John ‘Jack’ Wannop

A wrestler, boxer, gym manager and founder of the New Cross Boxing Club. Born in Crosby-on-Eden, Cumbria, at the end of 1854. Moved to New Cross, south east London, around 1880. A father of 10, married to Miriam Wannop (1858-1948). He died from ‘senility’ in 1923 and is buried in Brockley Cemetery. A pioneer of catch-wrestling and all-round total legend:

• “A man of great renown in the stormy, strenuous days of hard fighting and severe wrestling…”

• 21 March 1887: Jack Wannop fills the New Cross House with fancy dogs

• “It was worth all the journey to New Cross…”

• “Uncompromisingly bad men decisively bested in the final scene by unimpeachably good heroes”

• The Prince and The Prize-Fighters

• Resolute as a lion, cool as the regulation cucumber, Jack Wannop bids farewell to New Cross and hello to the Chicago Strangler

• WANNOP: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW! A guest post by Walter ‘The Cross-Buttocker’ Armstrong

• Finding Wannop’s Gymnasium

• “Here we find the courageous Cumbrian trying conclusions with half a pint of bitter” [Finding Wannop’s Gymnasium – Part II]

• For Blood and Money: Jack Wannop V Evan ‘The Strangler’ Lewis

• Jack Wannop V John L. Sullivan… sort of

• WANNOP IS A WHIRLWIND: A drunk boxing ring fire and a mid-match escape

• “No sir, I won’t fight any more in this city, and you can put that just as strong as you like…” [Wannop V Godfrey, Part I]

• “Had he been in any shape, I think the result would have been entirely different, for no gamer man ever entered the ring…” [Wannop V Godfrey, Part II]

• “Without doubt Jack is the most popular man in New Cross”

• “Wannop walked on his head in a most extraordinary manner”

• Jack Wannop wants a go with Jem Smith

• A Chat With the Champions Part II: JACK WANNOP IN TRAINING

• The Fighting Wannop Boys

• Lads on tour! Introducing Jack Wannop’s New Cross High Hat Brigade

• The Most Popular Man in New Cross (Introducing Jack Wannop to Carthorse Orchestra)

• Brockley Boy Burglars Birched! Finding minor Wannop scandals in the Brockley News

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Tom ‘Curley’ Thompson

A wrestler and boxer from the New Cross / Deptford area. Born around 1869, died 1906, buried in Old Camberwell Cemetery:

• Justice for Steve the Donkey

• Boys, I’m with you

George Brown

A (very) heavyweight wrestler and Greenwich publican. Born in 1850, died in 1906 with dropsy, buried in Brockley Cemetery:

• Searching for Clever Dick Leary and George Brown, the New Cross Hercules

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

Jem Haines or James Haynes

A black American heavyweight boxer and boxing instructor who lived in Lambeth, and then central and west London. Born around 1864, died from tuberculosis in 1894. Buried in Kensal Green Cemetery:

• The Short Life and Long Death of Jem Haines (Part I)

• The Short Life and Long Death of Jem Haines (Part II)

Jack Davenport or John Devonport

A black American heavyweight boxer, barber and nightclub doorman who lived in central London. Born around 1864, disappeared in the early 1900s – rumoured to have entered an asylum, or to be ‘doing something in munitions’ up north during WWI. Death year and cause currently unknown:

• “I’m Not So Black As I Am Painted” – The Violent Life of Jack Davenport (Part I)

• “I’m Not So Black As I Am Painted” – The Violent Life of Jack Davenport (Part II)

Miss Juno May

A 6ft 2 female music hall wrestler from Brockley, south east London, born around 1884. Real name, death year and cause currently unknown:

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

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

The Cross-Buttocker or Walter Armstrong

A wrestler, referee, Sporting Life writer and author of two books on wrestling. Born in 1835 or 1838 (possibly in the Carlisle area) and moved to Brixton, south London, in the 1870s. Died in 1917:

• Who was The Cross-Buttocker? An Introduction to Walter Armstrong

Ching Hook or Ching Ghook or Hezekiah Moscow

A middleweight boxer, gym instructor, bear tamer and music hall sketch artist born somewhere in the Caribbean around 1860. Lived in Whitechapel from around 1880. Disappeared in 1892, leaving a wife and child. There is some evidence to suggest a move to New York. Death year and cause currently unknown:

• Where Did You Go, Hezekiah Moscow? The Life and Times of Ching Hook (Part I: 1882-87)

• Where Did You Go, Hezekiah Moscow? The Life and Times of Ching Hook (Part II: 1888-96)

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

• CHING GHOOK WANTED (Post-script)

• Where Did You Go, Hezekiah Moscow? (Part IV: Ching Ghook Found)

John Willie Price or John William Price or J.W.Price

A wrestler from Lancashire, born in 1870. Died in 1957:

• The Catch Wrestling Collier, John Willie Price

Alec Munro or Alexander Hayes Munroe

A boxer and lion tamer from Kingston, Jamaica. Born around 1850, he was stabbed in a Whitechapel boarding house in 1885 and died of infection a few days later. Buried in Manor Park Cemetery:

• “Murdered in a thieves’ kitchen” – Finding Alexander Hayes Munroe

Jem Smith

Heavyweight Champion of England. Lost his title to Ted Pritchard at Wannop’s Gymnasium, New Cross, in 1891. Born in Shoreditch, 1863 and died in Willesden, 1931:

• A Chat With the Champions Part I: JEM SMITH IN TRAINING

Billy and Mrs Noon

A featherweight boxer in the 1870s and ’80s, after breaking his arm Billy Noon formed a husband and wife boxing act with Mrs Noon and performed in Birmingham and London between 1887 and 1891:

• How far can the lady go without unsexing herself? Billy Noon V the ‘irrepressible’ Mrs Noon

Samuel Sloper

A bookmaker or ‘Commission Agent’ from Hoxton who lived in New Cross and Catford and backed Wannop in the late-1880s

• “The death of Mr Sam Sloper has cast a gloom over the New Cross and Catford districts…”