Also known as Cliff Attenborrow, Guardsman Attenborough
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From Bricklayer to Artist
The 1930s heavyweight, recorded as 15 stones and standing a shade over six feet tall, had a very good record against top men. We came across him for the first time in 1934 when he defeated Phil Siki, a win which suggests he was a wrestler of note. Reports state that he was a skilled and orthodox wrestler who stuck within the rules, something of a rarity in the 1930s. Other victories included Black Butcher Johnson, King Curtis, George Gregory and Dan Davey. The real powerhouses, such as Douglas Clarke, did prove too strong for Cliff, but reports state that he always gave a good account of himself.
It was a short lived career, as life took an unexpected turn of events, with Cliff last seen regularly in 1939 prior to World War 2. We did find an appearance wrestling Chick Knight at Manor Place Baths, London in December, 1943.
Cliff Attenborough was born Clifford George Attenborrow on 2nd February, 1901 in Aston, Birmingham. He was the son of Dick and Edith Attenborrow and the second of their eventually seven children. By 1921 twenty year old Cliff had followed in his father’s footsteps and was working alongside his dad as a bricklayer for Streets Builders.
Mostly billed from Birmingham by 1939 we find him living in Southwark, London, with his wife Lilian, occupation stated as wrestler and Physical Training Instructor.
Apart from the wrestling skill he was also noted for his exceptional strength. He held the record for the “One hand dead lift” at Pullum’s Weightlifting Club, could perform a one handed handstand and was reputed to be the strongest man in the British army.
During the Second World War Cliff took up work as a caretaker at Morley College in Westminster, doubling up at times as a model for art students. The story reported is that one day he was critical of a student’s work. When challenged to do better it was discovered he was a natural artist and could!
When Morley College was bombed during the war Cliff’s sculptors decorated the damaged courtyard. For many years he rejected suggestions he should study the subject seriously. In 1946 he was given a new job at the college as a physical training instructor. In the 1950s he enrolled at the college as a sculpture student in wood, stone and clay.
Cliff Attenborrow died in Colchester on 26th January 1977.
Page added 06/04/2026
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