The picture in 1951 was an amazing find for me for so many reasons. Two of those five boxers went on to be quite well known wrestlers. The two boxers in question even fought each other twice. I am not going to point them out yet and you may well be able to identify them from the picture. It is my belief that Jim Moran was born in Leeds 7th February 1929 and turned pro in 1948. At that time he was tall indeed , but only six three. He got off the mark with seven straight wins. His first defeat was at Leeds to George Nuttall who was born 17th March 1926 and lived most of his life in Marple (Stockport) In January 1951 Moran turned the tables and stopped Nuttall at Leicester , controversial as Nuttall got the Gum Shield stuck in his throat and was breathing badly. These guys were heavies , but nowhere near the weights that they were to become as wrestlers. They started at about 14 stones and gained over the years. By 1952 they were ranked 9th and 10th in the country. Indeed Jim Moran , now advertised at six five took future British champ Joe Erskine the distance. As the decade went forwards “Greats” like Henry Cooper and Brian London were to come forwards and for those that never made it to the top , some bouts were lost convincingly. Manuel Bergo and Don Scott beat the giant Moran with ease. George Nuttall also got some beatings , and as with most lost some momentum near the end , was a useful sparing partner though and both fought for the best part of a decade. According to Boxing Records , Moran won 22 of 32 with two draws. Nuttall won 25 of 46 bouts with two draws in there. As for wrestling. In Nuttall's case , I can prove he tried some wrestling a few years before he gave up boxing. Initially not with Joint promotions as the 1955 Belle Vue bill shown , was one of a few where he worked for Dick and Jessie Rogers. Most of his career with Joint promotions , he was used as The Black Mask , the first masked man used on TV. It was a good run , many imitators make it impossible to collect the exact stats , and some kept coming long after he had been unmasked. George also had brother Bert who wrestled and I have recently untangled their career's for Bert's Grandson. George Nuttall wrestled as Alec/Alex Nuttall for the Independents and for sure worked for both organisations at the same time. Working for the opposition kept him nearer home and paid well , with good work in the Manchester Night clubs. Some of these bills give him away as from Stockport as he had been billed as both South African and a New Zealander , not true. Even Charly Nuttall in Vienna. Jim Moran left a lasting impression on me and one night at Belle Vue , a match played out with Guardsman Crabtree where he put a single leg Boston on Shirley and would not break the hold after the submission. The crowd had a long wait for Shirley to be helped from the ring and Gargantua was at the ropes looking at the jeering audience. I thought he was the biggest man that I had ever seen and I went right down to the ring for a look. He leered over the top rope at me and it was the thickness of his bones that made him seem so Gigantic Now Boxing records have him finishing about 1957 with an exception of a match in the Miners hall at Ryhope in 1960. I have found a bill with what looks like him wrestling in 1961 (Gargantua) with Shirley Crabtree and again in 1965 , with Shirley yet again , but as Big Jim Moran. I believe he was probably lured in to the game gradually through the mid sixties , and often worked night clubs as a doorman. This man was no longer that skinny boxer but six seven and 22 stones or thereabouts now. And that growth seems to come late , I mean six three at nineteen and a half , six six on his boxing Record and billed even more as a wrestler. I checked the disease Acromegaly and there is a suggestion that it does not make you taller , just distortion of certain bones. However there is a Gigantism Acromegaly where you do get taller as the years go by. I believe Moran did suffer this or similar and we have discussed his height before , probably agreeing that he was no less than six six. I am sure in my own mind that he was taller than Gwyn Davies and Pat Roach with a clear margin. For me , about the same as early Haystacks. I last show him as Gargantua in 1977 although he may have gone to 1980 ( or copied) The picture shows wide collar bones , giving the structure for him to become a huge man with a really wide back. Here are the boxers again this time identified. There are not many pictures about of George Nuttall and a good capture of a young Moran. Ironic that they fought as boxers for real. Ironic for me to have researched for the Nuttalls and in Jim Moran , to look at a man I have never forgotten. He was just so big. I end with another photo with the boxers named. George Nuttall died in early 1994. I believe Jim Moran died in Leeds in 1990 ( best fit)

