The style was practiced and popularised in the area that now includes Lancashire and Greater Manchester. The objective was to achieve a back fall on the opponent by making both of their shoulders touch the ground simultaneously. There were two approaches to this, "wrossle for a thrut" (wrestling for a throw) and "up and down." In "wrossle for a thrut", competitors utilised stand-up techniques such as throws, trips, and other takedowns with the goal of sending an opponent to their back or otherwise taking them off their feet depending on the conditions. In "up and down", the wrestling would continue on the ground, utilising grounded techniques to win by pin or submission. There were similar concepts in German (halber ringkampf, half wrestling; ganzer ringkampf, full wrestling) and Dutch/Flemish (neergooi, throwing someone down; ondergooi, throwing someone down and keeping him underneath) folk styles.[1][2]:232[3]:xv,29–33,48–49,51–52[4]
There were minimal restrictions on holds and using legs for throws and trips was permitted. Common holds and positions included the knuckle lock, collar tie, body lock, headlock, fireman's lift, cross-buttock (hip throw), the Nelson, single leg and double leg takedowns, as well as par terre. The attire was simple, shorts and socks. The Snipe Inn Rules disallowed applying any resin, drugs, or grease; foul acts or willful brutality, unmanly techniques and tactics like those common in "up and down fighting" bouts, choking ('hanging" or "throttling"), kicking, headbutting, biting, gouging, or scratching. The Snipe Inn Rules allowed submissions with the intent of using them to achieve a pin but not with the intent to hurt an opponent or make them quit.[1][3]:29–33[2]:230,232–236 Although submissions were usually disallowed, wrestlers were known to evade this by using variations of legal techniques to inflict pain and make their opponents "concede" the match.[2]:232[3]:51–52[4]
Wrestlers facing each-other.The Lancashire style was known for the buttock (hip throw).
Wrestling on the ground made the Lancashire style unique in England, along with the minimal restrictions on holds and techniques (termed "catch-hold" or "catch-as-catch-can") compared to the Cumberland and Westmorland, and Cornish and Devon wrestling styles. A catch-hold style was also favoured in northern Ireland.[1][3]:x,xi,xv,51–52 Many of the wrestlers were colliers and the audience was primarily working class, so recognition by Victorian era newspapers and magazines was limited, leaving comparatively few written records until its popularity broadened. The wrestlers and their financial backers would sign an agreement under a governing body (usually a newspaper like the Sporting Chronicle or Wigan Examiner), with a referee being appointed to control the match and pay out the wager. Matches were known to take place at locations like coal fields, where an audience would gather and bets would be collected in hats.[4][6]:52–53
In his book Wrestling (1890), Walter Armstrong described the style asː[3]:29–30
"...without doubt, the roughest and most uncultivated of the three recognized English systems, as it includes catching hold of the legs, wrestling on the ground, and other objectionable methods of attack and defence. In Lancashire, wrestling displays are confined to matches promoted by the proprietor of some popular pedestrian resort, and differ as much as it is possible to imagine from the immense gatherings in the arenas of Cumberland and Westmorland, where sometimes nearly two hundred wrestlers will assemble, varying in weight from nine stone up to twenty stone odd."
