Hi Ron, I wonder you have the link to the forum that includes comments by Sean O'Shea's daughter as quite interested in speaking to her and learning more about her dad if possible?
It was not on the Forum. You see , if you create a gallery you get an email from the system if someone comments on one of the captions. I have 400 galleries on here and just cannot remember which one we shared a few comments. Can't remember here name either.
The Mat review must have got hold of the photo soon after it went in the press,
The date of the match was 6th December 1955 and a report the same week.
The venue was Lime grove Baths.
A couple of interesting facts , the mask was described as a woolen mask , not sure if we knew that.
Also , the bout , Rawlings was leading but got injured and the Ghoul spoke to the referee stating that he did not want to claim the verdict under these circumstances.
Does that mean he was a friendly popular Ghoul Bernard.
The newspaper did a feature on the Ghoul claiming they interviewed him.
What a load of old kayfabe,
The ghoul said his face was badly cut by the Germans so he wore the mask . He had been born on a small island off Sicily and moved to the USA at 18. His father also had been a wrestler.
Just to come back to this thread which is so close to Bernard's heart , I came across another couple of new photos today of the ghoul and his opponent Alf Rawlins .Year 1955 so the real Ghoul or a I should say Bernard's Ghoul.
I'm back to offer my congratulations Ost. This is one of Heritage's greatest finds. Magnificent work. Yes Jefferson/O'Shea was the owner of North West Promotions.
Cheers for the kind words everyone, we should really thank Dave Cameron for keeping as much stuff as he has. There's little gems like this dotted throughout his collection. This was in a North Western Promotions pamphlet, Sean O'Shea was featured quite prominently and I wondered if he had actually produced it. Seems like he wanted to give some attention to his mentor Bomber Bates.
I ended up finding almost everything out about the Ghoul but could not get his face.
I had a feeling I would not be the one to find it despite it being my most sought after puzzle.
I happen to think it is even sweeter that someone else has done it.
The picture is after Bates's Joint promotion Days and he was working clubs on the Manchester scene.
We have had Sean O'Shea's daughter on here and she told me her dad and Johnny bates were great mates. O'Shea fought a lot as Jack Jefferson also , but I am now noticing that his name was probably Paul Jefferson.
You can see the end days of the Ghoul in many of the more obscure Manchester galleries and many many Bomber Bates pre Ghoul bills in particular at New Brighton and Hanley 1945-1949 both with Wryton.
The Ghoul persona of course was massive at St James's Hall Newcastle and also frequent in Scotland.
Wrestling Heritage has given so much to many of us , but I rate this find from the Ost for Bernard as the finest ever.
John Bates himself entertained many people , was a popular man amongst his fellow wrestlers , was known to be a good sketch artist and started many out in the business such as Martinelli and Thornton.
Finally he can be recorded as the great star he was. At the time I think his masked run was the longest , perhaps running in parallel with Bartelli's run. In the 1940's and through the 1950's these two took masked wrestling to a level not seen in the 1930's.
Bernard and Riot Squad enjoy this prize , it's a cracker.
This is absolutely magnificent , I am so pleased for Bernard.
We at last have unmasked the Ghoul.
The Ost has done it and then some.....fantastic.
After the huge appeal we have made over the years to get everyone looking , keeping Bomber Bates live on this forum has worked.
I had never given up , I knew where he lived in Chorlton, He had three children. His Bomber Bates days were predominately Wryton right up to the middle of 1949.
By then he was already doubling as the Ghoul with Morrell and Relwyskow , working a lot further from home.
MY theory is that at this time he split from his wife and she remarried.
This enabled Bates to have the freedom to work far away. He was almost invisible at Belle Vue.
Big man who had an early weight related decline and a sad ending.
The last one I can find might be this one and we could be looking at the death of Bomber Bates in the next few months. Jack Jefferson was one of his great friends and this bill is typical of how and where he ended up. (Working near home.)
Some other examples are.
The Ghoul mentored Martinelli and got him to use the name Arturo.
Hi Ron, I wonder you have the link to the forum that includes comments by Sean O'Shea's daughter as quite interested in speaking to her and learning more about her dad if possible?
Hi Ron, what a load of claptrap !
First of all the mask that I remember was a sort of elastic material. Don't know what we had in the 50's.
Surely if it was a woollen material some of the bigger boys would have tried to take it off, and I never saw that happen.
I never heard anything about a cut face etc. and subsequent photos have proved that to be bull***t.
Popular ? no I wouldn't say that The Ghoul was popular.
Probably respected because of his long term record.
We know a lot more about John Bates now ,thanks to our wonderful researchers.
The Mat review must have got hold of the photo soon after it went in the press,
The date of the match was 6th December 1955 and a report the same week.
The venue was Lime grove Baths.
A couple of interesting facts , the mask was described as a woolen mask , not sure if we knew that.
Also , the bout , Rawlings was leading but got injured and the Ghoul spoke to the referee stating that he did not want to claim the verdict under these circumstances.