Wrestling was starting to grow again in the late 1950's and in 1958 Wryton opened the Wryton Stadium in Bolton. Peaking around 1963 most of my Nooks and Crannies pieces are based round the 1960's when TV gave wrestling such great popularity. Wryton did not venture very far east , probably because of the Pennines and got as far south as Wolverhampton. But North Wales was there for the taking. The Stadium at Bolton was by no means the main Wryton venue , it had been an old Cinema saved from demolition and held one or maybe two hundred over a thousand at best. But there lies the template. Circa 1963/64 , there was money to be made and if you could not go really big , a thousand or a little more was not a bad optimum. That bench mark was used at Rhyl with the Gaiety Theatre and the Arcadia at Llandudno. I don't think the grip on Colwyn Bay was quite so important , the Pier Pavilion only holding 600 and problems with the ageing Pier , led to some moving about and also letting in the Independents. Just over 100 miles from Manchester was Caernarfon (this is todays accepted spelling.) And again a cinema , The Majestic. Capacity about 1100. It's hard to think of anywhere further in the Wryton portfolio. Riley and Atherton were doing the Isle of Man. This was an outer limit and for that reason I think I will call it a Nook and Crannie. It started in 1963 , you can see that it is typical Wryton , Bert and Vic versus the Cadmans , some reliable Yorkshire boys coming over to help , and big names at that time Two Rivers and Ian Campbell. Jackie Pallo visiting in 64 and Peter Maivia , Gordienko and a very early sighting of Kendo with an imaginative spelling mistake. In 65 Ricky Starr comes and works with a safe pair of hands in Jim Hussey. You can see as the decade moves on that The Royals were a cornerstone of Wryton , battling The Black Diamonds , Dennisons , Cadmans Street and Pallo along with Kendo and Bill Robinson helped provide strong cards , the credibility being needed as time moved on and less overseas visitors to our shores. These selections were not unlike what I myself saw at Belle Vue from here on in. It was good strong wrestling and a determined effort to have this venue through the sixties. How many of you saw Royal v Ginsberg and Vic v Cutler followed by a tag. It worked because of the quality , it told a story , no doubt with some scores settled in the tag match. I certainly saw it , probably at Belle Vue. It was also done with the Hells Angels and probably the Dennisons. Typically Wryton at this time and a small challenge from myself. I know Wryton did a short stint in Hartlepool and even Norfolk. But I am talking of regular tenure for a sustained period. Is this Wryton's furthest regular Outpost. Enjoy the bills and click on them for a larger image.

I stopped and thought about this one. Is Lewes a Nook and Crannie. Well for one it is not on the coast and Dale Martins had a huge number of Sussex Seaside towns in their charge. And also thus far , I have not found Dales operating in Lewes. When I covered Bexhill on Sea I presented some Winshaw Promotions bills and for sure many of the wrestlers were unknowns. It was pretty much established that they were a Lewes based promotion and the only other town they seemed to be at was Seaford. Lewes though , is the epicentre because the Winter family were living there and had a wrestling gym there. It was their venture. Johnny Winter and his younger brother Ricky are credited with being the Promoters , born 1940 and 1943 in Lewes and there were a few sisters too. But Dad John Eric Winter also a Lewes born man 1918 was the secretary , so who knows how many people were involved here. But that local gym no doubt brought through some more wrestlers , some who never made the jump to Joint Promotions. A lot of these guys had jobs and wrestled as a side line , so fair to assume there was no pressure to wrestle every night. I can't show all the bills so it's just a taste here. Click for larger image. It's doubtful that with a ring as well, 350 people could cram into Lewes Town Hall , but for a period of maybe 1964 , Certainly 1965 to 1972 the venture worked. I know from the papers , in the end at the end of 1972 the gate was falling below 200 and that brought the finish. But today Jason Winter is promoting wrestling at the very same place with a Winshaw Trophy. You will find him on the web. So Lewes is a very special Nook and Crannie with this unique alternative wrestling with colourful characters in swathes. The April 1965 bill might have been the first one to really target the public , they had done a show in a school prior to this. Its quite a collection of names to look at in depth. Maybe not to be taken too seriously. I mean "The Mysterons" , can you believe it. The Masked Bear. A Ghoul , and they liked tag wrestling as well. I have gone through the bills 1965 to 1970 and listed the wrestlers. We get many people coming to Heritage with "My relative was a wrestler" , some times we have not heard of them. This list might just help. Many of these not in the A-Z. Part two will present these wrestlers , showing quite a big promotional effort with a few well known names thrown in.

