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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.
THE EXETER GRAND WRESTLING MATCH FOR FIFTY GUINEAS (Open to the World) WILL COMMENCE on MONDAY, July 27th 1874. For further particulars see future advertisement.
pp.622, A minor reference to a Devonshire Wrestling in a fictional work. Reference to good breeding. “Upon my word, madam,” the General protested, “you use the doctor badly. He is blamed if he kills people, and he is blamed if he keeps them alive. What is he to do?” “Do? He can’t help saving the […]
Appearing in The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, pp.65. Illustrated by Alfred Concanen.
An original pen-and-ink sketch by Alfred Concanen, featured on pagee 236 of The Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News (5 June 1875).
Deadman’s Alley, pp. 11. Plain John Garnet looked somewhat preoccupied now, sitting moodily over his punch, and the influence of his demeanour seemed to steal upon the company in general. Mr. Gale, indeed, held forth loudly on horse-racing, cock-fighting, and such congenial topics, but spent his breath for an inattentive audience, not to be interested […]
From the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatic News, July 8th, 1876. Drawing called “Devon Wrestling- “No Doubt About It.” Illustrated by Alfred Concanen.
[North Devon wrestling report for Atherington match, late April/May 1877. The match took place at Atherington and included players Saunders and Bradford among the principal competitors. Standards were made and prizes distributed, the match being considered well-managed and providing excellent play for the spectators assembled.] Note: The precise text of this entry was partially corrupted […]
DEVONSHIRE WRESTLING. A wrestling match, “Devonshire” style, took place at Hill’s Variety Theatre yesterday afternoon, between Albert Ellis and W. H. Browning for a gold watch and a purse of $250. Fun apart, it is one which is not calculated to find much favour in this country, especially among our coloured fellow citizens, as the […]
NOTES BY THE WAY : A DEVONSHIRE WRESTLING MATCH. HEARING from a fellow traveller in the train that there was to be some wrestling on the morrow at Moor Town, South Devon, and having some faint recollections of a grand description of the same in one of the London papers, probably the Daily Telegraph, we […]
(pp35) Prize-fighting was then the order of the day ; and a set-to between two professionals of celebrity would bring together men of all ranks, patricians and proletarians, from the most remote parts of England, to witness what it would have been heresy then to call a barbarous exhibition. The vale of Bicester, being […]
DEVON WRESTLING: ITS DECLINE. That this once famous sport is rapidly dying out, no one who has watched it for the past ten years can for a moment doubt. Various reasons are given as the cause, and of course the competitors come in for large share (perhaps deservedly so) of blame. But those well acquainted […]
DEVON WRESTLING. “ARGUS,” NO. II. It is said Mr. Edward’s “History of Crediton,” which will incidentally deal with the principle feats in wrestling of Abram Cann and James Stone, will forthwith be published. Some of the old players now refuse to put in an appearance till the sports are a week old, as they know […]
DEVON WRESTLING. BY ARGUS.—NO. III. It is now many years since Cann made all Devonians proud of his splendid wrestling bouts, not only in this County, but in Leeds, London, and other places. Since his time many others have been brought into notice, perhaps none more prominently than the late Thomas Cooper, who being several […]
DEVON WRESTLING. By “Argus.”—No. 4. PIKE AND BAKER. Bow, neighbouring parish to Colebroke, once noted for its wrestling aspirants, has, during the past ten years, produced some very good wrestlers—the most notable of whom are Richard Pike, Robert Baker, Thomas Baker, and Samuel Battishill. Richard Pike is held by many to be the real champion […]
DEVON WRESTLING. By “Argus.”—SAMUEL OLIVER is well-known in most wrestling rings, having been in the ranks for more than twenty years. His earliest bouts gave much promise, and for many years his success was somewhat remarkable. He has contested many times with T. Cooper, but was unable more than play second fiddle, though his determined […]
This artefact has internal references to illustrations, but currently no version with illustrations has so far been discovered. Full title: Delbridge’s guide on grab hold, or, Cornish style of wrestling [microform] : a complete guide on wrestling with full and simple instructions / by James Delbridge. Artefact is stored at the Library of Congress, United […]
Henry Downes Miles’s three-volume Pugilistica (1880; reissued 1906) is the most comprehensive Victorian history of the British prize ring. Its entries for Hen Pearce, the Game Chicken, and the Bristol school of pugilism contain primary-source quotations from period newspapers not otherwise readily available. The work spans the same era as the DWS archive’s principal wrestling […]
RULES OF DEVON WRESTLING. Devon wrestling differs from most other modes. It would, however, be easy to demonstrate its superiority over that practised by other wrestlers, who are unable, with any amount of success, to meet any stranger who does not conform to their own style, whereas knowledge of Devon wrestling enables a man to […]
A LITTLE more than a century ago the Rector of Ladock was the Rev. Mr. Wood, who was a most zealous churchman even in the days of misty prejudice, when churchmen in general looked upon nonconformists as scabbed sheep in their fold, and held that no schismatics were to be tolerated. From having unwavering faith […]
This county [of Devon] as it is populous, so are the natives of a good and healthy constitution of body; of proportion and stature generally tall, strong, and well compact; active and apt for any forcible exercises (and if I may have leave to borrow a stranger’s words in their encomium); bold, martial, haughty of […]
THE WRESTLING AT SOUTHMOLTON. Play was resumed on Friday at the Star Grounds, Southmolton. These are admirably suited to the occasion, being very large, and the play taking place on the green sward. The commodious Grand Stand was again well patronised by many leading gentlemen and farmers from the town and neighbourhood. The weather was […]
A Poster from a Wrestling event featuring 2 styles. The event was held on Monday 6th March 1882. We do not have permission to share this artefact. We have transcribed a small portion of the content, that reads (obfuscated content signified with ‘…’): “…. GREAT WRESTLING CONTEST, In Two Styles, namely Cumberland and Westmorland AND […]