Western Times, Quiller Couch at Cornwall wrestling tournament (1903)

Mr. Quiller Couch, the well-known litterateur, attended a wrestling tournament in Cornwall, his native county, the other day, and distributed the prizes. He expressed gratification that the sport was not dead, and that there were still left wrestlers capable of teaching the art in a manner not unworthy of the county.

Not many years ago wrestling was, of course, the chief sport in every town and village in Devon and Cornwall, but its association ultimately with the tavern did much to bring it into disrepute. Other forms of athleticism also came to the fore, and helped to hasten its decline in popular favour. In Devon, wrestling may be said to have died out, although some of the exponents of the art in its palmy days are still living. Whatever may be said in favour of wrestling, few persons would care to see the Devon style, with its brutal kicking, revived. But kicking is not a feature of the Cornish style, which is, therefore, not objectionable.