EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH. TO be WRESTLED FOR, on MONDAY next, the 29th of July instant, in a Field, adjoining the Black Boy Turnpike, St. Sidwell’s, a PURSE of TEN GUINEAS. To the best Man, FIVE GUINEAS. Second best ditto, TWO GUINEAS. Third best ditto, ONE GUINEA. To every Double Player, 5s. each; and 7s. […]
EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH. TO be WRESTLED for, on Monday and Tuesday the 27th and 28th of July instant, in a field adjoining the Black Boy Turnpike, A PURSE of TWENTY GUINEAS,—TEN GUINEAS each day. To the man who throws the first fall, Seven Shillings. To every double player, Five Shillings each. The players are […]
EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH. TO be WRESTLED for, on Monday and Tuesday the 27th and 28th of July instant, in a field adjoining the Black Boy Turnpike, A PURSE of TWENTY GUINEAS,—TEN GUINEAS each day. To the man who throws the first fall, Seven Shillings. To every double player, Five Shillings each. The players are […]
EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH. THE ANNUAL PRIZE of TWENTY GUINEAS, will be WRESTLED for this year, on Wednesday and Thursday, the 4th and 5th of August next. The play to begin precisely at seven o’clock in the morning. The usual encouragement will be given to players. Exeter, 21st July, 1813.
EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH. TO be WRESTLED FOR, on Wednesday and Thursday the 10th and 11th of August instant, in a Field adjoining the Black Boy Turnpike, A PURSE of TEN GUINEAS. To every double player Five Shillings. The play to begin at eight o’clock in the morning. The players are requested to give in […]
Exeter Grand Wrestling. TO be WRESTLED FOR, in a Field at Hill’s Farm, in the parish of St. Sidwell’s, on Thursday and Friday, the 24th and 25th instant, a PURSE of at least TEN GUINEAS. Play to begin each day at ten o’clock in the forenoon.—In order to encourage early attendance, the first double player […]
Exeter Grand Wrestling. TO BE WRESTLED FOR, IN A FIELD, AT HILL’S-COURT, IN THE PARISH OF ST. SIDWELL’S. ON MONDAY and TUESDAY, the 8th and 9th Days of JULY, 1816, A Purse of at least Fifteen Guineas. Play to begin at ten o’clock in the forenoon. In order to encourage an early attendance, the first […]
EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH WILL take place on MONDAY & TUESDAY, the 28th and 29th of AUGUST instant, in a commodious Field adjoining the Black-Boy Turnpike Gate, at the Head of ST. SIDWELL’S, when 30 SOVEREIGNS Will be divided as follows: The Best Man, 10 Sovereigns; Second Best, 7 ditto; Third Best, 5 ditto; Fourth […]
WRESTLING.—The Exeter, the grand Metropolitan Match, commenced on Monday morning, at eleven o’clock, in the spacious ring in St. Thomas. The Champion entered the ring at six o’clock; he entered with the band playing “See the conquering Hero comes.” No time was lost, and stout, young, and prime as was his opponent, in two minutes […]
The St. Sidwell’s Grand Wrestling Match also commenced on Monday morning; and as a proof of the interest now taken in promoting this manly sport, the city has this week presented the singular spectacle of two Grand Wrestling Matches, both got-up, excellently arranged, and each attended by the primest men in the world, going on […]
WRESTLING.—The prize of ten Sovereigns for the thrown men at the Exeter Wrestling last week, was won,—the first prize of four Sovereigns by Mr. Wreford; the second of two Sovereigns by J. Bolt; and the third of one Sovereign by Horwill.—James Frost of Aveton Gifford, appeared in the ring, at the close of the play […]
ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE. EXETER GRAND WRESTLING. To the Editor of the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette. Sir,—I understand that it is intended to renew this manly sport in St. Thomas, and that the Grecians have also resolved upon having a bout. Surely it would be much better for the Manager to meet, join interests and purses, draw […]
Tuesday.—The spectators were more numerous than on the preceding day, and the single play was renewed with great vigour. On Gaffney making his appearance in the ring, a few persons raised a violent clamour against him, contending that he ought not to be allowed to play after quitting the ring before the time was out […]
In Devonshire, early in June, 1828, the Wrestling Match in St. Thomas’s, adjoining Exeter, commenced; at which, Woolaway, Wreford, Simon Webber, Huxtable, Jackman, and Flower, from the North; the Underdowns, Freys, &c. from the east, were particularly noticed. The champion, attended by his brother James, Roach, &c., was on the ground, but not playable—he was […]
