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MACCLESFIELD Stanley Hall
MAIDSTONE Agricultural Hall
MAIDSTONE Memorial Hall
MALVERN Winter Gardens
MANCHESTER Alhambra Sporting Club, Openshaw
MANCHESTER Ardwick Stadium
David Chant: “During the late 1940s, I was a regular visitor to Ardwick Stadium, Manchester. Lew Roseby was always the Referee. Regular appearances were made by The Red Devil, Jumping Jim Hussey, Man Mountain Ben, Harry Pye, Jack Pye, Bomber Bates, to name just a few. In the 50s and 60s I was a regular at Kings Hall, Belle Vue,where my attention focused on the Middleweight division. My favourites being, Jack Beaumont (of the Belshaws), Baptiste Benoy, Julien Maurice, Pat Curry, Bert Royal. Dick the Dormouse (Dick Rogers) was the Ref.”
Eddie Rose: “Venues at Ardwick and Northenden have special places in the hearts of (very) old fans. Wrestlers like Hassan Ali Bey, Alf Cadman, Jim Hussey, Count Bartelli, Carl Dane, Jack Atherton and Bill McDonald used to wax lyrirical about Ardwick and it’s unique atmosphere.”
Lee Cowen: I came across your page when I did a search for Sam Cowan. For accuracy his surname was spelled COWEN, like mine. He was my great uncle.Ardwick stadium was run by Sam, my grandfather Louis Cowen, Maurice Cowen, Joe Cowen, possibly David Cowen too. Another family member Myra Cowen did the catering. It was very much a family run event.
MANCHESTER Ashton Town Hall
MANCHESTER Baguley Labour Club, Wythenshawe
MANCHESTER Belle Vue Kings Hall
Eddie Rose: ” For Mancunians there was only one winner; King’s Hall, Belle Vue. King’s Hall encapsulated the very best of professional wrestling with a near 6000 audience every Saturday night (Monday during the 6 week circus season. I worked at Belle Vue once only and it remains very special to me. “Pop” on the Artist’s door at the Lonsight entrance, Mrs Walsh (mother of Billy Walsh, Manchester City and Ireland) managed the Artiste’s Bar and refreshments. I remember it as if it was last week. Ben Green MC and Wright Mallinson the timekeeper. Jack Mawdesley was a second (later a referee/MC).”
Hack: “Every great name in wrestling appeared here for half a century. I was there occasionally in the early 1970s but differ from all those who say what a wonderful venue it was because I never really took to it.”
MANCHESTER Cheetham Public Hall
MANCHESTER Civic Theatre, Stretford
MANCHESTER Clayton Working Mens Club
MANCHESTER College Theatre Club, Ardwick
MANCHESTER Collyhurst Stadium, Collyhurst
MANCHESTER Concorde Street, Droylsden
MANCHESTER Domino Club, Openshaw
MANCHESTER Failsworth British Legion
MANCHESTER Forum Wythenshawe
MANCHESTER Free Trade Hall
MANCHESTER George Lawton Hall, Mossley
MANCHESTER Globe Stadium, Trafford
MANCHESTER GMT Club, Levenshulme
MANCHESTER Hattersley British Legion
MANCHESTER Houldsworth Hall
Graham Brooks: “I recall seeing a match in the early seventies at The Houldsworth Hall, Deansgate, Manchester. It was billed as Hans Streiger versus Peter Stewart but Stewart was replaced by “Bronco” Jack Cassidy. The match turned into a veritable bloodbath with Cassidy pouring blood from his forehead and insisting on headbutting Streiger with his bloodied forehead. Eventually referee Jack Mawdesley stopped the bout, awarding it to Streiger because Cassidy was unable to continue. It was a tremendous gee but, for some reason, the rematch was never made.”
MANCHESTER Hulme Labour Club
Eddie Rose: “Hulme Labour Club which Jack Cassidy ran for years. Always a partisan packer; if they liked you great, if not… Me and Pete Lindberg had to literally escape over a flat roof and down a drainpipe after Peter grossly insulted one of the “local characters” at ringside.”
