly peaceful co-existence of various wrestling cultures I mean different styles which didn't mingle, in the XX century it was mostly South v North West, and in the NW it was historically Manchester v Bradford, or the great wrestling War of Roses. In eastern parts of Lancashire it was Blackburn & Burnley v Greater Manchester, in Greater Manchester itself it was Bolton-Wigan v Rochdale-Oldham, so to speak there always been a rivalry around, some kind of wrestling rivalry and that made rasslin even more attractive for fans all around the country.
Would love to hear more about rivalries in your region dear friend.
A couple of interesting points for me.
Wakes Week:
I remember in around 1959/60 during my apprenticeship that Wakes Week was the same as yours Hack i.e., last two weeks in July.
As most people in the Accrington area went to the “West Coast” for their holidays, they invariably had rain on most days! The local area of the then AEU (Amalgamated Engineers Union) made a suggestion to alter the holidays to the last two weeks in June, as the weather was “nearly” always better then!
This was put to a vote and of course it went through. The following year Wakes Week was changed to the last two weeks in June, but it rained nearly all of the time! The next year was changed back again to the original Wake Weeks holiday.
Clog Dancing:
I mentioned this in an earlier forum topic, where, after my apprenticeship I wore clogs myself. Because they had solid wood soles, this was very good when “Swarf” (metal chippings from Milling or turning) were on the floor. These would tear your leather soles apart, but not the wood soles of clogs.
If you go to YouTube and type in "Lancashire Clog Dancing" you will get a good idea what this is, it's like step dancing.
Needles to say as I was wrestling in the heavyweight division at the time, I never tried clog dancing myself.
P.S. I tried putting the link directly into this post, but somehow when trying to open it, it doesn't work!
Cheers
Yeah. No one would mess with my mother.
Can't say I remember any traditional games being played Ruslan. We had children's playground skipping games, hide and seek and hopscotch but nothing of the sort you are thinking of. The main festival in Leyland was the May Festival. My mother was the May Queen in 1931.
I don't recall any clog dancing, but Morris Dancing was popular in Leyland - Aunt Maud was keen I should take up Morris dancing, but take one look at me and you'd know why I didn't. We did Morris dancing at school. You could go and investigate the differences of Clog and Morris Dancing Ruslan.
Wakes Week in Leyland was the third and fourth week of July. In the twentieth century it was basically a time for all the industries to shut down for a fortnight for economic reasons. Some people would go away on holiday, but these were the minority at that time. far more would "go out for days" either on the train or by coach. From Leyland day trips were mainly to the Lancashire coast - Fleetwood, Morecambe, Blackpool, Southport, and the North Wales Coast - Rhyl and Llandudno, cities Chester and York and the Lake District.
In town Wakes Weeks were a miserable time. Everything was closed. Literally everything. A bread van came round selling bread as bakers and confectioners were shut, newspapers sold from the pavement outside the shop. The only shop I recall being open was the Post Office. Half of those in town would close during the first week and half during the second week.
Bloomin' 'eck Ruslan.
Scots girls would be out (sorry Scotland). Cheshire girls would be okay because they were just on the border of down south.
Clogs. Well I remember clogs being worn. But fighting with them? How primitive do you think we were? No, we'd just shoot them.
Thanks Ruslan. I can tell you about rivalries. This is nothing to do with wrestling, but is true and ridiculous. I was born in Leyland, central Lancashire, in 1954.
Population in the early 1960s of about 20,000. As a teenager I was warned (by my great aunts) of girls from Yorkshire (obviously), the south (south of Chester), and Scotland. The Welsh seemed okay for some reason. One Great Aunt didn't talk to my favourite Great Uncle George for years because he ate Irish Stew.
If that's not bad enough. The geographical layout of Leyland is a one mile square. I was born and lived in the south east corner, Seven Stars. We didn't like those a mile up north ("Up Leyland") because they thought they were fancy and better than the rest of us. We didn't like those one mile east at Earnshaw Bridge, though I was never told why.
To the east and round to the north. North Farington was "Near farington" and east Farington was "Far Farington." Unless you lived in Earnshaw Bridge and it was the other way round.