Just outside of Rotherham the Lumley Arms in 1967 had a fairly unique venture , Sunday Dinner Time Wrestling. It's a story of a local man Joe Knowles coming home to Maltby. His previous place is shown well advertised here. Born in Maltby in 1921 Joseph H Knowles had married Iris Warren in 1950. In February 1967 they brought the same ideas and more to the Lumley Arms. But before the month was out there was going to be a wrestling connection. In February 67 a local mini Skirt Contest had Dai Sullivan as a judge. The burning question is , Did Joe find his own wrestlers. Did he just know one guy who could bring a few to do a show and then maybe put Joe onto another contact who in turn bring in something different. Or did Joe find a small promoter who handled the summer of 1967 for him. I have established that this was indoor wrestling and if you google The Lumley Arms , Maltby , and "Images" you will see two pictures of wrestling going on there. This couple were innovators of Pub entertainment Here are the first three bills and look at the decent quality. CLICK FOR A LARGER IMAGE And in order here is the next three in April. Five shillings , not a bad price for what must have been a fairly close up view for all. And again , and also we are looking at more than one stable of wrestlers here. Look at the changes over time. North East lads and Barnsley , Johnny Saint from Manchester and as ever St John and Slavic Jimmy Devlin is on four times. What could the capacity of this place be. At the end of the season we have a statement to the press about how well things were going. Taking have doubled in under a year. Many of the adverts had a full weeks schedule of events. People had their wedding receptions there and even coach parties of 50 or more visitors. So Joe and Iris make a possible valid claim that Sunday Dinner Wrestling in a pub was possibly a first for them and the wrestling industry. It's a window in time that does not seem to come back next year , or even continue past June. No sign that the council banned it. It was of course a few years past the very peak of Golden Age Wrestling , round about 1963 and the publicity that the McManus/Pallo TV Feud created in the country. But at this time TV Wrestling was very popular. The challenge has gone out to the remaining wrestlers from the past. Does anyone remember this venue.

Maps out and if you look at the triangle of Rotherham , Doncaster and Barnsley you would wonder why any wrestling ever got into the villages in that area and yet I have found a handful of villages where Wrestling was evident. Back to 1961 and the Crabtree Promotions. Sitting Bull , the man who was to be in Madras the following year below. A rare sighting of Brian Crabtree as a wrestler. So the baths was covered over in the winter and assuming the ring was in the middle, chairs would be brought in at ground level. Photo's show balconies along the two long sides of the pool. Only shallow corridors in effect , but I could imagine 400-500 people getting in there. Maybe someone can tell me if it was more. Can we assume that the shows had some success. Why else would Relwyskows have a small trial a few years later Don't think they were too struck on it as 1965 the Indies were back. Local boy Sam Betts wrestling under his own name and not as Dwight J. A Miners Tag team with Pete Curry. 2 twenty stone wrestlers The Beast and El Scorpion with a mask thrown in. StJohn and Svajik got everywhere with their own show practiced to perfection. Wrestling penetrated everywhere in out Golden age , but make no mistake Wombwell had seen wrestling a lot earlier.

I could say just about in Lancashire , but the tourism guide pushed the fact that Barnoldswick is near Skipton. Looks a beautiful town and home to the fictitious Bradshaw family of radio and theatre fame. Young Billy with Mum Audrey and Gravel voiced Dad Alf. The Majestic an old building , a cinema among other things in it's lifetime , 700 seats , and I believe preserved in some form today , although it might be as shop fronts. Also a Roller Rink and Billiard Hall too in it's day. Have not found joint there and even wonder if Member Phil Kenyon came across wrestling there. Town also called Barlick and the locals "Barlickers" Here is what I found. Can anyone give us a bit more.