DEVON AND EXETER WRESTLING MATCH FOR FORTY SOVEREIGNS — THE BLUE BALL, HEAVITREE. Whit-monday this match commenced. Stone and Wm. Bolt commenced.—Stone was laid on a side fall in the early part of the contest; no sooner gained his legs than he began with kicking, which was returned by his antagonist without flinching, and terminated […]
GRAND WRESTLING MATCH. On Monday last a numerous and respectable company assembled at the Blue Ball, Heavitree. Jordan and Wolland.—This contest was one of the most striking of the day, from the contrast of the men—Jordan, being several inches above six feet, and Wolland not many more above five feet—and the length of time which […]
THE EXETER WRESTLING MATCH. On Friday the play was continued—Bond threw Bolt, Pengelley threw Chappie, Walters, and Bray. The sport throughout was excellent, and excited the admiration and applause of hundreds of enthusiastic spectators. Monday.—Chappie (D) threw Bond (D); Thresize (C) gave Holt (D) a fore-hipper. Then came the grand match, Bray vs Miller—Miller with […]
EXETER. The Devonshire Wrestling Champion.—Mr Langdon, of the Bull Inn, Exeter, assisted by other gentlemen, has succeeded in obtaining £180 for the veteran wrestling champion, Abraham Cann. After much deliberation it has been decided to purchase an annuity in the Norwich Insurance Office, and yesterday the proposal was effected and £200 paid. The champion wrestler […]
WRESTLING EXETER. A wrestling match commenced on Tuesday in a field adjoining the Old Tiverton-road. The total prizes amounted to £30. Mr. Bolt, of Upton Pyne, and Mr. Underdown, Pinhoe, the triers; Mr. J. Hall, of Whimple, was the umpire; Mr. Robert Britton, secretary. Some fine play took place in the course of the afternoon, […]
EXETER. A wrestling match at Exeter was brought to a close on Saturday, having lasted five days, and been conducted with great satisfaction to all parties. The conduct of the visitors was marked with more than an ordinary amount of decorum. As the match proceeded, the interest heightened considerably, as shown by the increasing number […]
ST. THOMAS, EXETER. A GRAND WRESTLING MATCH FOR 50 GUINEAS, AND A SILVER CUP, Added to the first prize, with the winner’s name engraved thereon, OPEN TO ALL ENGLAND, WILL take place in a field adjoining the St. Thomas Railway Station, commencing on MONDAY AUGUST 9th, 1869. First Prize £17 0s 0d; Second £10 0s […]
EXETER GRAND WRESTLING WILL COMMENCE THIS DAY for Thirty Sovereigns, open to the World. Amongst others the following men have made entries: Back, Burley, Burnett, Oliver, Harrish (Minehead), Bakers (Brothers), Pike, and Hayward (of London), Milton, Rundle (Champion), James, Westlake, Drew, Gross (St. Austell), Skinner (St. Austell), Warry, and others.
THE EXETER WRESTLING MATCH commenced yesterday. Amongst those who put in an appearance were Milton, Hutchings, Baker, Westlake, James, Chaple, and others. There was some very fine play between Milton and Chaple, who held out the time of forty minutes, and will play again today. Baker and Westlake had a very good turn, after which […]
EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH. This match was continued yesterday, and the fine play of the previous day was (if possible) surpassed, the London men showing splendid practice, and putting our local celebrities on their mettle, but although heavily matched they have held their own in good style, as the following results will show:— Class A—Pike […]
EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH. Play was resumed yesterday with all the vigour of the previous day; the men were in fine form, and the plaudits showered on them fully shewed the satisfaction felt by the spectators. In Class A, Captain Back (Topsham) and James (London) played a splendid turn for 40 minutes. James (Whipton) and […]
EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH. This match was resumed yesterday at three o’clock. The first men called in Class B were Atkins (Exeter) and Skinner (St. Austell). The former was thrown in 20 minutes. Pike (London) and Burley (Exeter) were then matched in Class A. Pike threw Burley in 10 minutes. Oliver and Back (Class A) […]
EXETER AND EXWICK WRESTLING MATCHES. The present is the first attempt in this hamlet at anything extensive in the way of wrestling. The prizes, including the championship, amount to twenty guineas. The field opposite Bailer’s Arms has been selected for the trials. Moore, of Bow, and Stone, Crediton, however, to the appearance of the gathering, […]
THE EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH FOR FIFTY GUINEAS (Open to the World) WILL COMMENCE on MONDAY, July 27th 1874. For further particulars see future advt.
