28 December 1949
Light On the Shadow
Masked man The Red Shadow’s short run of success came to an abrupt end in Peterborough when he was beaten and unmasked by Mike Demitre. The hood was removed to reveal the identity of Con Balasis.
29 December 1984
Jones Outfits Fit
At the Victoria Hall in Hanley Marty Jones retained the World Mid Heavyweight title when he defeated Dave Fit Finlay by two falls to one.
30 December 1956
An Apology
The Daily Dispatch issued an apology to promoter Atholl Oakeley for comments made in a recent article. They said they wished to make it clear that
- All of Oakeley’s wrestlers wrestled to the best of their ability;
- wrestlers had separate dressing rooms;
- in many cases had never met until entering the ring; and
- contests were conducted according to the 1930 catch-as-catch-can rules.
The newspaper said they wished to take the opportunity of clearing up any misunderstanding.
30 December 1978
Double title night at the Victoria Hall in Hanley.
Johnny Saint retained the World lightweight title, defeating Steve Grey by two falls to one in the twelfth round. Marty Jones defended the British light heavyweight title against Pete Roberts with referee Brian Crabtree declaring a No Contest.
01 January 1939
London Bans Women Wrestling
London County Council’s decision to ban women wrestling came into effect. Male matches continued as normal.
01 January 1944
BWF Name Their Champ
In October, 1943 Norman Morrell had announced the formation of the British Wrestling Federation, with declared aims of protecting honest wrestlers, and establishing recognised champions. We’d heard that a few times before. The Federation had announced they would hold a British heavyweight championship, which took place at Blackburn on 1st January, 1944 open to any wrestler in Britain. Bert Assirati was crowned the first British heavyweight champ of the newly formed Federation.
01 January, 1945
London Set to Ban Wrestling
London County Council’s decision to ban all professional wrestling in council controlled halls came into effect.
01 January 1953
Title Agreed
Joint Promotions, without the inclusion of Dale Martin Promotions, had formed in January 1952 and immediately began to recognise their set of Admiral Lord Mountevans champions. In reality the process had begun even before the group was officially formed. Southern England’s largest promoters, Dale Martin, had not joined in 1952 and continued to recognise their own Arena British champions, In January, 1953, Dale Martin became members of Joint Promotions and in a unification title match the Joint Promotions champion, Jack Dempsey, defeated Mick McManus, the Arena British champion to unite the titles.
01 January 1962
Eric the Champ
At Bradford Eric Taylor retained his British Heavy middleweight title against Harry Fields.
01 January 1966
Merged or Submerged?
One of the most significant occasions in British wrestling with the merger of Paul Lincoln Management into Joint Promotions
https://wrestlingheritage.co.uk/1966-they-think-its-all-over/
01 January 1970
A New Years Honour and A New Year Row
The now best forgotten comedy show Curry and Chips was refereed to the Race Relations Board at around the time one of it’s stars, Kenny Lynch, received an O.B.E. in the New Years Honours List. In response London Weekend Television said they received more complaints about the late night timing of mid week wrestling than they did about Curry and Chips.
01 January 1970
The Monster Revealed
By 1970 it wasn’t wrestling’s best kept secret and we understand the masked man was content when The Stage newspaper revealed that The Monster was a receptionist at The Sands night club. Another member of The Sands staff was his protege, and member of the bar staff, Alan Taylor, Alan Taylor (not to be confused with the 1980’s Anaconda Alan Taylor).
01 January 1973
Restrictions Lifted
Britain joined the Common Market, thereby removing restriction of European Community wrestlers working in Britain
02 January 1950
Stourbridge Counts It Out
An application from D.G.Barnard of Brighton to stage wrestling at Stourbridge Baths was refused.
02 January 1968
Yorkshire Clash
Al Miquet retained the British lightweight title against Jim Breaks at the Town Hall in Huddersfield. Breaks was reported to have put up a magnificent display and took the lead against the champion with a submission in the fourth round when he applied a double reverse arm lever and bar. The equaliser came soon enough when Breaks submitted to a a straight arm and wrist lever submission in the fifth round.
Ten rounds to go. As if. The first signs of rule breaking came in the sixth, but the crowd were soon pacified as the local hero went on to the offensive. With Miquet now the more aggressive of the two Breaks was thrown from the ring in round seven and returned to narrowly avoid a pinfall.
Round eight began and Miquet was after blood. His speed was too much for Breaks with a double leg nelson leading to a popular win.
02 January 1973
A Fanfare for Europe.
Televised wrestling tournament from Solihull in celebration of Britain joining the Common Market
British Wrestling’s Fanfare For Europe
02 January 1976
Champion Mick
Mick McManus retained the European middleweight title against Vic Faulkner at the Civic Hall in Bedworth.
02 January 1979
No Contest
At the Civic Hall, Wolverhampton the British Middleweight title match between the champion, Brian Maxine, and challenger Bert Royal, ended with a No Contest decision.
03 January 1932
Circus Comes To Town
F.A. Lumley’s Circus and Carnival came to Waverly Market in Edinburgh with a troupe of wrestlers provided by William Bankier, alias Apollo the strong man. Amongst the troupe was a Londoner with a 48 inch chest, John Swan, who later gained fame under his own name of Bert Assirati and the famed Japanese ju jitsu exponent, O.Tani.
03 January 1947
R.A.F. Benefits From Wrestling
Proceeds from a professional wrestling show at Redruth Drill Hall, amounting to £125, were raised for the R.A.F. Benevolent Fund by promoter Charles Simpson. In the main event the local heavyweight Francis Gregory defeated Phil “Black Arrow” Siki, whilst in supporting matches Flash Barker beat Cocky Chick Knight, Stan Stone overcame Rex Gable and Jackie Harris beat Jock Stewart.
03 January 1955
Walsh KO’s Sullivan
Norman Walsh knocked out Dai Sullivan in Leeds to win the World Junior Heavyweight title.
03 January 1964
Oh,Oh, 007
The Daily Mirror reported The Mighty Chang (Milton Reid) clashed with The Great Togo (Harold Sakata). Their fall-out was nothing to do with wrestling but arose because Sakata had been offered the part of Odd Job in the James Bond film Goldfinger. Reid said that he should have been offered the part and was supported by the actors’ union Equity. Equity objected to a work permit being granted to Togo, actual name Toshiyuki Sakata, as he would be depriving a British actor, specifically their member Milton Reid, of work. In their defence the film producers said that Reid had appeared as a villain in Dr No and been killed by Bond, so it would be implausible for him to return from the dead.
03 January 1976
Inconclusive End to Titanic Clash
Count Bartelli challenged Gwyn Davies for the British heavyweight title. A titanic fifteen round struggle ended with the referee declaring a draw and Davies still the champion. Television personality Monica Rose (from the Double Your Money quiz show) was on hand to present the belt to Davies.
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