MANCHESTER ICI Recreation Club, Blackley
MANCHESTER Junction Boxing Stadium, Miles Platting
MANCHESTER Lancastrian Hall, Swinton
MANCHESTER Levenshulme Sporting Club
MANCHESTER Longfield Suite, Prestwich
MANCHESTER Longford Park, Stretford
MANCHESTER Luxor Club, Hulme
MANCHESTER Mersey Hotel, Didsbury
MANCHESTER New Century Hall
MANCHESTER New Cross Labour Club
MANCHESTER Nile Club, Moss Side
Eddie Rose: “The Nile Club in Moss Side, Manchester did not even have any windows, just large carpets nailed across the empty frames. What a contrast to Liverpool Stadium or Belle Vue!”
MANCHESTER Palladium Club
MANCHESTER Palais de Danse, Chorlton
MANCHESTER Platt Fields Park
MANCHESTER Plaza Sporting Club, Swinton
MANCHESTER Princess Theatre Club, Chorlton
MANCHESTER Rainbow Skating Rink, Eccles
MANCHESTER Russel Social Club, Hulme
MANCHESTER Rusholme Theatre
MANCHESTER Scala Cinema, Pendleton
MANCHESTER Southern Sporting Club (Corona), Gorton
MANCHESTER Stretford Market
MANCHESTER St Agnes House, Withington
MANCHESTER St Mary’s Hall, Levenshulme
MANCHESTER St Richards Hall
MANCHESTER White City
MANCHESTER Whitworth Hall, Openshawe
MANCHESTER Woodhouse Park Labour Club, Wythenshawe
MANSFIELD Leisure Centre
MANSFIELD The Rivoli
MARGATE Lido, Cliftonville
MARGATE Oval
MARGATE Winter Gardens
MASHAM Town Hall
MATLOCK Causeway Lane Ground
MATLOCK Grand Pavilion, Matlock Bath
MAYBOLE Town Hall
MELTON MOWBRAY Corn Exchange
MIDDLESBROUGH Joe Walton’s Club
MIDDLESBROUGH National Sporting Club
MIDDLESBROUGH Stadium
Bernard Hughes “The layout,from what I remember, was similar to St. James’ Hall with the ring in the centre of the hall. I think that when I went there were two aisles, like Newcastle, going down to the ring. The hall was smaller than Newcastle, possibly about 800-1000 capacity.The stadium was in a back street behind the railway station. I thought it funny that you came out of the stadium and the first thing that you saw was a level crossing gate across the road. You had to turn sharp left to get back down to the main road. When I was in the RAF, I often used to go to Norman Morrell’s shows on Saturdays at Farrer Street Middlesbrough. I am sure that Dickie Swales will remember a bill there for St. Lukes Amateur Matmen (Slam boys) Refereed by Norman Walsh. That would have been in 1954, I was nearly top of the bill there in 1954 ,against Dick, except for getting called for a night bind on radar.”
MIDDLESBROUGH Town Hall
MIDDLETON Baths
MIDDLETON Civic Hall
MIDDLETON Co Op Hall
MIDDLETON Middleton Towers
MIDDLEWICH Royal British Legion Club
MIDHURST The Grange
MINEHEAD Butlins
MOFFAT Town Hall
MONTROSE Town Hall
MORECAMBE Central Pier
MORECAMBE Empire Arena
MORECAMBE Floral Hall
Mike Agusta: “My biggest billing was at the “Floral Hall” in Morecambe, where I was billed along side Domonic Pye and Cowboy Cassidy. The bill (if I can remember) was titled “Great Britain Vs Rest of the World”
MORECAMBE Marine Ballroom
MORECAMBE Palace Theatre
MORECAMBE Winter Gardens
MORLEY Town Hall
MOTHERWELL Town Hall
Mad Mac: “Attended a show here with my old fellow on June 23rd 1969. It was fairly rare for a show to be there – they usually ran it at Hamilton Town Hall. Final bout was Steve Logan and Johnny Eagles, I think Bill Ross was in the opener. Also recall Adrian Street outside talking with fans, man was an absolute gent!”