An original pen-and-ink sketch by Alfred Concanen, featured on pagee 236 of The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News (5 June 1875).
DEVONSHIRE WRESTLING. Wrestling matches at Exeter concluded on Monday in the presence of a large number of spectators. The prizes were £10 and two silver cups. Some good play was shewn by Battishill of Dewsteignton, and a man of the Royal Marines. As there was no prospect of either obtaining a back, the men tossed […]
The Devonshire Wrestling Society archive has been assembled over more than twelve years of systematic research into the history of Westcountry martial arts. When this work began, the documentary record was sparse and dispersed: sources were few, descriptions were thin, and access required navigating institutional barriers that most researchers would not have the time or resources to overcome. The archive now comprises 421 records — 322 newspaper articles (1778–1947), 35 manuscripts, 11 posters, 48 books, one letters patent, two cemetery inscriptions, and two memorials — spanning approximately one thousand years of history across five defined periods and three core disciplines: wrestling, cudgelling, and pugilism.
The material has been drawn from archives, museums, and libraries at both local and national level, as well as from diaspora communities. Access varied considerably: some holdings were straightforwardly available through public or gated online repositories; others required direct institutional inquiry, formal licensing, or payment. Licence fees for individual items have, in some cases, reached several hundred pounds. Items acquired under licence are retained for private research purposes only and are not published. A small number of items from private collections likewise remain unpublished, pending permission. All records for which publication rights have been secured are made freely and openly available.
The cost of the archive — in time and in money — has been substantial. It is offered without charge because the traditions it documents belong to the communities that produced them, and because those who come after should not be required to repeat the effort already expended.
Every record in the archive was acquired through a consistent five-stage process:
Identification. Awareness of potential sources was established through systematic searches of public and private institutional indexes worldwide, and through direct correspondence with subject specialists already engaged with relevant holdings.
Access. Depending on the institution, access was obtained through online repositories, direct application, or formal licensing. Correspondence was initiated with several hundred institutions over the course of the project. Where institutions confirmed the absence of relevant holdings, this was recorded. Where access was granted, the means of access was documented.
Storage. All acquired material is held in a single centralised repository, ensuring that research access is permanent and that no duplication of acquisition effort is necessary.
Preparation. Every record has been transcribed to render it fully searchable and taggable. Images have been assigned metadata recording provenance, licensing terms, and resolution specifications for publication purposes.
Publication. The publicly available inventory represents all records for which the requisite permissions have been obtained.
In order to ensure consistency and intellectual coherence across the archive, all prospective additions are evaluated against the following criteria, which are applied collectively and in sequence. A record should satisfy the majority of these criteria before inclusion is considered.
Relevance. The record must have a demonstrable and direct connection to the Six Shires (Devon, Cornwall, Somerset, Dorset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire) as the location of practice, the origin of practitioners, or the primary institutional context. Records concerning Westcountry practitioners competing elsewhere (in London, the United States, or South Africa, for example) are eligible where the practitioner’s regional identity is explicitly identified in the source. Records documenting the export of Westcountry martial arts beyond Britain are admissible and desirable, consistent with existing holdings relating to California, Japan, New Zealand, and South Africa. The record must concern one or more of the three disciplines in scope: Westcountry wrestling (Devonshire or Cornish style), cudgelling or single-stick as practised in the region, or pugilism and boxing with a demonstrable Westcountry connection. Records documenting the co-occurrence of two or more disciplines are particularly valuable and should be prioritised.
Integrity. The source must be primary or a reliable early secondary record. For newspaper sources, this means a contemporaneous report; for books, a first or early edition, or a verified transcription thereof. Secondary scholarship is admissible where it contains primary-source quotations not otherwise independently accessible, provided these are clearly identified as such.
Balanced representation. The curatorial target is approximate parity — not of record count, which will inevitably reflect the uneven survival of evidence — but of intellectual representation across the three core disciplines. Where any discipline is underrepresented relative to this target, acquisitions in that discipline should be prioritised accordingly.
Material culture. Physical objects — trophies, belts, equipment, and architectural features — are admissible where they carry inscriptions or documentary provenance that independently attest to the practice of a discipline in the region.
Verifiability. The source must be identifiable with sufficient bibliographic precision to be cited in APA format and, where possible, to be independently verified by a reader consulting the original. Oral tradition, undocumented folklore, and secondary paraphrases without citation do not meet this standard. Where a source is available online, a direct URL must be provided.
