Wrestling Heritage

By Graeme Cameron

A British History of Australian Wrestling
By Graeme Cameron

Part 5: The Supporting Cast

Thus far, we’ve looked at the major names of pro wrestling in Australia in the late 19th century, but major stars need a supporting cast. In the heritage tradition, Part 5 will look at some of the lesser-known Brits who contributed to establishing pro wrestling in that period. 

CONSTABLE (DAVID) McQUAKER (1886-1894+) 

David McQuaker was a Scottish police officer who settled in Sydney in 1886. He was not slow to seek to continue his police career, joining the New South Wales Police Force, where he attained the rank of Constable, First Class. At 6ft 4′ and 15 stone, he was a giant of a man for the time. 

While there are number of records of his exploits as a police officer, there are very few of his wrestling career. In a 1907 interview looking back on his career, he relates that he competed in Caledonian Games and wrestling tournaments in the UK. There is no doubt that he continued to do so in Australia but there are few references. One article records that he twice lost to the Cumbrian Cumberland wrestler, Ned Blackburn, and another that one of those bouts was a tournament final in Newcastle. He always competed as “Constable McQuaker”, never David. 

The only other reference to his career notes that he was the referee in a match between “two Hindus” in 1903. This, it turns out, was a match in Sydney in which the Australian Heavyweight Champion, Indian Bhuttan Singh, successfully defended the title against compatriot Gunga Brahms, and may well have been the highlight of the good Constable’s career.

He is known to have lived until at least 1913. There was a sadness to his life, losing two children at young ages, a daughter in fire, age 6, and son to illness, aged 7 months.

Opponents: Ned Blackburn

NED BLACKBURN

When Cumbrian Edward (Ned) Blackburn arrived in Australia in 1879, aged 34, he was already an accomplished wrestler, according to Constable McQuaker, one of the top three exponents in the world of the Cumberland style. A former miner and police officer, Blackburn was born and raised in the hamlet of Crossbarrow in the Cockermouth region.  After arriving in Australia, he settled in the village of Eaglehawk, Victoria, now a suburb of the city of Bendigo, in the heart of “Gold Rush” territory. Like so many before him, it seems Blackburn came to Australia seeking his fortune, but failed to do so, and soon returned to the coal mines.

In 1883, he had two matches in Melbourne against William Miller, billed as being for the Australian Greco-Roman title, the first a loss, the second a draw. Sandwiched in between these was a match against John “Jack” Thomas in  Eaglehawk, the result of which is unknown. A third match in 1884, saw Blackburn the victor over Miller, again billed as being for the Australian Greco-Roman title, thus allowing Blackburn to claim that title. 

In 1884, Blackburn left Eaglehawk. After briefly resided in the village of Sandhurst, now a Melbourne suburb, he moved to the village of Merewether, now a suburb of the city of Newcastle, where he worked in the mines, also running the Merewether hotel and adjacent billiards room. In February 1885, Blackburn defeated New Zealand’s Tom Hogg in a Cumberland-style match. Shortly after, he hosted a wrestling tournament at his hotel. In 1886, he defeated local Barry Manuel 3-2 in Newcastle and returned to Eaglehawk for another match with Jack Thomas. Again, the result is unknown. Both were in the Cumberland style. Late in the year, he refereed a match between Jack Thomas and Jack Graham. 

February 1887, saw Blackburn and Thomas paired for a mixed style match against another Cumbrian, Harry Dunn. After Thomas was injured losing the first fall, Blackburn lost 3-5 overall, including Thomas’ fall. In May, he defeated fellow Cumbrian Ben Moore in Newcastle, 4-2.

In 1888, Blackburn’s career, and indeed his life, almost came to an abrupt end when there was a collapse in the mine in which he was working. He had a narrow escape, but the work mate beside him was not so lucky. A distraught Blackburn had to be dragged away from a futile attempt to rescue his friend as there was a danger of further collapse. In September, he defeated New Zealand Heavyweight Champion, W. Hudson. 

Ned Blackburn continued competing until at least 1896, when he was by now 51 years old. This mainly seems to have been confined to tournaments he organised himself at his Merewether Hotel. The only record of these is one in 1894, in which he defeated Constable McQuaker in the final. In 1896, he travelled to the gold mining town of Coolgardie in Western Australia where he issued a challenge for which he had no takers. He did, however, make headlines by saving life of man whom he prevented from falling to his death when he grabbed him by his shirt. When the man thanked him for saving his life, Ned replied that the credit should go to his tailor for making such a good quality shirt.

As far as is known, Blackburn continued to run wrestling tournaments (in which he sometimes competed) and billiards tournaments at the hotel and billiards hall until 1907, when his license to operate was revoked for repeated violations of the regulations. He was 62. He ran a farm, was involved in horse racing and participated in community events, including coming third and an “Old Duffers” race.

Opponents: William Miller, Jack Thomas, Tom Hogg, Barry Manuel, Harry Dunn, Ben Moore, Constable McQuaker, W. Hudson

BEN MOORE

Also from Cumbria, Ben Moore was a Cumberland-style specialist who arrived in Australia in 1882. Hailing from the village of Hensingsham, now a suburb of Whitehaven, he settled in the village of Wallsend, now a suburb of the city of Newcastle. Ned Blackburn gave Moore a job as a barman in his hotel, but young Ben did not find this to his liking and returned the familiarity of the mines. 