Even before the war had ended there were shows on in 1945 at the corn exchange. Relwyskow gave it a go. 1961 Max Crabtree , so evident in Scotland at that time tried a show out. (Click for larger image) But it was to be Cape Promotions who penetrated this market in a solid way by 1963. I have a good collection of bills and this was regular , I can only show you some. These are top men from the opposition , probably the very best that could be mustered. Fred Wooley and Danny Flynn ran a great business and in a responsible way with not too much in the way of fraudulent advertising. Johnny Saint in 1964 had progressed from a ring erector for this outfit , only shows on the low side of the card. For a good few years this name the Hangsman niggles at me. Did anyone see him and do we know who he was. As you can see , a good tenure of years which has to indicate a successful business here in Berwick. I really need help on the capacity of the Corn Exchange , today a listed building converted in to high end flats. The seating capacity is evading me. Situated in Sandgate pretty near the mouth of the Tweed Estuary. With a Barracks , Castle and Lighthouse , and a beautiful Viaduct , I regret it's a place I have never been to. No price rises in the 1963-1967 period , those were the days. Things must have been so good because Joint promotions had to have a go. And Oh look the prices have gone up considerably. New tarrifs of 12/6 and 10/ have been introduced 12/6 in 1968 to see Mick McManus and standard by 1970. By 1970 even the indy's could not hold the 5/ price any longer , but this bill with fake Dr Death and Outlaw does perhaps show that there was still room in town for them. This bill on only 2 weeks after the Joint one featuring the evil Jimmy Saville . If you ever saw him wrestle you would know he was pretty hopeless and yet he is headlining that bill. I think I would have chosen the Klondykes v Campbells although a young Tony St Clair v Mal Kirk would have been decent. Can anyone add anything to what we know here.

If you asked me to name some of the Sussex towns that I have bill collections for , I would say , Bognor , Worthing , Brighton , Eastbourne and Hastings , all coastal towns , and in no way in the same district as Hastings or Eastbourne , I now find Bexhill on Sea. Quite often with the Nooks and Crannies , Joint can be missing , maybe too small a town or venue , but actually this venue could seat maybe up to 1500. An early Doctor Death 1960 and those Barnsley Boys headlining in 1961 Fast forwards a few years and 1965 are all familiar. Golden years when wrestling wriggled it's way in almost everywhere. Being a Northern Boy I never took a holiday down there , closest I came was Newhaven. Can anyone tell us more about Bexhill.

After many years collecting bills I finally have some from Inverness. 375 miles from Manchester and sad to say , I have never been. The Empire Theatre was a 1912 Picture House , eventually used as a Theatre. It had a balcony and I think the whole thing sloped down to a stage. 1100 capacity gave it some sort of equal standing in size with the Wryton Stadium. But could it be equal in the quality of wrestlers that it could tempt to travel up there. At the dawn of the 1960's Max Crabtree gave it a go , so influential in Scotland. My old friend Sitting Bull who I found in Madras was there. Shirley before he was famous , or was he famous as an alternative champion back then. Early Andy Robin was up there. Good effort from Wall , Dennison and Breaks to go up there. Champion Billy Joyce , Pallo famous as Mr TV. Kidd and Colbeck. Top Scotsman Ian Campbell. Kellet for sure. Zebra Kidd. The Hawaiian Prince , Mick McManus made the cut and super pro's The St Clairs and Royals. Albert Wall no doubt would have travelled with John Cox . Ricki Starr too. An open air show at an alternative venue from the Opposition featuring Girls that went on to have great careers along with Broco Jack who got just about everywhere. Conclusion must be that Joint promotions could do a show with about 1000 spectators putting in top liners with a strong mid card and still make money , and bring wrestling to Inverness. Great Effort. Nowhere was ignored.

Another beautiful town not on the motorway network , visited many times , scenic run from Buxton. Never come across wrestling there before , but finally I have some in the Golden Age. The Ritz Cinema opened in 1922 to seat 940 people and clear from the bills that Billy Shinfield , an ex boxer and Manager from Alfreton was running in conjunction with Joint Promotions. Would have thought Wryton as they were at Buxton. Billy Shinfield died age 82 in 1989. A mile away and often said to be a separate place , Matlock Bath. The grand Pavilion was only for about 300 people , but was the biggest Hall in the area. The Indy's were experts at making a profit out of such small capacity. Some familiar names , but I am not going to guess at the actual promoter(s) Some unknown names on the first bill as far as I am concerned.

