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Share your memories of British wrestling 1930 - 1988
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Feb 01, 2025
In Memories of the Old Days
Well My Beloved KINGS HALL-BELLE VUE-MANCHESTER was Truly the MOST Iconic of
All the BRITISH Wrestling Venues in The U.K.!!-Why?
Apart from being a 6,000 Seat Stadium-Purpose Built for Wrestling and Boxing!- it was also
Part of a Huge Complex Leisure Centre that Included a Fun Fair-A Zoo-Speedway-Side Shows
and Many More Various Attractions-Such As The Ghost Train and The Log Flume and The
Fun House with its Hall of Mirrors!
A Family Must Go Place on a SATURDAY Nite-I used to take Girls Most Weeks!
Following-On from KATHLEEN LOOK's Wrestling Promotions in the 1930's along with
ATHOLL OAKELEY-A New Incarnation of Promoting The Shows began in JANUARY 1945
under the Aegis of DICK and JESSE ROGERS-and it was to Run for 12 Years in all!!
Famous for its 'Signature' either RED/WHITE or BLUE/WHITE Coloured Programmes
JESSIE and DICK 'THE DORMOUSE' Put -On Some Great Bills Featuring All the Top
Wrestlers of The Day!
But Sadly in DECEMBER 1956 Their Time as Promoters came to an End!
And from JANUARY 1957 a New Era Started under JOINT PROMOTIONS!
Below I'm Sharing My Original Programme for The Final Ever ROGERS's Show!
Coupled with One of My Original DM Programmes for 1957!
Times Move On-Don't They??
From 1957 Special Flyers were Included within Programmes!
See Below also One of My Originals!
Also See Below a Selection of Some of My Original BELLE VUE Programmes from
DICK and JESSIE's Early Days Promoting Wrestling at The KINGS HALL!
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Apr 22, 2024
In Memories of the Old Days
Back in The Mid 1930's DOUGLAS CLARK was Recognised as The Official BRITISH HEAVYWEIGHT
Champion and was a Formidable Wrestler to have to Face!!
But Every so Often he Came into Conflict with an Equally Formidable Foe in The Opposite Corner!!
One Such Adversary was the Huge CARVER DOONE!!-Standing at 7' 0" and Weighing over 20 Stone
This 'Colossus' had already 'Taken Apart' ATHOLL OAKELEY and Many Other of The Sport's Leading
Names!
How would CLARK Fare against This 'Awesome' Mountain of a Fighter??
Below MAIN MASK is Holding My Original RELWYSKOW Poster for MADELEY STREET BATHS
in HULL which Features a 1934!! Collision between These Two Giants of The Ring!!
Bet The Result was either a Draw or a D.Q. for DOONE??
Also Below Another CLARK versus DOONE Match Billed for SUNDAY NOVEMBER 24TH 1935!
DOONE is said to have Knocked Out Most of his Opponents!
And We get to See a Full Length Photo of CARVER DOONE also!!
At Least 40 Stone Coming into Grief here!!
We are Told That DOONE Appeared in The Film 'WHERE'S GEORGE'!!
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 25, 2024
In Memories of the Old Days
As a Companion to My Latest MASKS AND MEMORIES Thread-I can Mention That there were 2
KAMIKAZES in The Early Sixties-They Formed an Evil JAPANESE Tag Team which Operated in
and around PARIS and Elsewhere in FRANCE!!-See Below!!
KAMIKAZE 1-MODESTO ALEDO was Very Active for PAUL LINCOLN in 1963 and 1964!
Below I Feature Some of My Original LINCOLN Programmes Which Include KAMIKAZE Bouts-
Along with Flyers and 2 Very Rare FRENCH CATCH Wrestling Posters also Featuring him on The
Bills!!
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 22, 2024
In Memories of the Old Days
I've always Loved Meaningful MASK versus MASK Contests!-It didn't happen very often but just
Occasionally 2 Hooded Wrestlers found Themselves in Opposite Corners!!-Then usually One of
them had to go!
I've always had a Sneaking Admiration for (The Original) DOCTOR DEATH!-He was Involved in
Some Epic Contests with the MASK on the line!-The Legendary Contest in APRIL 1962 against
WHITE ANGEL-when Evil Triumphed Over Good!-The Classic Battle of The 2 DOCTORS when
DD Defeated and Unmasked DOCTOR BLOOD to Name but Two!!
But there were Others as well!
In The Early 1960's PAUL LINCOLN Brought Over a Masked Terror who had been Raising the
Ire of Crowds in PARIS....The JAPANESE 'Suicide Pilot'-KAMIKAZE!
So it seemed Inevitable That he would Come into Conflict with The Good DOCTOR!
And he did!