MUSSELBURGH Brunton Hall
MUSSELBURGH Town Hall
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NANTWICH Civic Hall
NEATH Civic Hall
NEATH Gwyn Hall
NELSON Imperial Ballroom
NEWARK ON TRENT Grove Sports Centre
NEWARK ON TRENT Palace Theatre
NEW BRIGHTON Floral Pavilion
NEW BRIGHTON Tower
NEWBURY Corn Exchange
NEWCASTLE ON TYNE City Hall
NEWCASTLE ON TYNE Eldon Square Leisure Centre
NEWCASTLE ON TYNE The Mayfair
NEWCASTLE ON TYNE New St James Hall
Powerlock: “Although I saw a lot more shows at Newcastle City Hall, it is St James Hall that stands out, the atmosphere, the way you looked down onto the ring, the hot dogs, all great stuff for a six year old, and also the colour. We all watched wrestling in black and white back in 1963 although visually exciting seeing it live took it to another level, Masambula with his leopard skin looked unbelievable and was huge favourite with fans, live tag matches with teams with matching trunks and robes, was all thrilling stuff to a young boy and just built the excitement before the bout started. It was probably way past its best as a building when I started to go and the building deteriorated further before finally closing at the beginning of 1968,and since then I have watched wrestling in Newcastle at the City Hall, the Metroradio Arena, The Mayfair, O2 Academy and various clubs, halls and community/sports centres in and around the city and the area but at the end of the day the venue in Newcastle that will forever associated with wrestling although gone for nearly 50 years will always be St James Hall
NEWCASTLE UNDER LYME Municipal Hall
NEW MILLS Glen Villas
NEW MILLS Town Hall
NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT Football Ground
NEWPORT, ISLE OF WIGHT Savoy Cinema
NEWTON STEWART McMillan Hall
NORTHAMPTON Drill Hall
Woodlow: “The smoke filled arena, and the mumbling noise as you entered. The wrestlers came from the back corner where the single dressing room was. The roar as a well known name came to the ring. The grannies with their sharpened umbrellas. (Funnily enough Worthing looked exactly the same back in 2003, except for the smoke……)”
NORTHALLERTON Community Hall
NORTHWICH Memorial Hall
NORWICH Corn Exchange
NORWICH Lads Club
NORWICH New Cattle Market, Harford
NORWICH New Theatre Royal
NORWICH Sports Village
NOTTINGHAM Cavendish Thetare
NOTTINGHAM Greyfriars Hall
NOTTINGHAM Ice Rink
NOTTINGHAM New Victoria Hall
NOTTINGHAM White City Stadium
NUNEATON ABC Cinema
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OBAN Corran Hall
OLDBURY Hen and Chickens
OLDHAM Assembly Hall
OLDHAM Co-Op Hall
OLDHAM Queen Elizabeth Hall
OMAGH Knock-na-Moe Castle Hotel
OMAGH Leisure Centre
OMAGH Town Hall
ONCHAN, ISLE OF MAN Groudle Glen
ONCHAN, ISLE OF MAN Majestic Hotel
ONCHAN, ISLE OF MAN Sports Stadium
ORMSKIRK Civic Centre
OSSETT Town Hall
OSWESTRY Baths Hall
OXFORD Town Hall
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PADIHAM Town Hall
Mike Agusta: My first fight as a professional was at the Padiam Town Hall (not far from Accrington). I was billed against “Bob MacNab”, who to say the least was a real mean guy. This bout ended in a disqualification of MacNab.
PAIGNTON Summer Pavilion
PAISLEY Ice Rink
PAISLEY Town Hall
PAKEFIELD Pontins
PENICUIK Town Hall
PENN (Bucks) Cinema
PENZANCE Chyandour Town Hall
PENZANCE Cricket Fields
PERTH City Hall
PERTH Ice Rink
PETERBOROUGH Corn Exchange
PETERBOROUGH Drill Hall
PETERBOROUGH Mansfield Hall
PETERBOROUGH Sovereign Hall
PETERBOROUGH Wirrina Stadium
PETERHEAD Rescue Hall
PITSEA Leisure Centre
PLYMOUTH Beacon Park Rugby Football Ground
PLYMOUTH Connaught Drill Hal
PLYMOUTH Drill Hall, Millbay
PLYMOUTH Forum Cinema, Devonport
PLYMOUTH Mayflower Centre
PLYMOUTH Millbay Skating Rink
PLYMOUTH Palace Theatre
PLYMOUTH Pier
PONTEFRACT Town Hall
Yorkie: “I’ve seen Dale Martin promotions there as well as independent promotions. One of my earliest memories of being there was I’d gone with my mam and dad, and the Royal Brothers were wrestling Adrian Street and Bobby Barnes, Unfortunately when we went to sit down they’d double booked our seats and there were no other seats available, so I never got to see them wrestle. Instead we went to Fortes on the A1 for something to eat. Not as good as being at the wrestling.”