Although, Armstrong admitted, "In a rough-and-tumble encounter, when 'all is in,' a knowledge of Lancashire wrestling might be of service; but even in a street fight it is not the fashion for an Englishman to battle on the ground, but to allow his opponent to get up again." He compared it to French wrestling, now known as Greco-Roman wrestling, "The Lancashire system is closely allied to the French style. The only material difference is that the French forbid tripping and catching hold of legs, whereas both are allowed in the County Palatine, in addition to the use of any fair means of throwing an antagonist." According to Armstrong, the referee was "invested with full power to decide any point not provided for in the articles of agreement, subject to no appeal in a court of law." Although throttling (choking) was disallowed, it continued to be common. Breaking limbs such as fingers or arms was permitted if the wrestler could "satisfy the referee that such took place during a fairly-conducted struggle for the mastery, and not through any desire to deliberately act in an unfair manner." It was possible to disqualify and replace the referee if he was proven incompetent or prejudiced. There were rest periods between falls and if a match did not finish on the day, it would be restarted at the same time the next day after reweighing the competitors.[2]:230,232–236[3]:30–33
History
Origins
The Lancashire wrestling style began to form in the 1300s with significant influence from continental European styles brought by immigrants, namely German “bauern-art ringen” (wrestling after the farmers’ fashion) and Flemish stoeijen (to touse, to tangle, to scuffle, to handle roughly). The local style blended with those brought by these German, Flemish, and also French immigrants, resulting in "Lancashire up and down fighting", also called "purring." It became a usual way to resolve disputes between men, who commonly wore loin clothes and clogs, and engaged in a combination of “wrestling, throttling, and kicking." Punching was not permitted. The bouts ended by submission, usually through a hang (strangehold), or inability to continue, signaled verbally or by raising a hand. The bouts soon became the only professional ("prize ring") combat sport practiced in the area. In the 1820s, the sport was made illegal due to deaths that commonly occurred, and was succeeded by Lancashire wrestling, reflecting a similar trend in continental Europe. This is also the period when it began to be called "catch-as-catch-can."[1]
In 1856, the first written ruleset (the Snipe Inn Rules) was issued by Nelson Warren, proprietor of the Snipe Inn Grounds. Professional championships were soon established such as the Copenhagen Grounds Silver Belt and the Snipe Inn Grounds Gold Cup. Previously, amateurs competed in challenge matches to see who was better, commonly betting quarters or half gallons of beer, and tournament prizes included pigs and silver watches. Also around that time, the Lancashire style was introduced in Scotland by Donald Dinnie, where it gained popularity. The Lancashire Wrestling Association (LWA) was established in 1875/76 by former owners of the area's notable sporting venues (grounds). It ran regular competitions using "Manchester Sporting Chronicle Rules", based on the original Snipe Inn Rules. In 1899, during the Easter holidays, the first British championships were held at the National Athletic Grounds in Kensal Rise, London.[1][3]:43–44
In 1904, the sport was changed again by the establishment of the National Amateur Wrestling Association of Great Britain (NAWA). Although called "catch-as-catch-can", it was a different style originating from London, using a revised version of the Manchester Sporting Chronicle Rules. With the emphasis on amateur competition after the start of the Olympics, wrestlers that had competed for prizes or wagers were banned. It has been claimed that this was because the primarily working class professionals were more skilled than the primarily upper class amateurs. In October 1923, the Lancashire County Amateur Wrestling Association (LCAWA) was established, leading to a renewal of the Lancashire style. It was a member of the NAWA until April 1927, when it was expelled for promoting “their own championship titles.” The LCAWA continued to promote their own tournaments until the mid-1930s and several LCAWA champions won British championships. The most notable was Joseph Reid, a six-time British champion, British Empire Games medallist, and Olympian. Also in the 1930s, the Wrestling and Boxing Comrades’ Association (W&BCA) was established in the town of Wigan. Notable members included Joe Carroll and Billy Riley, founder of Riley's Gym, more famously known as The Snake Pit. After World War II, the British Amateur Wrestling Association rebranded the sport as "freestyle wrestling", essentially separating itself from Lancashire catch-as-catch-can. Many Lancashire wrestlers successfully transitioned to the new style, like Herbie Hall, a ten-time British champion and British Empire silver medallist.[1][4][6]:98[7][8]
