WRYTON and it's Early Days

I spy Doncaster again. So does this mean Wryton were linked to Dick & Jessie Rogers at Manchester & New Brighton?

I think the Wryton Manchester Venue at that time was Levenshulme and later Rusholme. It becomes more evident that a few people had a go at New Brighton.

I can't explain who D Newman is , but it looks like he was not about for long.

No Wryton link with Dick and Jessie as Bartelli never worked for them at Belle Vue in all those years up to about 1956. There must have been a political reason for that , and although not connected to Wryton , The Ghoul did not do Belle Vue for Dick and Jessie and was very tied to Morrell and Relwyskow.

The politics of who was allowed to work for who I think was one of the reasons for Van Wurden donning the Green Asp persona for some and not others.

A couple of sources on the internet claim that Arthur Wight promoted his first show at Hyde Town Hall in the war. This is not unreasonable and seeing as I have found Wryton at Hanley in 1942 first ever show 3rd August on a Monday night with another show on the Saturday the 8th. You would expect to find Hyde before this.

And that is what I have found.

At both Venues Billy Riley helped out as The Dark Owl.

Jack Atherton helps out at Hanley on the Saturday show.

Both men are on the inaugural show at Hyde.

Shows were done at Hyde on 16th , 23rd, 29th June and 7th July 1942 where the capacity was not much more than 300.

Hanley was not far from where Arthur Wright's father had come from. I suspect there would have still been connections. His wife was from Crewe.

Hanley was the perfect challenge to fill the venue , and get the profits coming in.

Below the other 3 Hyde shows , then I don't think Wright bothered after that. He had a bigger challenge at hanley.

There are other common wrestlers to both such as Tom Newton , Chick Rolf and Hall

It's a bit wild I know , but in the background I will keep the theory that Wryton may have been a thanks to Riley and Atherton , maybe they got a fee as match makers.

If you have doubts about the Hyde shows being Wright then look at the four prices.

1/6, 2/6 , 3/ and 4/ The exact same structure.

I think these Hyde Shows were the first ever Wryton Shows and the Hanley ones were the first to use the name Wryton.

great work Ron but i can muddy or clear the water on this . A comment made at lansdowne rd ,i promoted first ever show at Hyde town hall as i questioned size of the hall and i think Cassidy was going to do a try out the comment was straight from the horses mouth to me and Emile it was from Jack Atherton.i have been promised a bill early Wryton sponsored by Toothill Broadhurst i wondered how and why,buut then remembered the mill trophy at Wrighton that was present by a mr broadhurst,i wondered did george cox have a relationship with broadhurst through the fent industry.

The frustration is that I seem to have identified Miss E Cox as the other director , but have no idea what her father did or if he was even George Cox. Same with her husband George R Bowman , I can't be sure about what he did either.

Mother Lilian Cox was a proprietor of a nice hotel that had important people staying.

The Wryton Address has this certain link with Lilian Cox's Hotel , but at the time of Wryton Formation Miss Elsie Cox would be in her 30's and seems to be an accomplished secretary. Indeed she was 40 when she married.

There must have been an enormous amount of networking going on to build a business of this size , no end of trusted right hand men and women. That side , I don't think I could ever crack.

The Broadhurst trophy was used at the Whitworth Hall and Levenshulme Ice Rink as early as 1954. As far as rich and important people go , some would like wrestling and others not.

Anyone wrestling for Wryton in the early 1960's must remember Mrs Elsie Bowman as the other director. You have the contacts Paul. Maybe you can shed some more light on the other director. Did she live in Darcy Lever , was it through her the Wryton Stadium was purchased ( the Old Palladium Cinema) in 1958. There are still wrestlers alive who will remember this.

Many thanks Paul.

You give another clue Paul in George Cox. Is he Lilian Cox's mystery husband. The Cox's had the money and business brain. Lilian Cox was on her own with the kids in both 1921 and 1939 on vital documents but was married. Elsie was stated to have been born in New Zealand in 1911 , but her sister was 10 years older and born Manchester. Did George Cox spend time in New Zealand. Is that why he is missing. A gym over a pub , could have been 19 New Bridge Street although that was described as a boarding house. Nothing to say this was given up when Lilian moved to The New Court Hotel near the Infirmary.

Going back to directorship , Harry Vickers Wright died in June 1975 and Arthur Wright in January 1976 and are in the same grave in Lostock Gralam. They will have had a few years retirement to see Best /Wryton with new directors.

Here is 1973. Paul , you will remember this set up , but I think we have the stable period 1946-1966 with Elsie Cox/Elsie Bowman as the only partner for Arthur Wright.

Not sure if I mentioned , but before Wryton, Arthur Wright was a foreman in the building trade in Warrington.