A well known Hall but not the first venue in Warrington. That title probably goes to the Baths Hall which for sure was doing wrestling in 1939. However , there to be beaten , I believe I have a set of the first bills for the Parr Hall and during the war at that. Promoter Jack Cullen and he did some pretty good shows. Many future promoters actually wrestled on his shows. I can only show you some sample. Some very local names above , yet again as discovered my Main Mask recently , Tom Rigby fighting as Wild Tarzan. Billy Riley and Jack Atherton on there , trainer of Dynamite Kid Ted Beckley. To put the record straight Ted Betley was born Warrington 24th Jan 1922 and was a Butcher's Errand Boy at the start of the war. Betley being the correct spelling. Golden ace and Golden Boy , Norman Morrell on Cullens shows , wonder how many went to both shows on July 7th 1942 in the middle of the war. Big names like Bill Benny and Bert Assirati. And talking of Bert. Bert unmasks The Green Asp , OK , it went in the local press , but Van Wuden would have done his Green Asp again and again. I think we have 2 or 3 unmaskings of him now. As for wrestling under his own name , well next year 1943 he's back in with bert again. END OF PART 1

Nice and simple to look at four bills from the mid 1960's. The Pavilion , I believe was a 1915 cinema with 800 seats , eventually became a Bingo Hall. Often the way in the 1960's that Cinema's were coming out that were wider with bigger screens and the old and tired were retired. Some small promoters grabbed these for a few months to do a few shows. Money coming in , rather than being left empty. Very common round Manchester. The promoter , well I need help on that one. Very early Pat Roach , the usual StJohn Svajick combo , who is six ten Ski Hi Walters. Pre Joint Johnny Saint , Copycat masked men , early ladies , Orig , Corbett , O'Shea , who was promoting.

One upon a time Todmorden was in both Lancashire and Yorkshire. Normally Lancashire to Yorkshire you think of going over the top and dropping into Huddersfield. But not so Todmorden. I am very familiar with the road from Rochdale through Littleborough , through Todmorden and out the other side to Hebden Bridge. Not over the top but right through the middle of huge hills. The only other road into Todmorden is from Burnley. The crossroads where these roads meet is where the Town Hall is, It's a tale of the Town Hall as well , which had a capacity of only 250 people for events. Before I push on though , I will show you that earlier than the Town Hal there has been an effort to show wrestling in the market place. Nothing much there to say it was the big time . but one or two familiar names , and certainly links to catch wrestlers. Ten years later some sort of connection to Joe Reid and Jim Bevan , But for me under the creativity of Sean O'Shea , who I believe was Paul Jefferson. So that's the Market Place to the Town Hall Click for bigger image. Fast forwards to 1962 and 1964 , Joe Reid and Jim Bevan are still at it. Joe and Jim put on legendary long bouts together , often eight rounds of entertaining stuff. Not quite clear who is promoting , there are plenty on these bills that have done a bit of promoting. This is going to be a tale of various Promoters having a go. There is enough here for now to study and names to untangle. All for now , but soon some more to come.

The main wrestling town in Fife looks to be Kirkcaldy with quite a long history , but during 1964 it may be that The Adam Smith Hall could not be rented for some of the year. I had previously posted about Cupar doing wrestling in 1967 and 1968 , but in the case of Cupar it was the Independants. I am back in 1964 now for some form of Joint Promotions. I am not going to jump to any conclusions which promoter was running these shows. Today I read that Lochgelly has the cheapest houses in Britain , a much run down place . The Cinema De Luxe was very old , built in the days of silent movies. Deep and narrow building that could seat 720 people. Ironically , I believe that is more than the Adam Smith Hall at Kirkcaldy. The quality of bills is quite good , plenty of Lancashire and Yorkshire wrestlers getting up there and even Pallo and Garfield. As autumn drew in wrestling was on again in Kirkcaldy , but the season ran on in Lochgelly. For joint promotions that was to be it from what I could see. Someone else , however had perhaps had their beady eye on it. Cape Promotions later tried Cupar , before that they did these shows in Lochgelly. If nothing else , I love a masked man and like Hack , a bit of a fan of Angus Campbell. Ghouls , Monsters , Beasts and Doctor Blood.....Love it.

Years ago I found abundant wrestling in Isle of Man , Isle of Wight , and all over Ireland North and South. Not conquered the Channel Islands yet , but came across one I had not thought about. Very late in the day and looks like Brian Dixon thought it was worth a punt. Venue only built in 1985 and was Shetlands biggest venue. Would hold several hundred people easily for spectating events.

