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The War of Roses, 1933. Inter-counties Champion Challenge Cup.

With Ron "Historyo".

Since the glorious times of an up and down wrestling/fighting (the ONLY precursor of Lancashire's Catch-as-catch-can) the records of which go all the way back to the 1600s the rivalry between the two major centers of that particular style of wrestling was getting bigger and bigger, they even argued about the origin of that style, in East Lancashire it was known as the Lancashire Fighting and in West Riding of Yorkshire the Yorkshire Fighting.

When it comes to the catch wrestling history, ultimately it always was Manchester v Bradford. And even during the Lord Mount Evans Era, the 50s-60s most of the British champs (yes that famous photo with the belts) were either from one camp (Lankies of Riley's) or the other (Yorkies of Morell's).

Now we are back to the times of the Golden Age of Lancashire County Amateur Wrestling Assn, the 1920s-1930s.

9 comments

9 Comments

SaxonWolf

Jul 20, 2020

Thanks guys, great information.

RON HISTORYO....Time Cop,

Jul 18, 2020

Sax , it looks like it was the Sheffield Premier Athletics Club where they had a gym with weight lifters and wrestlers. (First mention 1931)

In the 1930's it was at the Edgar Allen Institute , Gell Street Sheffield.

Gell street may have been the offices and West Street is also mentioned.

The Edgar Allen Institute was opened in 1911.

ruslan-pashayev

Jul 18, 2020

Replying to

Ron, brilliant as always!!!

SaxonWolf

Jul 18, 2020

Great information Ruslan. In the picture above, of the newspaper, underneath "Yorkshire" in the Flyweight section, it says "(Sheffield Premier)", which I assume is the name of a club or team, just like it says "Manningham All Rounders, Bradford" , which would be a local club in the Manningham area of Bradford.

If you come across "Sheffield Premier" again, please let me know, I will try and find out more from my side. Sheffield is basically the furthest south, of Yorkshire ,in fact the area is now called 'South Yorkshire", which was created in 1974, when they changed some boundaries. Prior to that, the area was always West Yorkshire.

ruslan-pashayev

Jul 18, 2020

Replying to

SaxonWolf, thanks. You said South Yorkshire and I immediately thought of Harold Angus of Doncaster British champion from the same era. He was born in Wigan, Lancs.

Yorkshire always was (and still is) the biggest county in the country, during the Middle Ages even Nottingham area was a part of Yorkshire. They were great wrestlers in that area as well, though their style of wrestling wasn't catch-as-catch-can, it was old English Catch Hold, which allowed any hold of the body above the waist, noble art of tripping was essential part of that style, first down to lose, or a back fall (2, 3 or 4 points falls).

SaxonWolf

Jul 17, 2020

Yes Ruslan, I know that the Catch style that eventually became famous at Rileys Gym, came from earlier forms of grappling, as you have explained to all of us (and thank you for that!), I was just wondering if the wool industry in Bradford area, had the same type of Flemish workers coming across as the Lancashire cotton industry did?

ruslan-pashayev

Jul 18, 2020

Replying to

SaxonWolf, yes in fact you are 100% right. The only difference is a time frame. Earliest immigration of Flemish weavers to East Lancs is dated back to the 1300s that is how you have the "Bolton Method" style of wrestling (roughest form of wrestling, or original up and down wrestling), in the 1560s there was a second wave of immigration this time Protestant Flemish (as well as some other protestant groups such as French Huguenots of Provence and Germans) refugees yes weavers as well, and they settled in both East Lancs (what we nowadays call Greater Manchester, Blackburn and Burnley areas) and West Riding of Yorkshire (starting at Saddleworth and all the way to Dewsbury-Batley area). That is how you get this particular catch wrestling geography - Salford Hundred, Blackburn Hundred of Lancs County and the West Riding of Yorkshire. Outside those areas up and down catch as catch can was unknown.

SaxonWolf

Jul 17, 2020

Hi Ruslan, do we think that both styles were similar?

ruslan-pashayev

Jul 17, 2020

Replying to

SaxonWolf thanks, do you mean the 1600s- early 1800's up and down wrestling/fighting as it was practiced in East Lancashire and West Riding of Yorkshire?