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The British Wrestling Federation and Wrestling Board of Control

We have found no reference to union activity in the 1930s, which may not come as a surprise as the rapid growth of the business no doubt gave ample opportunities for career wrestlers and in the context of a global economic downturn many were no doubt grateful to have work. There are, however, news reports of established wrestlers resenting the influx of low quality, low wage wrestlers employed by some promoters.

Surprisingly the formation of a so called wrestlers union occurred once again during wartime. Not one but two came along at the same time, The British Wrestling Federation and the British Wrestling Board of Control. Newspapers proclaimed that grapplers were on the warpath with a split in their camp. We can find no evidence that either of these two groups were ever recognised officially as trade unions, and it is debatable whether some of their actions were in the interests of all wrestlers.

On 15^th October, 1943, former Olympic wrestler Norman Morrell arranged a meeting that resulted in the formation of the British Wrestling Federation. The group, described as a trades union, said that it’s intention was to give protection to honest workers and to improve working conditions. Morrell said that the committee would be democratically elected and honorary membership granted to all wrestlers serving overseas. It was agreed that the union should promote it’s own wrestling tournaments and decided at the inaugural meeting a British heavyweight championship tournament would be held in Blackburn in January, 1944. The Sports Editor of The Daily Worker newspaper of 1st November, 1943 wrote: “They intend to put a headlock on conditions and elements which bring discredit to the game …. Prospects of it’s event appear brighter than anything of it’s kind ever put on in this country.”

Now that all sounds hunky dory. An organisation to protect wrestlers and improve working conditions. Yet surely once any organisation begins to promote it’s own tournaments a conflict of interest is inevitable? Put the grand statement of wrestlers’ protection into the context of this heading of the monthly date sheet sent to workers on Morrell shows just two years later, “The undersigned wrestling contract is made on the understanding that the wrestler does not engage in wrestling exhibitions or contests in Yorkshire, North East England, or the whold of Scotland for a period of six months from the date hereof, except and solely as contracted by the matchmakers: Norman Morrell (Wrestling) Ltd.”

Surely we have crossed a line here. Morrell’s protection of workers now seems more of a restrictive practice, preventing his workers from seeking opportunities elsewhere. They are at his mercy, work for Morrell within his prescribed area and work for no one else.

British Wrestling Board of Control

Those words the British Wrestling Board of Control were used and abused countless times during the twentieth century, almost always in an attempt to give wrestling an appearance of national control, order and respectability; none of which were ever true. In 1943, just a few days before Morrell organised his meeting, it was announced, again in the Daily Worker that a union of wrestlers known as the British Wrestling Board of Control had been formed, with wrestler Jack Pye as the secretary. It wasn’t the first time an organisation of this name had been formed, and certainly wouldn’t be the last.

The BWBC said its aim was “To clean up the game, keep it healthy in readiness for the return of wrestlers from the Forces and to stage British championship fights.” From November 2nd, 1943, wrestlers licensed by the British Wrestling Board of Control were only allowed to work on the same bills as other licenced wrestlers. The Board claimed around fifty wrestlers had signed up straight away.

So there we have it again. A union set up to protect wrestlers rights restricting their working opportunities. Anyone working for the Wrestling Federation was unable to work for the Board of Control and vice versa. Anyone not signed up by either would only be able to work for non aligned promoters.

Hostilities flared between the two groups with Morrell claiming the Board of Control was a profit making organisation which aimed to gain control of every hall in the country. Sounds familiar? Morrell then offered to donate £100 to charity if any of the Board’s “wahed-up” wrestlers entered and won his tournament on January 1st. The restriction of both side’s contracts made this challenge meaningless, but it was a rhetoric wrestling fans would hear once again in the 1960s.