Some crazy bills here from 60 years ago. Bedlington Station ironically closed in 1964 and had a nearby ballroom that sometimes doubled as a Roller Rink. Who some of the wrestlers were , maybe Hack knows from his North east Contacts. Arnie Bulloch has cropped up before and of course Dicky Swales. Just enjoy the nostalgia. Looks reasonably priced after a quick look round 1964.

More than anyone else I am doing this one for SaxonWolf , he's been on here longer than I have and if I am not mistaken , a Sheffield Guy. We touch so often on BelleVue , Liverpool , Newcastle , many places familiar to members , even Fleetwood and Morecambe or Isle of Wight. Members everywhere it seems. I don't remember Sheffield getting a hit. Here we go. Not even early days at the Somme Barracks. I don't know when they started but have bills back into 1949. A great long Hall , do I assume a Drill hall that could seat 2500. If you look at the bills above , the final one bottom right is for The City Hall. I believe it was the 2nd ever bill , can't yet find the first one a week or two before. Why the move , well , it does not look like the prices , but pictures of the City Hall inside look vey comfortable , great view. Talking of Relwyskow and Green , the wrestling was not every week , but they also looked after nearby Rotherham. Here advertised together. The City Hall at this stage was to showcase some events , still running side by side with the Somme Barracks. But it maybe that the City Hall was better for TV filming. Within a couple of years though the Barracks came to and end , prices were up but no complaints on the quality of the bills. Took a few years for Kendo Nagasaki to hit Sheffield , but when he did, What a breakthrough Finally a couple of bills showing typical cards in 1970 with a massive 25shillings now to view. Wonderful performers that we saw so much in colour on TV. Along the way back in 1964 the council banned tag wrestling. I don't know what happened but it seems, to have two wrestlers outside the ring holding the strings so to speak , was deemed to put them too near the audience. Too much of a risk that Audience and wrestler might get embroiled with one another. I think the ban lasted a few months and was round the time of the City Hall Switch. The City Hall maybe more secure. Who knows.

Had to stop for a minute when I came across Cupar. It could almost be in India with a name like that. So we are in Fife in the 1960's at a time where almost every town in the country had wrestling on. The Corn Exchange , bought by the council in 1961 and then used for events. My understanding , only a capacity of 300 ? The 1968 bill...Cape Promotions. also nearby at St Andrews Town Hall. As Main Mask would say Super Rare.

Maybe this thread is a little bit special for William R who lives up this way , and Phil Kenyon who wrestled here in 1964 along with many stable mates. Our "Ack" as well a Lancashire Lad from Leyland and myself. With regards to myself , being from the South side of Manchester it was not that bad exploring the coast of North Wales and also the coast up as far as Blackpool. As a boy , no motorway meant a long journey in terms of time , so Southport and Blackpool were always easier. But as a young man we took the kids to Pontins at Middleton Tower and I got to know Heysham Village , the Lune Estuary , in particular Sunderland Point and of course Morecambe. Pontins was also a great base to get over to Grange-over-Sands and Cartmel as well. I even helped put up a ring in Pontins and take it down again as the wrestlers were off to Prestatyn to do a second show. In Morecambe I had a fleeting meeting with Steve Logan , working on the sea front on a fair. It's not had that much mention and this week I find so much of Gerry Hoggarth working here. But lets have a look at what I have found. (Click for a larger view.) A repeat of the bill again with Phil Kenyon But above the chance to see again which guys Phil knew so well. Immediately a new spelling of Andros Zchich I still have doubts that we have his real name. Roy Okrododo , is that another name for someone we know. Joe Reid and his son The Great marcus , opponents in tag. Don Plummer , the Red Devils , Ian St John. the Monster , Bertie Topham and Dom Pye. Yes Morecambe , just tucked away that bit further up north , providing maybe a slight difference in regular Roster to many other towns. This is just an opener. the Main Venue was The Winter Gardens , but we will cover the Central Pier as well. Just a couple more below. Still the Floral hall but in 1965 and what looks to be stolen identities wrestling at the Broadway Hotel. Green Asp , that's an old one. Who can tell us more on 40 stones Klondyke Bill Yukon.