1820s–30s — John Rowland of Bolton, William Buckley (Trout) and John Holt - both of Oldham
1840s–50s — Adam Ridings (Dockum) of Bury, James Matley (Barrel) of Ashton, George Swithenbank of Saddleworth, undefeated heavyweight champion William Swann of Ashton, and champion heavyweight boxer Sam Hurst of Stalybridge
1860s — Teddy Lowe of Whitworth (reportedly the best pound-for-pound catch wrestler of the 19th century), John Meadowcroft and David Bentley of Bury, William Schora, Frank Robinson, John Massey, and Joseph Newton (Teapot) - all from the Ashton areas
1870s — Edwin Bibby of Ashton, John Lees and John Butterworth (Dockum) - both of Oldham, undefeated heavyweight champion William Snape (Dipper) of Bolton, John Tonge (Eckersley), Joe Acton, William Moullineux (Sellars), and Miles Sweeney - all of Wigan
1880s–90s — Abraham Travis (Ab-o-Wags) of Oldham, James Faulkner, Isaac Smith, William Winstanley (Soap), Tom Connor, Charles Green, Tom Jones (Burgy Ben), Joe Carroll, James Morris (Stockley) - all from the Wigan area; Tom Clayton (Bulldog) of Bolton, James Mellor and Jack Smith - both of Stalybridge, Sam Moores of Salford
1900s–10s — Harry Mort of Oldham, Tom Rose of Bolton, Willie Collins, Jack Carroll (nephew of Joe Carroll), Jack Brown, William Charnock (Pop), Joe Smith, Jim Foster, and Bob Berry - all of Wigan; Job Shambley of Westhoughton, Peter Bannon of Burnley, and Jack Winrow of Heywood
During its heyday, the Lancashire catch-as-catch-can style spread abroad through wrestlers like Acton and Tom Cannon, becoming the most popular style in Great Britain, the United States, Australia, and other British colonies, and to other countries like Brazil and Japan. Besides freestyle wrestling, the Lancashire style was a primary influence on the development of professional wrestling, American collegiate wrestling, Brazilian luta livre and vale tudo, Japanese shoot wrestling/Shooto, and other styles such as mixed martial arts (MMA).[2]:234–235[3]:x[4][6]:52–53[9][10][11][12][13] As the Lancashire style declined, The Snake Pit in Wigan became one of the last sources to preserve it. Its students, such as Karl Gotch and Billy Robinson, showcased and taught the style to wrestlers and fighters across the globe. It became particularly popular in Japan, where catch wrestling is still commonly called "Lancashire style" (ランカシャースタイル).[8][14][15] To revive the style, The Snake Pit began holding its own Lancashire style catch wrestling competitions and certifications in 2012, and held its first World Championships in 2018.[8][16][17]
Lancashire is a ceremonial county in North West England. It is bordered by Cumbria to the north, North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Greater Manchester and Merseyside to the south, and the Irish Sea to the west. The largest settlement is Blackpool, and Preston is the administrative centre.
Ashton-in-Makerfield is a market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Wigan. As of the 2021 census, there was a population of 26,380.
Submission wrestling, also known as submission grappling, submission fighting or simply grappling, is a competitive martial art and combat sport that focuses on ground fighting and submission techniques. It is a hybrid discipline that incorporates elements of various grappling arts such as various wrestling styles, judo, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Submission wrestling is practiced both as a competitive sport and as a training method for self-defence and mixed martial arts (MMA).
Wrestling is a martial art and combat sport that involves grappling with an opponent and striving to obtain a position of advantage through different throws or techniques, within a given ruleset. Wrestling involves different grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins, and other grappling holds. Many different wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat sports, and military systems. Wrestling is genuine competition; professional wrestling is athletic theatre.
Greco-Roman, Graeco-Roman, classic wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practiced worldwide. Greco-Roman wrestling was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1904. This style of wrestling forbids holds below the waist, which is the main feature that differentiates it from freestyle wrestling. This restriction results in an emphasis on throws, because a wrestler cannot use trips to bring an opponent to the ground or hook/grab the opponent's leg to avoid being thrown.
Freestyle wrestling is a style of wrestling. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. High school wrestling and men's collegiate wrestling in the United States are conducted under different rules and termed scholastic and collegiate wrestling. U.S. collegiate women's wrestling is conducted under freestyle rules.
