I don't know what Hack and A-I or other members think and I know the subject has been raised before but I wonder whether the time has come to recognise women wrestlers and place the alongside the men. More and more of ther bouts seem to be on YouTube and some (particularly Rusty Blair) are really good. I wonder, if for a start (and I know Ron made a list a year or so ago they could be put at the end of each letter of the alphabet and as we know more of them they could appear in the main text. Mitzi and Klondyke Kate are two immediate examples.
What do you all think?
Here is a potential entry for one well known woman and one for a lesser known wrestler.
Sue Brittain, Lady Satan (Marjorie Farrar)
Throughout her career she fought for Women’s Rights battling with local councils who had banned female wrestling. Women’s wrestling had been banned in London since the 1930 and her biggest win came in 1979 when helped by the Equal Opportunities Commission she won a two day hearing against the GLC to allow her to appear at Wimbledon Town Hall to defend her BWA title against Jane St John. She won that bout in Round 6 with a Boston Crab. After the bout had taken place an Appeal Tribunal promptly reversed the decision and women’s wrestling was again banned. Wrestler Al Marshall called her the ‘Emmeline Pankhurst of wrestling’.
She began her career in borrowed boots when a wrestler failed to appear at Whitley Bay and was knocked out by Maria Rivoldi who became a regular opponent. In 1970 she and her husband Ron Farrar set up the British Wrestling Alliance and that year she won the British Wrestling Alliance women’s title. Except for a short period when she was defeated by Akala Jan in Bradford before regaining the title a fortnight later she held this from 1970 until she retired in 1982. The title then passed to Lady Dawn. After her retirement she appeared a few times in a mask as Lady Satan —who unsurprisingly also favoured the Boston Crab.. She also held the BWA Mixed title with Mike Demain.
An uncompromising heel, citing family commitments Brittain declined invitations to wrestle in Europe and America where Ring magazine placed her in their Top 10 rankings.
She died in Pudsey aged 76 in April 2013.
Suzie McDonald Aka Trudy Saturn (Trudy Fitzhenry)
Trudy Fitzhenry was the sister of Kid Brannigan , In the daytime she was an Inner City Farm Education teacher. Trained in Birmingham by Pete Evans she restled in UK, India and the Lebanon. She retired in 1970s following birth of her first child and back injuries.
Lena Blair, Miss Lena, Leather Lena (Barbara Swann)
And the start of one for a third
Bella Ogluna From Llandudno Trained by Orig Williams wrestled in Nigeria in 1979
Well my idea seems to have gone down a bomb but hee's another foor the books if it ever takes off.
Rusty Blair (Carole Taylor)
At one time the red-headed Scot Rusty Blair held the Women’s World Title said to have been won in Lagos. She tagged with Mitzi Mueller at the latter’s winning farewell appearance at the Albert Hall on 24 April 1987 against Klondyke Kate and Nicky Monroe. It was the first time women’s wrestling had been permitted at the venue. She is said to have retired after an injury sustained in a later bout with Klondyke Kate. She should not be confused with her frequent opponent Lena Blair. A number of her bouts can be seen on YouTube..