PORTHCAWL Coney Beach Arena
PORT SEATON Pond Hall
PORTSMOUTH Castle Field, Southsea
PORTSMOUTH Connaught Drill Hall
PORTSMOUTH Fort Brockhurst, Gosport
PORTSMOUTH Gaiety Lounge, Southsea
PORTSMOUTH Guild Hall
PORTSMOUTH Privett Park
PORTSMOUTH The Ring
PORTSMOUTH Royal Arena
PORTSMOUTH Royal Pier
PORTSMOUTH South Parade Pier, Southsea
PORTSMOUTH The Stadium, Tipnor
PORTSMOUTH Wimbledon Park, Southsea
PORTSMOUTH Wymering Racecourse
PORT STEWART New Top Hat
PORT TALBOT Afan Lido
POYNTON Social Centre
PRESTATYN Pontins Holiday Camp
Graham Brook: “When I was a boy my family had a caravan on the Prestatyn Holiday Camp site which we were permitted to use six months of the year. Occasionally TV shows were recorded there on Saturday afternoons and these were the first wrestling matches I ever saw. My father took me and I recall Les Kellett vs Lee Sharron and wrestlers such as Reg Williams, Johnny da Silva and Roy “Bull” Davies. I also recall Billy Robinson KOing Gwyn Davies with a piledriver. These shows would be around the mid sixties. The holiday camp was owned by British Rail. Some fifteen years on and the camp was owned by Pontin’s, wrestling was a regular part of the weekly entertainment programme promoted by Bobby Barron and I served as the referee.”
PRESTON Guild Hall
Hack: “In 1972 Ernie Lofthouse announced Norman Morrell shows would be moving from Saul Street baths to the new Guild Hall. Spectacular shows he promised, and spectacular prices I thought. We were both right. Big names, big prices in a soulless hall that had none of the magic.”
PRESTON Public Hall
Hack: “This was the place I cut my teeth on professional wrestling. Halcyon days with evocative names such as The Wild Man of Borneo, The Monster, The Ghoul, Dr Blood and The Great Mitzumoto. These were shows promoted by Cape Promotions, wrestlers Danny Flynn and Fred Woolley. Up there in the balcony, the five shilling seats must have been the smallest and most uncomfortable seats in Britain. Even as a ten year old I struggled to get my knees behind the seat in front, but what the heck, this was the wrestling I loved.”
PRESTON Queens Hall (Saul Street Baths)
Hack: “A more subdued atmosphere and more subdued shows presented by the doyen of Joint Promotions, Norman Morrell. Okay we got the big names, but the atmosphere never matched the Public Hall and balcony seats cost a shilling more.”
PUDSEY Albert Hall
PUDSEY Baths
PUDSEY Conservative Club, Chapeltown
PURLEY Orchid Ballroom
PWLHELLI Butlins Holiday Camp
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RADCLIFFE Civic Hall
RAMSGATE Coronation Ballroom
RAWTENSTALL Astoria Ballroom
READING The Hexagon
READING Town Hall
REDCAR Skating Rink
REDRUTH Drill Hall
RENFREW Normandy Hotel
RETFORD Majestic Cinema
RETFORD Town Hall
RHYL Gaiety Theatre
RHYL Town Hall
Eddie Rose: “Rhyl Town Hall (Orig Bandito Williams the promoter) was another favourite venue for good atmosphere and appreciative fans.”