I am On The Trail here , partly Wryton's History but more so Wryton's Origins.

Names are being thrown up of people who we know at a minimum were right hand men , some because it had been said by word of mouth.

But lets look at the facts and go off only hard documented evidence

Wryton Name first used in 1942

Four years later in 1946 the Directors are Arthur Lawrence Wright born 9th July 1907 at Lostock Gralham near Northwich. (Wife Myrnie Edith Broster from Crewe.)

Also only other director Miss E Cox born 2nd Jan 1911 and married (I believe to George R Bowman in 1951) so a name change.

Elsie Cox's mother Lilian (born 1881) (was the owner of a boarding house close to Victoria Station 19 New Bridge Street Manchester , in 1921. Elsie had an older sister born Manchester , but Elsie was declared as born New Zealand. Father is absent but mother Lilian, looking at the clients was an accomplished business woman.

By 1939 Lilian had took over The New Court Hotel , 126 High Street , near Manchester Royal Infirmary. (Border of Rusholme) Number 126 and 123A High Street were Wryton head office for many years.

I now have proof that Elsie Bowman (Cox) was a director from 1946 to at least 1966 and maybe some more.

Elsie Bowman is the Director and secretary of Wryton Promotions and her business skills are there to be seen. As yet , I am unsure when she or her mother died , but looks to me like they were in a position to pump money into the Wryton Business.

Note that by 1966 the address has changed to Lansdowne Road in Didsbury.

I have no idea when Best came in or if that was anything to do with Bowman.

Quite probably this could have been the arrangement since 1942 , but for sure 1946. And seemingly the only directors for all this time.

Why Wryton.....I don't know.

Tom Newton wrestled for Cullen who was ousted out of Hanley by Wryton , but I don't see him , or in fact any of the other names as directors.

I cannot as yet see any family relationship between Arthur Wright and the Cox family.

Riley and Atherton are clearly not Directors , but without their wrestlers Arthur Wright would have struggled to make the company the size that it was.

I do just wonder if Wryton was a cryptic tribute to that partnership.

"...I cannot as yet see any family relationship between Arthur Wright and the Cox family.

Riley and Atherton are clearly not Directors , but without their wrestlers Arthur Wright would have struggled to make the company the size that it was.

I do just wonder if Wryton was a cryptic tribute to that partnership..."

Great sleuthing, as always, Ron. Your guess that Wryton was a play on words on Wright, Ryley, Atherton is a pretty good guess, in my opinion, and (until further evidence appears) makes a lot of sense.

1967 sees a change in directors and at last something new and seemingly the end of Elsie (Cox) Bowman.

H.V. Wright (Full name was harry Vickers Wright) who had been an MC for some years was the older brother of Arthur Wright. He is now a director. Both in the same grave at Lostock Gralam. Harry and their father had been Butchers by trade.

R. Jordan is now the Secretary Director. He seems to have come on the scene initially as Manager and matchmaker.

I have a suspicion that Elsie Bowman may have died in 1969 , but it's best fit guess work without buying certificates. Her mother Lilian Cox , I suspect died in 1964 and this period sees the shift in Address to Didsbury , which probably sees the end of the Hotel ownership.

So still no ideas on where the name Wryton came from , but I think a long run of co directorship has been exposed from soon after the start of the business up to 1966 , and here is the first change.

well poirot couldnt unravel Wryton but im still trying.Firstly Tom Newton was never a director,Les Harrison was,Elsie is interesting is this Elsie sister of Majorie who im going to start thread on shortly .aces of altrincham holds the key,even to 1960s People were queing to be directors ie ernie derbyshire bassos connections through bill benny.backgrounds were entertainment ,fent trade,machining dairy farming and of course wool shops.ill clarify best i can soon

Les Harrison was part of Altrincham Charities Association from about the mid 1950's and coming forwards further , some more evidence of key men on this bill here. R Jordan is now Match maker along with Arthur Wright , no mention of Elsie Bowman here. (1961) Les mentioned as MC. Ryland and Harrison have a foot in the door , but were they directors. (or just act as though they were in charge)

The name Wryton is not yet explained as far as I can see.

steve tell us more farming connections or the fent industry

I have Arthur Wright a foreman in the building trade in Warrington in 1939. He was born Lostock Gralham and is buried there. His father was from Kidsgrove and wife from Crewe. The Lostock Gralham/Northwich connection I thought would be responsible for this early venture. These were Wryton shows.

tommy was reffing when mr byatt was mc

My imagination is running wild.

W = Wright

Ry = Riley

Ton = Atherton

Arthur could not have done it without them and their stable.

When they became R and A they still helped him but went to other territory such as Burnley , Nelson and Colne.

I'm only dreaming.