At GRANADA TOOTING-Scene of his Victory Over WHITE ANGEL-This Collision was going
to come about! The Date:- WEDNESDAY 20TH NOVEMBER 1963!
Another Sell-Out LINCOLN Spectacular with 1000's Packing into The Luxury TOOTING
GRANADA!-Fabulous Nites in BRITISH Wrestling Golden Years!
A 'Fight to a Finish'!!
Does Anyone Know Who was beneath KAMIKAZE's Mask then??
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 14, 2024
In Memories of the Old Days
Fascinating 1939 FREE TRADE HALL-MANCHESTER Programme here Boys from My 1930's
Archives!!!
An ATHOLL OAKELEY Promotion at the Above Venue-Renowned by the way for its Rock Hard
Ring Floor!!
We're on FEBRUARY 10th!-Now Interestingly KATHLEEN LOOK was STILL Operating at
BELLE VUE at This Time too!!
Within This Programme-We Have The NEXT Show on The 24TH Advised-It's THIS Show
with which We are Concerned here!
Now you will see from My Original Programme Below JACK SHERRY is Defending his WORLD
HEAVYWEIGHT Title against.......GOLIATH!!-and This GOLIATH is Billed at 7' 2" Tall!!
But also on The SAME Bill We see THE GHOUL-ALSO Billed at 7'2" in Height!!
Just HOW MANY 7' 2" Wrestlers were Around at This Time AT ALL???
Now Then Do We have here THE GHOUL Wrestling TWICE on The SAME Night???-Firstly
WITHOUT a MASK as GOLIATH??-Then Later in The Show as The MASKED GHOUL???
First On and Last On!!
Is This GOLIATH the Man in the Photo Below-brought in by OAKELEY??
WHO is GOLIATH??-The Weight Difference of the Two Only Differs by Half a Stone???
To put him in with SHERRY-when he's an 'Unknown' is a Bold Move Indeed?!
Did GOLIATH ALSO Wear a HOOD???
Can RON find ANY Other Trace of him??-I can't at This Point!
More Mysteries!!
The Thick Plottens!!
And Just as a 'Cameo' We find ATHOLL OAKELEY Wrestling in his OWN Promotion at
39 Years of Age!!
I Like The Referee-He's a BOSUN!!
Also-Look Who's Just 'Arrived'??!! -MAN MOUNTAIN DEAN from HOLLYWOOD!!
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 13, 2024
In Memories of the Old Days
It seems it is RON's Belief that 1935 was the Watershed Year for an Upward Trajectory at The KINGS
HALL!!-For Me it was 1936-Especially When it came to Promotional Upgrades for Programmes for The
Shows!-In 1934 and !935 The In-House Programmes were Basic Card-Style Items-although with a fair
bit of Detailed Info. Inside!-See My Original Example Below for 1935!
But Fast-Forward to 1936 and Wow! WHAT a 'Transformation'!!-They had Become Attractive Mini
Works of Art!!- I Believe This was Largely down to KATHLEEN LOOK who wanted to make All the
Publicity Material More 'Professional'!!
Enjoy All My Original 1936 Programmes in WHITE/PASTEL BLUE/PASTEL PINK and LEMON!
Quality Paper Now NOT CARD and She Opens with her Promoters Notes and Comments which you
find as soon as you Turn Over the First Pages!! Large Pieces with Quality Stamped All Over Them!!
I'm Including Some Below as Examples of How The Business at BELLE VUE Wrestling began to
BOOM!! I Know OSTY and RON and Others will Enjoy These 'Gems'!!
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 12, 2024
In Memories of the Old Days
AS We Know in 1934 KATHLEEN LOOK became The First Lady Wrestling Promoter in The World
at KINGS HALL BELLE VUE MANCHESTER!-She was to go on to become a Very Successful
Business Woman!!
From My 1930's BELLE VUE Archives here are 2 Original BLACK/WHITE Very Early Photos of
MISS LOOK-Including One at Work in her KINGS HALL Office!!
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 11, 2024
In Memories of the Old Days
Here's an Interesting DEVEREUX Programme from WIMBLEDON PALAIS-THURSDAY-12TH NOVEMBER
1959!!-A CATCHWEIGHT Contest is Featured Between PAUL LINCOLN and KEN SHAW!!
Is This One of the Very Last Bouts before LINCOLN Donned The Infamous Mantle of DOCTOR DEATH??
Can RON find a Later Match?
Another Curio on This Bill is The Top Match which Pits THE GHOUL against TERRY O'NEILL just before
he became DOCTOR BLOOD!!
Can This GHOUL be BOMBER BATES at This Late Date??-When Ill-Health had set in??
Or being a DEVEREUX Promotion-is it more Likely to be BILL COVERDALE?
Again Over to RON??
In Any Event a Bill Full of Major Mysteries!!
