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The Loss of A Heritage Friend
Eddie Rose, one of the greatest friends of the Wrestling Heritage website, has died, aged 86. Eddie has been an important part of Wrestling Heritage from the very beginning, an author of more than twenty Heritage articles and background source of dozens more.
Whenever we needed help, Eddie was there.
We were thrilled and honoured that Eddie encouraged us so much in all our endeavours and promoted the website at every opportunity, including his two books, Send In The Clowns and Worn Out Bodies.
Eddie’s contribution to professional wrestling over sixty years was immense. A professional wrestler of some twenty years, tutor of others, and contributor to The Wrestler and Ringsport magazines and the Manchester Evening News. His final home was in the Wrestling Heritage family, and we know he will smile if we describe it as the pinnacle of his career.
Edwin Caldwell was born in Stockport on 23rd March 1940. Training as a school teacher he worked at Belle Vue in Manchester during his holidays and began staying around to watch the Belle Vue shows. This led to enrolment at the Manchester YMCA and training under Bert Jacob. Not only was Eddie an accomplished amateur he was a certified Catch instructor, and learned shoot wrestling from Jack Atherton. He was proud of the fact that he was respected by Jack Dempsey, in comparison to the sausage factory wrestlers as Jack called them. Training for the professional ring came courtesy of Grant Foderingham and his Black Panther gym.
Eddie Caldwell teacher and journalist debuted as Eddie Rose professional wrestler in 1966, on a Grant Foderingham show. He had a long and varied career in a number of guises. Sometimes we can under-estimate the importance and impact of wrestlers not regularly seen on television, but with a list of opponents such as Eddie Rose’s, make no mistake: Count Bartelli, Johnny Saint, Adrian Street, Jack Dempsey, and in tag, as one half of Les Diables Rouges he wrestled The Hells Angels and The Royals. After four years Les Diables Rouges became the Red Devils, a futile attempt to continue receiving Joint Promotions bookings under their original name whilst working for the indies. Another story he told us with a smile.
Following retirement from wrestling Eddie trained as a masseur, Principal of The Northern Institute of Massage.
Forever willing to support the business in any way he could, earlier this year Eddie accepted the role of Honorary President of the Wrestlers Reunion Scotland. He has long been a supporter and attendee at the Ayr Reunion, with a sense of connection that goes back to his summer visits working for Spartan Promotion, “My very good friends, the Bryden brothers who ran Spartan Promotions. The brothers were frequent opponents: Dale Storm, Bruce Welch and young Ian Miller, all good wrestlers and first class men. We enjoyed fabulous hospitality from the family – no cheap B&Bs for us on these trips but welcome quality stays in their family homes! “
Eddie Rose died on 18th July, 2026, leaving behind his wife Marie, children Catherine, Chris, Rachel and David, and a grandfather of five.
With Eddie’s death the world has lost a fine wrestler and a great ambassador. Wrestling Heritage members have lost a friend.
Read the Wrestling Heritage tribute page to Eddie Rose.
Page added 19/07/2026
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