Does that mean he was a friendly popular Ghoul Bernard.
The newspaper did a feature on the Ghoul claiming they interviewed him.
What a load of old kayfabe,
The ghoul said his face was badly cut by the Germans so he wore the mask . He had been born on a small island off Sicily and moved to the USA at 18. His father also had been a wrestler.
Did you ever hear all this Bernard.
One further comment.
I think that these photos prove my recollection of The Ghoul wrestling in black singlet and tights and a dirty white mask.
That is certainly more like The Ghoul that I knew.
The earlier photo shows him ,perhaps younger and certainly lighter than I remember.
Do you know I really don't remember his ears showing like that..
Once again thanks to all who co-operated on this successful quest.
Now tell me where I can find a you-tube or video of Norman Walsh or Dominic Pye wrestling.
Just to come back to this thread which is so close to Bernard's heart , I came across another couple of new photos today of the ghoul and his opponent Alf Rawlins .Year 1955 so the real Ghoul or a I should say Bernard's Ghoul.
This sort of find, and the interactions on the path to it, justify the whole existence of Wrestling Heritage.
I'm back to offer my congratulations Ost. This is one of Heritage's greatest finds. Magnificent work. Yes Jefferson/O'Shea was the owner of North West Promotions.
I do believe you are bang on Ost.
O'Shea/Jefferson had a great imagination. When it came to bills and publicity there was nothing he would not try.
Cheers for the kind words everyone, we should really thank Dave Cameron for keeping as much stuff as he has. There's little gems like this dotted throughout his collection. This was in a North Western Promotions pamphlet, Sean O'Shea was featured quite prominently and I wondered if he had actually produced it. Seems like he wanted to give some attention to his mentor Bomber Bates.
Excellent work team!
I ended up finding almost everything out about the Ghoul but could not get his face.
I had a feeling I would not be the one to find it despite it being my most sought after puzzle.
I happen to think it is even sweeter that someone else has done it.
The picture is after Bates's Joint promotion Days and he was working clubs on the Manchester scene.
We have had Sean O'Shea's daughter on here and she told me her dad and Johnny bates were great mates. O'Shea fought a lot as Jack Jefferson also , but I am now noticing that his name was probably Paul Jefferson.
You can see the end days of the Ghoul in many of the more obscure Manchester galleries and many many Bomber Bates pre Ghoul bills in particular at New Brighton and Hanley 1945-1949 both with Wryton.
The Ghoul persona of course was massive at St James's Hall Newcastle and also frequent in Scotland.
Wrestling Heritage has given so much to many of us , but I rate this find from the Ost for Bernard as the finest ever.
John Bates himself entertained many people , was a popular man amongst his fellow wrestlers , was known to be a good sketch artist and started many out in the business such as Martinelli and Thornton.
Finally he can be recorded as the great star he was. At the time I think his masked run was the longest , perhaps running in parallel with Bartelli's run. In the 1940's and through the 1950's these two took masked wrestling to a level not seen in the 1930's.
Bernard and Riot Squad enjoy this prize , it's a cracker.
Hi Ron, you had me going for a minute looking for who this Streiger was. I looked back and saw Hans Schrieger.
Thanks for that explanation.
Also HUGE thanks to The Ost for finally finding a photo of the man.
It has been a long and now successful chase for you researchers.
Thanks to all.
His cranium is certainly distinctive!
YIPPEE !!!!!!!!
I can date this between 1957 and 1961 for Bernard
The reason is that Streiger had converted from Boxer to Wrestler by then.
It's a beauty Bernard..................You have your Ghoul at last.
I am following this site with great interest. Sorry I can't add anything except my early memories.
But great research by all who helped.
Certainly is a mystery.
This is absolutely magnificent , I am so pleased for Bernard.
We at last have unmasked the Ghoul.
The Ost has done it and then some.....fantastic.
After the huge appeal we have made over the years to get everyone looking , keeping Bomber Bates live on this forum has worked.
I had never given up , I knew where he lived in Chorlton, He had three children. His Bomber Bates days were predominately Wryton right up to the middle of 1949.
By then he was already doubling as the Ghoul with Morrell and Relwyskow , working a lot further from home.
MY theory is that at this time he split from his wife and she remarried.
This enabled Bates to have the freedom to work far away. He was almost invisible at Belle Vue.
Big man who had an early weight related decline and a sad ending.
But Ost , you have made my day.
What do you say Bernard.
Apologies for the quality of these, but it's due to the quality of the original printing (the programme was in decent condition for its age).
First, the Ghoul:
Then a couple of shots of Bomber Bates:
The last one I can find might be this one and we could be looking at the death of Bomber Bates in the next few months. Jack Jefferson was one of his great friends and this bill is typical of how and where he ended up. (Working near home.)
Some other examples are.
The Ghoul mentored Martinelli and got him to use the name Arturo.