Was LINCOLN ALREADY Wrestling as DOCTOR DEATH BY NOVEMBER 1959??
Had BATES ALREADY Retired by NOVEMBER 1959??
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 08, 2024
In Memories of the Old Days
When KATHLEEN LOOK took over Promoting Wrestling at My Beloved KINGS HALL
BELLE VUE MANCHESTER-she 'went to town' on Advertising her Events immediately!
Press Advertisements-large and small appearing in multiple Newspapers-National and
Local were taken out on a Weekly Basis for Every Show!-This applied to All her
Promotions Nationwide and not just BELLE VUE by the way
She was raking in over £600 for each fortnightly Show at The KINGS HALL in the Mid
1930's-I have some of her Accounts!!-So to 'Reinvest' in The Business was a Must to
Grow the Success!!-I have Tons of Original Press Bills from her time in charge of The
Wrestling at The Venue-Including Items in Colour-See Below!!
So here are a Few Examples from My BELLE VUE Archives Promoting The Seasonal
Re-Opening Programmes during her Tenure!!
Papers used for her 'Publicity Machine' included East MANCHESTER and District Courier-
MANCHESTER Evening Chronicle-Daily Express and Daily Mail!
In This Respect she so Reminds Me of Another Great Wrestling Promoter who followed
30 Years Later...PAUL LINCOLN!-I Remember his YELLOW GRANADA Flyers Plastered
all over LONDON in the Early 1960's!!
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 03, 2024
In Memories of the Old Days
MAIN MASK has been in his Vault!!-Sorting Thru Piles of My Original 1930's Wrestling Posters!!
I've Found This One Below for WINTER GARDENS in MORECAMBE in AUGUST 1941!!
As you will Note The Photo Below-although Not The Same Shot as OSTY's-See My Other
Thread- IS the SAME Man-Check Out SAME Left Cauliflower Ear That OSTY's Image
Attributes to TOM RIGBY-Also Ascribed to WILD TARZAN on My Original Flyer-See My
Other Thread!
So what we have Now is TOM RIGBY's Photo CONNECTED to his Wrestling Persona-
WILD TARZAN on My Original RELWYSKOW Wrestling POSTER!!
So HACK-NOT a Simple Mistake On My Flyer!!
The Case-it seems- is SOL-VED!!
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Feb 20, 2024
In Memories of the Old Days
As Per Your Request!......WILD TARZAN!-Behind The Ring Monicker was I do Believe...TOM RIGBY!!
I've Probably got him on Some Posters Somewhere in The Vault!!-But as you know-Just WHERE can
take a Lot of Sorting!!
In The Meantime............ From Late 1938 Thru 1941!!
Here.........
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Aug 20, 2023
In Memories of the Old Days
I Wonder if RON amongst his Illustrious Archives can Find BOB JAMES On Any Independent Bills-
1960's/1970's??
Hopefully you can RON?
Will Then Explain My Request!!
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Apr 23, 2023
In Memories of the Old Days
On This ST.GEORGE'S DAY-Our Poster Dated for Today's Newsletter Takes Us Back to The RING in BLACKFRIARS-LONDON and The Mid 1930's!! Here We see a Young JACK PYE Making an Appearance On This Show against TONY BAER!! Also here is One of the Top Wrestlers of This Decade- KARL REGINSKY- Who held The EUROPEAN HEAVYWEIGHT Championship During This Time!! I Love These Mini Works of Art Posters for The RING with their Short Write-Ups beneath the Wrestler's Billing!! MAIN MASK
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Apr 08, 2023
In Memories of the Old Days
It's EASTER SUNDAY'S Newsletter and Our Programme Dated for This 9TH APRIL is from 1964 at GRANADA-EDMONTON with a PAUL LINCOLN Show! 'JUDO' AL HAYES Features On The Cover!! The Tag Bout Boasts The Regular LINCOLN Team of AL HAYES and RAY HUNTER Taking-On WILD MAN OF BORNEO and SOCIETY BOY!! Also Showcased is One of My Favourite Mid-Heavies-BOB KIRKWOOD! I had a Great One-to-One Chat with BOB at One of The KENT Reunions Some Years Back! He Provided an Amazing Insight into LINCOLN'S Organisation-Stating That 'PAUL Saved his Life' by Giving him Regular Work!! Lovely Fella!! MM
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Apr 02, 2023
In Memories of the Old Days
