Wrestling Heritage welcomes memories, further information and corrections.
Nicely Naughty
The 1960s were challenging times for female wrestlers. It wasn’t so much the struggles of the ring that caused the headaches but the battles with local councils up and down the land, many of whom frowned on female wrestling and cancelled planned contests, often at the last moment.
Naughty Nola Goldsmith was one of the front line of 1960s young women who took on the local authorities. Nola was never fearful of defending females in the sport. On at least one occasion she addressed wrestling fans in Melton Mowbray where women wrestlers were forbidden; she took the microphone and argued the case for their appearance. The fans responded by chanting their demand that women should be allowed to wrestle.
If the councils were ruffled at the prospect of Naughty Nola engaging in combat with the likes of Lady Caroline, Jackie Loren and Maria Rivoldi they must have been apoplectic when Nola moved up a gear to take part in female v male contests.
In December 1966 Nola hit the national press when that guardian of public morality, “The People” described her mixed sex match against the so-called African witch-doctor Nawamba as a sickening spectacle that pandered to the lowest instincts. The paying public in the Co-Op Hall, Nuneaton, certainly seemed at odds with the newspaper’s opinion as the reporter admitted they were delighted to witness Nola grind her foot into the masked man, cheered when she was declared the winner by a disqualification and cheered even louder as she continued the battle and chased Nawamba out of the ring.
Both Nola and promoter Jack Taylor made a robust defence of the match, with Jack no doubt rubbing his hands in glee at the free publicity. Secretary of Nuneaton Co-Op, George Bell, announced that no further matches of this nature would take place in the hall, and was quickly followed by Tamworth Town Council declaring that Nola’s forthcoming match would now not take place.
Nawamba wasn’t Nola’s only male opponent; Mick La Roach, Mick Collins, Mel Cameron and Taffy Jenkins were others, and when Nola wrestled Jenkins at Boston Drill Hall it was reported that Nola, although outclassed, never gave up and it took Taffy eight rounds to take the winning pinfall.
Tough and tenacious she may have been in those pre politically correct days promoters felt at ease labelling Nola as “The London Sizzler,” “curvaceous ex-model” or “black haired beauty.” She certainly made an impressive appearance in her usual red leotard and white boots.
Although almost always billed as a Londoner Nola Goldsmith, and that was her birth name, was born in Leicester, the daughter of Samuel and Emily. Growing up in Leicester there was only one man in town as far as wrestling was concerned, and that was wrestler and promoter Jack Taylor, who put on his weekly shows at the Granby Halls. Not that Nola had any interest in wrestling; this isn’t the usual story of dreamy eyed fan fulfilling their long held wish to become a wrestler.
No, Nola was a fourteen year old girl wanting extra pocket money to buy all the things that young girls want. A neighbour, who was a steward at the wrestling suggested to Nola that she went along and asked for a job. That’s just what she did and that’s how Nola became a programme seller at the Granby Halls.
Nola’s interest in wrestling increased. Jack Taylor, who was responsible for developing the careers of dozens of wrestlers, suggested that Nola might like to give wrestling a try. Further encouragement came from boyfriend Derek, who was by then working full time for Jack Taylor.
With Jack and Derek’s encouragement Nola was soon a pro wrestler and frequently appeared for Jack and other independent promoters. Nola told us. “After some training sessions my first bout was at the Evington working men’s club round about 1964/5 against Lady Caroline. From then on we were extremely busy several nights of the week but we had great fun and I have now got fabulous memories of these times.”
This was the time female wrestling was becoming increasingly popular, especially in the north of England, despite political opposition. In March 1964 the matter had been debated in Parliament “All-In Wrestling Performances (Women)” when it had been stated the matter remained the prerogative of local authorities.
Although full of eventful moments Nola’s career was short lived. Having married Derek he had no objections to Nola wrestling, but life moves on, and starting a family was to become a priority. Nola retired from wrestling in 1968, giving birth to a daughter early in 1969. A few years indeed but Naughty Nola certainly made her mark and attracted publicity in both the regional and national press.
That was the end of the story, but not quite. Nola came out of retirement, “In 1976 – 7 I made another few appearances for Jack, the last one being if I remember correctly was in Loughborough at the Drill Hall on Market Street. This was a rematch of the Nuneaton bout of myself and Nawamba! Which I won after he played dirty once again as I managed to send him flying through the ropes with a knock out! I then quickly had to freshen up and change to get to work across the road at Rebecca’s night club to do my evening job as cashier on the door. Life was never dull.”
Nola’s marriage to Derek was a long and happy one, until his sad death in 2013. “I’m blessed to have both my daughters and one grandson close by plus some lovely friends. And I’m still slightly naughty.”
At the time of adding this tribute to Nola Goldsmith we were delighted to hear from a friend who told us, “Three of us meet up with her on Thursday afternoons to play Mah-Jong. She is a very active lady, lots of walking, weekly Zumba class, no spare weight, loves every minute of life and still has her scrapbook from her wrestling days.”
14228
Wrestling Heritage 