Also known as Mr Hercules, Ray Thunder, Thunder Glendenning, Thunder Glenn, Stomper Thunder
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Ray Glendenning was a hard grafter of a wrestler from Bury, Lancashire. This squarely built heavyweight Eddie Rose recalled his involvement in a BBC programme called “So You Want To Be A Wrestler.” The programme was filmed at the Manchester YMCA following the fledgling career of Ray Glendenning. Also featured in the programme were Ezra Francis, Tommy Mann, Jimmy Savile and the gloriously named Tiny Greenhills.
Eddie was a neighbour of Ray’s in Bury and told us that as a neighbour and friend he was a sociable lad but as an opponent in the ring he was raw and often brutal.
Ray joined the professional ranks in 1963 working for the independent promoters, alongside his day job as a plumber and glazier. It was working for the independents we first came across him one summer in Southport going by the name Mr Hercules. Working for the independents he opposed men such as Jack Beaumont, Cowboy Cassidy, Bobo Matu and Jack Martin.
Eventually Ray’s potential was spotted and he was signed up by Joint Promotions. He had a blustery, no-nonsense style relying on strength and size rather than wrestling skill, not that he was short of that either. In June 1970 he made his ITV wrestling debut, going down by the odd fall to Wayne Bridges. This was the first of seventeen television appearance, the final one being a loss to Johnny Czeslaw in May 1979. Between these bookends opponents included Dennis Mitchell, Jim Hussey and Bruno Elrington.
Never matching the star status of the big names of the time Glendenning was an important part of that backbone of wrestling that made the sport so rich in talent.
He wrestled throughout the world where it seemed that his talent was appreciated more than it was at home. During the final part of his career in the name which had gained respect and a following was oddly dropped on his return to Britain he was known by the name Ray Thunder.
Ray Glendenning died on 19th October, 2007.
Page added 19/10/2026
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