Already 1ST Newsletter of The 4TH Month!!-And here is My Original Flyer for The DRILL HALL in BRISTOL in 1937!!!-Featured are An Early TONY MANCELLI and an Ubiquitous 'LEGS' LANGEVIN!! + An Appearance by The BEARDED MONARCH!! 5 Shillings seems a Bit Steep for Best Seats to Me on a 4 Contest Bill for Those Days and it not being a Huge Venue?!! MAIN MASK
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 25, 2023
In Memories of the Old Days
Last Newsletter for This Month!!-3!!! Months of This Year are Gone Already!! We Zoom Back in Time to The CONNAUGHT DRILL HALL in PORTSMOUTH!! Topping The Bill We Have The MASKED MARVEL-Apparently a BRITISH 'Subject'! who Takes-On GEORGE GREGORY!! The Main Support Bout Features MIKE DEMITRE Tackling TONY BAER!! Interestingly also Here is MIKE HOWLEY who-as Many did!- Later became a Wrestling Referee!! This is My Rather Nice Original 1930's Flyer for This Show!! MAIN MASK
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 19, 2023
In Memories of the Old Days
Penultimate Newsletter of MARCH-and Our Poster is Another of My Original Press Ad Bills for HANLEY! On This Day at The VICTORIA HALL We See JIM HUSSEY Taking On The 'Dazzler' JOE CORNELIUS! Also 'JUDO' AL HAYES Travels Up from WESTMINSTER to Face RAY APOLLON! Plus an Appearance by MASAMBULA!! MAIN MASK
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 12, 2023
In Memories of the Old Days
Here's Our Programme Dated for Today's Newsletter!-We are at COLSTON HALL in BRISTOL to see ANGLO's Hero-ALAN GARFIELD Taking-On ISKA KHAN from MONGOLIA in The Main Event!! MELVYN RISS-JIMMY HUSSEY- JOHN LEES-TONY VALLON and BRIAN BURKE must have All Travelled Down in The Van-Picking-Up JIM HART on The Way!!- for This Show!! MAIN MASK
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Mar 04, 2023
In Memories of the Old Days
It's The 1ST Newsletter of The Month! Now!- The 5TH MARCH is a Milestone Date in BRITISH Wrestling History!! It was On This Day at VICTORIA HALL in HANLEY That COUNT BARTELLI Defeated ZEBRA KID in a MASK versus MASK Contest in 1961!! It was On This Day That KENDO NAGASAKI Defeated COUNT BARTELLI also at HANLEY in 1966! in a MASK versus MASK Contest! It was on This Day in 1972 That KENDO NAGASAKI Defeated COUNT BARTELLI by a Single Submission to Nil in a 2 Fall Contest at WRYTON STADIUM in BOLTON!!-I Was There That Nite!! Yes!- These Two Certainly Loved The 5TH MARCH!! So Here's My Original Programme-again for VICTORIA HALL HANLEY On 5TH MARCH 1960 also Featuring COUNT BARTELLI Taking-On The Future MASKED WHITE ANGEL-Al HAYES!! MAIN MASK
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
Feb 27, 2023
In Memories of the Old Days
Firstly see Part 1 of This Thread!! It Seems Our HACK is More or Less 'Convinced' That COUNT BARTELLI either would NOT Have himself or would NOT Have been 'Allowed' by ARTHUR WRIGHT to Wrestle OUTSIDE WRYTONLAND or for Any Other Promoter??!! Well!!-4 Years Ago I Was Chatting to a Wrestler Who HACK Knows and-Without ANY Querying from Me- THIS is what he told Me:- COUNT BARTELLI came up During the Conversation:- I Was Asked 'Did you Know That BARTELLI 3 Years After he was Unmasked by KENDO NAGASAKI in 1966 was again Wrestling under a HOOD'!!..... I said I didn't Know That! 'Yes'-The Narrative Continued- 'He Did Some Bouts for ERIC TAYLOR in 1969-Only This Time he Donned a YELLOW MASK as Opposed to BARTELLI's RED MASK'!! NOW-As I was Watching COUNT BARTELLI Wrestle at-Among Other Venues- WRYTON!! STADIUM in The Early 1970's WITHOUT a MASK-This meant That he was STILL a WRYTON Man!! So!-If This Story was TRUE?-And WHY wouldn't it be?-We Only Have 2 Explanations Don't We?? 1 ARTHUR WRIGHT/WRYTONS Did NOT Know This and therefore BARTELLI WAS 'Moonlighting'...Or 2 ARTHUR WRIGHT/WRYTONS DID Know and BARTELLI Wrestled for ERIC TAYLOR and did so with his 'Blessing'! Although This Information is Only 'Hearsay'-I Have NO Reason to Disbelieve it!!- Especially as Other Stuff 'Confided' in Me by This Wrestler- I could Corroborate Elsewhere!! Over to MR. HACK-as This 'Snippet' Seems to Somewhat Undermine his Theory Regarding whether BARTELLI Wrestled OUTSIDE of WRYTON either MASKED or Unmasked!! The THICK PLOTTENS!! MAIN MASK
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adrianpollard.shangri-la
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