The only record of Ben Moore’s career is a match against Blackburn in1887 in Newcastle in which he took a 2-0 lead before losing 2-4, which would suggest a wrestler of some ability. He probably participated in Ned Blackburn’s tournaments but there’s no record of this.  There are no other records for Ben Moore As far as is known, Ben Moore spent the rest of his life in Wallsend. 

Opponents: Ned Blackburn

HARRY DUNN (1887, 1898-99)

Harry Dunn arrived in Australia from America (via New Zealand) in 1887, claiming the title of Cumberland-style champion of America. This appears to be based on three victories in three American states over local competitors. He also drew twice with Clarence Whistler in mixed style matches while there. 

Dunn was born and raised in another Cumbrian hamlet, Bullgill, also in the Cockermouth region. One of a set of wrestling brothers, he showed early potential by placing second against adults in a UK Cumberland-style tournament at the age of 15. After number of victories and placings in UK tournaments, he toured America and then New Zealand, where he settled in the town of Dunedin, taking work in the local mines when not competing. He toured Australia in 1887 and again in 1898-99

In February 1887, as already mentioned, Dunn took on two opponents, Jack Thomas and Ned Blackburn in a mixed styles match in Melbourne. After Thomas lost the first fall and was unable to continue due to injury, it was the Battle of Cockermouth, between the young upstart Dunn (age 21) and the veteran Blackburn (42). After a titanic struggle, Dunn was the winner 4-3 and 5-3 overall.

In September 1887, Dunn opposed Tom Cannon, being forced to retire injured after losing the first fall. A month later, he got his revenge, defeating Cannon convincingly 3-0. It was, by all accounts, a bad-tempered match in which Dunn twice found himself on top of the theatre’s piano.   He returned to New Zealand, where he scored victories over Donald Dinnie and, most notably, American legend, Evan “Strangler” Lewis. He next defeated. W Hudson to win the New Zealand Heavyweight Championship. After this, he embarked on an extensive overseas tour, scoring victories over local competitors in British Columbia, Ireland, Egypt, India and Ceylon. 

He returned to Australia in late 1889, defeating the American wrestler, Lucifer, 3-1 in Sydney in December.  Early in the new year, there was a rematch in which Dunn defeated Lucifer even more convincingly 3-0. The last match record for Harry Dunn is in 1902 in New Zealand, in which he and R.J. Scott, now the New Zealand champion, fought to a curfew draw.

Sadly, Harry Dunn’s life was not to be a long one. He was found dead in in 1904 in the hut in which he was living at the gold mines at Reefton, on the South Island’s West Coast. His age was given as 38 but he may have been a few years older. He was almost unbeatable in the Cumberland style and with wins over Tom Cannon, Evan Lewis and Donald Dinnie and draws with Clarence Whistler, proved himself an international class wrestler.

Opponents: Jack Thomas, Ned Blackburn, Tom Cannon, Lucifer. In New Zealand; Donald Dinnie, Evan “Strangler” Lewis, W. Hudson, R.J. Scott

JOHN “JACK” CONNOR (1885-88)

In 1885, Wigan’s John Connor, also known as “Jack”, also arrived in Australia via America, where he had recorded a victory over legendary Lancastrian Edwin Bibby, in Philadelphia. While in Australia, he lived in Merewether at Ned Blackburn’s hotel. On arrival, he almost immediately issued a challenge to Clarence Whistler, which was not accepted. The next record of Connor is a conviction and fine for assaulting his trainer, Jack Thomas, during a match. Who he was wrestling is not mentioned. In August 1886, he was training American lightweight champion McCaffery for a match against Thomas, then in October, Connor himself opposed McCaffery (result unknown). 

Connor’s first opponent of significance was in November 1886. He defeated the Frenchman Andre Christol 2-0 in Melbourne in a hard-fought match in the Greco-Roman style. In May 1887, Connor met Tom Cannon in a mixed-styles match, losing 2-1. Connor won in Cumberland style but lost in the other two styles. He and Cannon met again a month later and this time Connor was the victor 1-0. In October of that year he was in Newcastle, no doubt for one of Ned Blackburn’s tournaments but no record survives. The last record for Connor is in April 1888, a match with Jack Thomas at Eagleton (result unknown).

John Connor moved on, wrestling in South Africa before heading home to Wigan where he opened a hotel. He continued wrestling until at least 1899, when he’s recorded wrestling in Dawson City, Canada (The Klondyke). A report of his death in1889 proved to be false, but he’s believed to have died in the early 20th century.

Opponents: McCaffery, Andre Christol, Tom Cannon, Jack Thomas 

I will conclude this with honourable mentions to Jack Thomas and Jack Graham. Given their skill sets, it’s very likely both were British, but I could find no proof of this. Graham earned quite a reputation as a trainer of wrestlers and boxers for big matches right up until World War 1.

Page added 25/02/2024