100 years since Jack Wannop’s death – a talk in his cemetery – 19 Feb 2023

New Cross, London, might not be well-known as the ‘home’ of British wrestling or boxing, but back in the 1880s and ‘90s, hundreds – sometimes thousands – of people flocked to the area’s pubs and public halls to watch men (and the occasional woman!) punch and grapple for a cash prize, trophy, or moment of… Read More 100 years since Jack Wannop’s death – a talk in his cemetery – 19 Feb 2023

“Six Foot Thriller is Coming from London!” Introducing the Graeco-Roman Goddess, Miss Juno May (Part II)

<< READ PART I HERE >> By January 1907, Apollo Magazine (“the most practical Physical Culture Guide in existence”) considered Juno well known and admired enough to include her illustration among the great and good of British bodies, and promoted her inclusion in the magazine’s advertising on the front page of the Sporting Life. The… Read More “Six Foot Thriller is Coming from London!” Introducing the Graeco-Roman Goddess, Miss Juno May (Part II)

“252 Pound English Girl Seeks Fame on the Mat!” Introducing the Graeco-Roman Goddess, Miss Juno May (Part I)

The whole point of my research project is to focus on wrestling in the 1880s and early 1890s. 1902-ish onward has been ‘done’, hasn’t it? Early Edwardian performers (Hackenschmidt, Gotch et al), born quarter of a century after Jack Wannop, were well photographed, documented, and if a written wrestling history exists without them it’s a… Read More “252 Pound English Girl Seeks Fame on the Mat!” Introducing the Graeco-Roman Goddess, Miss Juno May (Part I)

Back in New Cross – George Steadman v George Brown for England’s heavyweight wrestling championship

The month of May ended as badly as it had begun for a despondent Jack Wannop. In a step down from the 3,000 seats sold for his match with Lewis, his next appearance was at Milwaukee’s much smaller opera house. In front of a tiny crowd Wannop was once again beaten, at catch-as-catch-can for $200… Read More Back in New Cross – George Steadman v George Brown for England’s heavyweight wrestling championship

Grappling With History in the Lewisham Ledger

I love local newspapers. From their late teens onward both my parents (@coxchat and @stage_review) spent their careers as reporters, editors and film/theatre critics on the Luton News, Dunstable Gazette and Leighton Buzzard Observer. Since 2011 a large part of my day job has involved trying to get the public interested in fun and educational… Read More Grappling With History in the Lewisham Ledger

Where Did You Go, Hezekiah Moscow? (Part III: Some Final Thoughts)

This is the third and final chapter of Ching Hook / Ching Ghook / Hezekiah Moscow’s story. You can read the first part (which includes information about why I’m researching him and what on earth all the name variations are about) here and the second part here. There has been a relatively huge amount of interest… Read More Where Did You Go, Hezekiah Moscow? (Part III: Some Final Thoughts)