Shoot wrestling is a combat sport that originated in Japan's professional wrestling circuit (Puroresu) of the 1970s. Professional wrestlers of that era attempted to use more realistic or even "full contact" moves in their matches to increase their excitement, diminishing or eschewing the theatrical elements and acrobatics, looking more similar to an actual, unscripted fight. The name "shoot wrestling" comes from the professional wrestling term "shoot", which refers to any unscripted occurrence within a scripted wrestling event. Shoot wrestling incorporated realistic moves from submission grappling and various kickboxing styles. It was particularly inspired and influenced by catch wrestling, a form of wrestling with submissions that was the predominant style of professional wrestling in the 19th and early 20th century, at the time not yet predetermined.
Ashton-under-Lyne railway station serves the town of Ashton-under-Lyne, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the Huddersfield Line 6½ miles (10 km) east of Manchester Victoria and is operated by Northern Trains.
Karel Istaz, best known by his ring name Karl Gotch, was a Belgian-American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, catch wrestler, and trainer.
Catch wrestling is a classical hybrid grappling style and combat sport. It was popularised by wrestlers of travelling funfairs who developed their own submission holds, or "hooks", into their wrestling to increase their effectiveness against their opponents. Catch wrestling derives from various different international styles of wrestling: several English styles. The training of some modern submission wrestlers, professional wrestlers and mixed martial artists is founded in catch wrestling.
William Alfred Robinson was an English professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and coach. Robinson was one of the leading practitioners of catch wrestling, a national champion in freestyle wrestling, and a professional wrestling world champion. As a wrestler, Robinson had a successful career in Britain and internationally, especially in Japan. He was known for training professional wrestlers and mixed martial artists in the catch wrestling style, including Josh Barnett, Kazushi Sakuraba, Kiyoshi Tamura, and Shayna Baszler. His favourite saying as a coach was "do it again", which came from his trainer Billy Riley. Robinson acted in several movies including The Wrestler and inspired the fictional manga/anime character Robin Mask.
A folk wrestling style is any traditional style of wrestling, which may or may not be codified as a modern sport. Most cultures have developed regional forms of grappling.
Billy Riley was an English practitioner and teacher of catch wrestling. As a trainer in the sport, he taught some of the leading post-World War II figures in catch wrestling at his training school "The Snake Pit" in Wigan, Lancashire, England.
The history of collegiate wrestling can be traced to the many indigenous styles of folk wrestling found in Europe, particularly in Great Britain. Those folk wrestling styles soon gained popularity in what would become the United States, and by the mid-to-late 19th century those styles, especially freestyle wrestling, emerged in gymnasiums and athletic clubs throughout the country. From then on, tournaments were sponsored and a professional circuit of wrestlers helped promote wrestling in the United States and throughout the world.
John Lawrence Hathaway is an English mixed martial artist who competes in the welterweight division. He has also competed in catch wrestling, winning gold at the World Championships three times.
The Amalgamated Association of Operative Cotton Spinners and Twiners, also known as the Amalgamation, was a trade union in the United Kingdom which existed between 1870 and 1970. It represented male mule spinners in the cotton industry.
The Lancashire Coalfield in North West England was an important British coalfield. Its coal seams were formed from the vegetation of tropical swampy forests in the Carboniferous period over 300 million years ago.
Edwin Bibby was an English wrestling champion during the 1870s and 1880s. He was a popular catch-as-catch-can style wrestler in his generation. He became the first American Heavyweight Champion in 1881 with a victory over Duncan C. Ross. During his career he was also known as Ned and Eddie.
The different styles of wrestling may be classified in various ways, such as:
1 2 3 4 5 6 Pollock, Walter H.; Grove, F. C.; Prevost, Camille; Michiell, E. B.; Armstrong, Walter (1889). Fencing, Boxing, Wrestling. London: Longmans, Green, and Co.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
