SaxonWolf, have you any evidence of the 1931 matches? We found them when writing the piece but could find no evidence other than Ray's lists. The earliest evidenced documentation we came across was Canada in 1933 and UK in 1934. There are a number of references to a 1932 debut in Canada, again ruling out these 1931 matches. Not impossible, of course, this is all putting together pieces of a jig saw (without a picture).
I don't have access to Manchester Evening News 1931 without a trip to the Library in the City, but I do think these shows have been dated wrong.
Ray used to accept info. Most bills don't have the year on them and we need to work the dates out.
Taking the Belle Vue shows 4th Feb was a Wednesday , 22nd June was a Monday and 15th September was a Tuesday.
Through the early 1930's Belle Vue did Fridays. I don't suppose this was hard and fast , but pretty much a pattern.
So my own verdict , I have great doubts.
We would need someone like Ron Historyo to use his tools and see if these events actually took place.
Belle Vue, Manchester, 4th of Feb, 1931, versus Norman Ansell
Huddersfield, 8th of June, 1931, versus Jack Pye
Belle Vue, Manchester, 22nd of June, 1931, versus Jack Pye
Bangor, 26th of June, versus Jack Pye
Belle Vue, Manchester, 15th of September, 1931, versus Jack Pye
London, 5th of November, 1931, versus Norman Ansell
SaxonWolf, have you any evidence of the 1931 matches? We found them when writing the piece but could find no evidence other than Ray's lists. The earliest evidenced documentation we came across was Canada in 1933 and UK in 1934. There are a number of references to a 1932 debut in Canada, again ruling out these 1931 matches. Not impossible, of course, this is all putting together pieces of a jig saw (without a picture).
As per the A-Z the inventor of the Indian Death Lock (Maybe)
A frequent opponent of Jack Pye in 1931, and lost to a young Mike Marino in 1952.