Toffs In Wrestling
Forum favourite Alan Garfield and Lord Bertie Topham were two wrestlers who adopted the "toff" persona and provided magnificent entertainment for wrestling enthusiasts.
Dudley Gillingham (Alan Garfield) took the name of a American film star, and bizarrely, certainly in his early career, was often billed as hailing from Australia. Brian Trautman transformed into Lord Bertie Topham from Harrow and in his endeavours was nobly assisted by his valet Ponsonby.
Always eager to spot an opportunity promoter Paul Lincoln introduced his own "toff heel" Society Boy from Mayfair - one Brian Craig Radcliffe.Sadly while not devoid of ability he lacked the charisma of the aforementioned pair.
I wonder if there was any other wrestler in this country who could be classified as a "toff".
My dad back in early 1960s I London was a wrestler and was called 'the toff' he'd come out wearing a black house coat and his towel man wore a tail coat and hasd a soda stream for his water on a silver tray. Now lives in kent. Aged 84. Happy memories
Atholl Oakley was a legit toff. Seventh baronet educated at Clifton College and graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
From Les Wright in Nottingham to me: Pierre Latour.. was Peter Jordan from Nottingham..he was highly educated and became a plastic Surgeon.. Les We met up in Nottingham and I took him up to my Gym.. where, with his medical knowledge he gave the guys a lot of information about rights and wrongs of self medicating (Steroids etc.).
Very helpful for the guys..
I believe Steve Regal became a lord in the USA.
Ramon Napolitano became Lord Albert Landsdow and Sir Albert Landsdow, in the USA, as well as becoming Sir Alan Garfield's upper class pal and tag team partner, Oliver Winrush, in the same country.
Pat Roach of course in North America
Hi bkendo,. Like yourself i knew Jack Land was one of the toffs at Newcastle , guss who was his tag partner. Yes Brian Glover .Spot on .They use names Karl von Kramer & leon Arras.
All the best .Ian P.
Jan Blears is still Royalty in the so similar areas of Hawai and Tyldesley.Didnt Jack Land do tag in a Toffs team,this is bound to be a Glover naming.For Leon ws creative with ring names for instance he came up with Sam's Dwight Ingleburgh persona.
Maybe, just maybe I can shed some light on the subject of "Toff". I'm nearly 99% sure that the bill from Leicester billing "The Toff" was in fact Ian St. John, why:
1) I vividly remember in the gym when training, Ian once said to gym owner and promoter Bob Bannister "What we (I) need is a name that you can make an appearance with", he then mentioned that the name "Toff" could be used.
2) Having an opponent like Andres Svajecik is not coincidental!
3) We from Bob's gym had close contact with Jack Taylor in Leicester confirms my belief.
It wasn’t really a thing to keep/collect bills at that particular time, so I’m not sure how long, or how many times Ian St. John used the name.
I also mentioned this a long time ago in another forum subject but can’t remember which one!
Cheers
Let’s not forget that in the U.S. Al Hayes became Lord Alfred Hayes, complete with a rather poor imitation of an upper class accent.
Lord Jan Blears assumed a title, possibly a Manchester toff.
Then there were College Boys, not exactly toffs.
Lord Bertie Sinclair
Should have spotted Brian Craig Radcliffe , he was there in my collection.
Thanks for that as I did not know who Society Boy was.
I have another here needing to be identified.