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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 […]
Four friends were bent on a holiday, A holiday, A holiday, So to Truro town they made their way One early Whit-sun morning, One early Whit-sun morning. There was Jim, and Josh, and Ginger Jan, Three Cornishmen Jim, Josh and Jan, With Bill Penelewey to lead the van So early in the morning, So early […]
Wrestling.—The Cornwall and Devon Wrestling Society have resolved to divide the £100 to be given away on Friday, April 18, and at Easter, as follows:—Four money prizes for wrestling, open to all the world, for men under twelve stone, when several of the best men from the two counties have promised to come up and […]
WRESTLING. DEVON AND CORNWALL WRESTLING SOCIETY. This great annual carnival will take place at Hackney Wick Grounds (Victoria Park station). The committee have voted the liberal sum of £100, to be contended for by men under 12st, which will be apportioned in twenty money prizes. The committee have also secured the valuable services of R. […]
PEDESTRIANISM. METROPOLITAN RACE GROUNDS, HACKNEY WICK. THE CORNWALL AND DEVON WRESTLING SOCIETY’S ANNUAL MEETING. The customary annual meeting of the above-named society was held at the popular grounds of Mr. J. C. Baum, at the White Lion, Hackney Wick, on Whit-Monday and Tuesday; and terminated in a complete success, the enclosure being absolutely crammed with […]
WRESTLING. CANN AND POLKINGHORNE. SIR,—The notice in your paper of last week headed “Old Abraham Cann, the Champion Wrestler,” having caught my attention, I was startled very considerably at its contents, and I cannot allow some of the mis-statements contained in it to remain uncontradicted. I have no desire to disparage the virtues of Cann, […]
Abraham Cann’s memorial stone in St. Andrew’s churchyard, Colebrooke, bears the inscription: ‘SACRED to the memory of Abraham Cann who departed this life April 7th 1864 aged 69 years. Champion of Devon Wrestlers.’ (Trewman’s Exeter Flying Post, April 20, 1864, p. 8)
Portrait of the famous wrestler Abraham Cann in 1864. Now in the public domain. Illustrated Sporting News and Theatrical and Musical Review – Saturday 07 May 1864, Page 4.
Fictional account, but with key references made by the novelist R. D. Blackmore that drew upon real events, and real wrestlers of the period: Volume 2, Chapter 5: CHAPTER V. That same evening, as I was sitting in my lonely room, yet not quite alone,–for little Sally, who always did as I bade her, was […]
The eyes of all classes of politicians are now on the pretty town of Tiverton, but we believe it is not generally known that there is now residing among us the greatest of living wrestlers. We allude to that respectable old yeoman, Mr. William Wreford, who may be truly said to be the hero of […]
The eyes of all classes of politicians are now on the pretty town of Tiverton, but we believe it is not generally known that there is now residing among us the greatest of living wrestlers. We allude to that respectable old yeoman, Mr. William Wreford, who may be truly said to be the hero of […]
A ‘Devon and Cornwall’ wrestling tournament at Hackney in London, reported in the Illustrated Sporting News of 1866.
DEATH OF A RENOWNED DEVONSHIRE WRESTLER. On Sunday last the veteran William Wreford died after a very short illness at the house of one of his children, in the metropolis [London]. Mr. Wreford bore a name familiar to all the lovers of wrestling, both in the provinces and the metropolis. Indeed, there is probably none […]
DEATH OF A RENOWNED DEVONSHIRE WRESTLER.—On Sunday last the veteran William Wreford died after a very short illness at the house of one of his children, in the metropolis. Mr. Wreford bore a name familiar to all the lovers of wrestling, both in the provinces and the metropolis. Born at Morchard Bishop, near Crediton, at […]
John Slade, Champion Wrestler (Devon and Cornwall). Featured in The Illustrated Sporting News. Engraved by Moore V. Williamson. Original page in the archives of DWS.
Devon and Cornwall Wrestling Matches.—These annual matches took place on Good Friday, at Hackney Wick, in the open air. The custom of wrestling in boots was done away with, and all the men wrestled with stockinged feet. The value of the prizes was £60. R. Haywood (Devon) and Richard Dear (Cornwall)—After a dog throw, Haywood […]
CORNWALL AND DEVON WRESTLING SOCIETY. THE CHAMPIONSHIP. The annual meeting of this society commenced at Hackney Wick, on Good Friday. There were fully three thousand persons present, the visitors taking much interest in the wrestling, which was carried out strictly in the Cornwall and Devon style, the “fair back fall.” Although open to all counties, […]
WRESTLING AT SOUTHMOLTON, DEVON. A GRAND WRESTLING MATCH will take place in a Field at the back of Mr. LUXTON’s ANCHOR INN, South-street, in the town of Southmolton, on THURSDAY and FRIDAY, 18th and 19th JUNE, when the following Prizes will be awarded: Best Man: £5 0s 0d. Second: £2 10s 0d. Third: £1 0s […]
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 […]
TOPSHAM, NEAR EXETER, DEVON. GRAND WRESTLING MATCH for FORTY GUINEAS, OPEN TO ALL ENGLAND, is now proceeding in the well-known Bowling Green at the Salutation Inn. Efficient and Impartial Triers have been appointed to act with the Committee. 1st Prize £15 0s 0d; 2nd Prize £10 0s 0d; 3rd Prize £5 0s 0d; 4th Prize […]
35 references to Wrestling, including: Much as I longed to know more about Lorna, and though all my heart was yearning, I could not reconcile it yet with my duty to mother and Annie, to leave them on the following day, which happened to be a Sunday. For lo, before breakfast was out of our […]
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 […]
WRESTLING AT TORQUAY. A £50 match was commenced on Monday. The contest took place at Glue’s Torbay Inn, a ground well suited for the purpose, enclosed on all sides and quite removed from public view. There was a large attendance, especially on the grand stand. The arrangements were well planned by the committee of tradesmen, […]
WRESTLING. Those who see wrestlers on a London arena of sawdust, whether they represent France against England or Cumberland against Westmoreland, gain thereby a very imperfect idea of this famous athletic sport. It is a country game. It belongs aright to wild regions where the turf is virgin, and the wrestler, like Antaeus in the […]
“The play of Cornwall and Devonshire is the same, with a difference. They both have the jacket, and they play for a hitch in the same fashion. Sticklers are appointed, who keep the ring, and the public are present in crowds. In Cornwall, however, the man steps into the ring in his stockings or socks. […]
A description of a military demonstration involving Cornish Wrestlers, in Yokohama. This is particularly interesting since “a Japanese wrestler who was present was very anxious to pit himself against the Cornish wrestlers”. This event took place 10 years before Judo was founded. Let us now turn to the wrestling which took place on the second […]
XXXIX It is to be regretted that the old Cornish games are gradually losing their hold and are dying out in the country. The wrestling matches which formerly were well attended and patronized by the local gentry are now with few exceptions got up by the publicans as means of selling liquor, and in place […]