RICKMANSWORTH Watersmeet
ROCHDALE Athletic Grounds
ROCHDALE College, St Mary’s Gate
ROCHDALE Champness Hall
ROCHESTER Casino
ROMFORD Football Ground
ROMFORD Brooklands Stadium
Tom Hawes: “The recent fine weather takes me back to 1961 when Premier Promotions boss Frank Price put on wrestling at Brooklands, the home of Romford football club. The ring was set up in front of the old wooden stand. The wrestling only ran for a short time, as it got dark earlier the local council put a stop to the shows because of inadequate lighting in the stands.
Frank Price said he’d been getting crowds of 750 people turning up and seemed happy with that.
The wrestling I saw was as good as any I’ve seen at bigger venues, the wrestlers included, British & European heavyweight champ Shirley Crabtree, Eddie Capelli, who surprisingly lost to Norman Thomas but Eddie won the return match and last but not least World champ George Kidd who beat Ken Shaw.
One evening Roy “Bull” Davis was scheduled to wrestle Prince Kumali but unfortunately the wrestling was cancelled due to rain. In a newspaper the next day was the following . ” THE FINAL DAMPER”. Wrestler “Bull Davies” travelled over 300 miles from Cornwall to compete in an open air show at Romford, Essex, last night, only to find it had been rained off.
It was a risky business putting on open air events, I don’t know if insurance was available for cancelations due to the weather, if a wrestler turned up surely he got paid. Then there’s advertising, the cost of printing tickets and the fees of agents who sold them.”
ROMFORD Odeon
Tom Hawes: “Frank price had a brief spell in 1961 of promoting wrestling in Romford at the Brooklands stadium but after that Romford was devoid of wrestling until September 1970 when Dale Martin began a series of promotions at the Odeon cinema.
In the early 1960’s popular music promoters used the Odeon for their one night stand package tours, The Beatles, Rolling Stones and the Animals were acts that performed there. But no wrestling promotions. Also in the early 1960’s there were wrestling promotions in nearby, Dagenham, Ilford and Barking, by 1970 there were none.
Maybe Dale Martin were inspired by the success of Paul Lincoln and his successful promotions at Granada theatres, but Dale Martin didn’t enjoy such success at Romford. They only put on seven promotions the last one was in June 1971.
Local wrestler Alan Sergeant was on four of those bills, one of those bouts was for the Southern Area welterweight title against defending champion, Mick Mcmanus.
Sergeant of course lost. There were some big names on the bills, Pat Roach drew with Kendo Nagasaki ,Jackie Pallo, Steve Logan , Ian Campbell, Tibor Szakacs, Les Kellet, The Hells Angels and Alan Colbeck wrestled at the Odeon. The one thing that clearly showed that wrestling popularity had declined was the absence of any wrestlers visiting from overseas. When wresting was at its peak wrestlers came from Europe and the rest of the world to wrestle for Joint Promotions.
That last Romford promotion was also the end of going to watch wrestling regularly for me.”
ROSS ON WYE Roxy
ROSS ON WYE Top Spot Ballroom
ROTHERHAM Clifton Hall
ROTHERHAM Baths
George Johnson: “I live in Rotherham and started watching wrestling in the 1960’s at Rotherham baths.In those days it was on every week. I watched it until the 1980’s. I particularly enjoyed it when Brian Dixon introduced the ladies. My favorite was Mitzi Mueller who I saw on 5 occasions though sadly not on television.”
Alan Brooke: “The first time I saw Jack Pye he was fighting Jose Arroyo at Rotherham Baths 22 Feb 1962. I think Pye was disqualified (there’s a surprise) and Arroyo was given the fight. I was only young at the time but had been looking forward to seeing the legend Pye although he must have been in his late 50s then”.
ROTHERHAM Stadium
ROTHESAY Pavilion
RUGBY Benn Memorial Hall
RUGBY Co-Op Hall
RUGBY Granada Cinema
RUNCORN Baths Hall
RUSHDEN Drill Hall
RUSHDEN Windmill Club
RYDE, ISLE OF WIGHT Commodore
RYDE, ISLE OF WIGHT Esplanade Pavilion
RYDE, ISLE OF WIGHT Town Hall
RYTON, TYNE & WEAR Social Club
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