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 the use of 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 wilful 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).[5]
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.[1][3]:x,xi,xv,51–52
In his book Wrestling (1890), Walter Armstrong described the style as:[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
Many of the wrestlers were colliers and the audience was primarily working class, so recognition by Victorian era newspapers and magazines was limited until its popularity broadened, leaving comparatively few written records compared to the more accepted styles of the time. 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 taverns, public houses, sporting grounds, or even coal fields. Gambling was standard, an audience would gather and bets would be collected in hats. Casual wrestling was also common in pubs and public parks. A rise in popularity attracted regular press coverage and bouts were staged in theatres and music halls, featuring theatrics as part of variety acts. Wrestlers from the United States, Europe, and other countries also toured England. Such flamboyances along with match fixing moved the style from sport to commercial entertainment, gradually setting a foundation for modern theatrical professional wrestling in Britain.[4][6]:52–53[7]:1419–1421,1425
History
Origins
The Lancashire wrestling style began to form in the 1300s with significant influence from continental European styles brought in 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 styles brought by these German, Flemish, and also French immigrants, blended with the local style, 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", although punching was not permitted. The bouts ended by submission, usually through a hang (stranglehold), or inability to continue, signalled 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 in Audenshaw. 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 quarter or half gallons of beer, and tournament prizes included pigs and silver watches. Also around that time, the Lancashire style was introduced to Scotland by Donald Dinnie, where it gained popularity. Lancashire catch-as-catch-can expanded abroad through the century, becoming particularly popular in the United States, where it was known as "ground wrestling" and also called "rough and tumble" by workers on the frontier, leading to an American variation on the style. 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 1894, a world title bout at Bengler's Circus in Liverpool between Tom Cannon and American Tom McInerney attracted an "immense crowd" and programs featuring wrestlers from across Europe and America became common. Regional bouts were also popular, such as a February 1897 match between Joe Carroll of Hindley facing "Bull Dog" Tom Clayton of Farnworth, which attracted 3,000 spectators to the Heywood Athletic Grounds. 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[7]:1420–1422
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 which originated in London and used a revised version of the Manchester Sporting Chronicle Rules. With the emphasis on amateur competition after the start of the Olympics, wrestlers who 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. As the century progressed, the style divided further into local competitions like the working-class men of south Lancashire, and the popular music hall acts seen nationally which would become modern theatrical professional wrestling. Notably, theatrical pro wrestling was a failure in Wigan because the local miners were already "so rough that they could not be impressed." 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]:1420–1422,1432[8][9]
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 area.
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[10] 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).[9][11][12] To revive it, The Snake Pit began holding its own Lancashire-style catch wrestling competitions and certifications in 2012, and held its first World Championships in 2018.[9][13][14]
Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full-contact fighting sport based on striking and grappling, incorporating techniques from various combat sports from around the world.
Submission grappling, also known as submission wrestling, submission fighting, or simply grappling, is a martial art and combat sport that focuses on ground fighting and submission techniques. It is a hybrid discipline that incorporates elements of various martial 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.
Greco-Roman, Graeco-Roman, or classic wrestling (Euro-English) 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 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 Japanese hybrid grappling style and combat sport. Shoot wrestling incorporates techniques from various wrestling, submission grappling, kickboxing and karate 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 a competitive sport and not yet predetermined.
Karel Istaz, best known by his ring name Karl Gotch, was a Belgian professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, catch wrestler, and trainer.
Catch wrestling is an English style of wrestling with looser rules than forms like Greco-Roman wrestling. For example, catch wrestling allows leg attacks and joint locks. It was popularised by wrestlers of travelling funfairs who developed their own submission holds, referred as "hooks" and "stretches", into their wrestling to increase their effectiveness against their opponents.
William Alfred Robinson was an English professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and coach. Having trained at Billy Riley's gym, better known as "The Snake Pit" in Wigan, Robinson was one of the leading practitioners of catch wrestling, a British national champion in freestyle wrestling, and a professional wrestling world champion. He had a successful career in the UK and internationally, especially in Japan.
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.
Collar-and-elbow wrestling is a martial art and form of jacket wrestling native to Ireland. Historically it has also been practised in regions of the world with large Irish diaspora populations, such as the United States and Australia.
Billy Riley was an English professional wrestler, coach, promoter, and referee. A legitimately skilled wrestler, Riley's career began when professional wrestling bouts were still genuine contests. At various times, Riley was billed as the middleweight champion of the world, British Empire, and England. In 1948, he founded "The Snake Pit" gym in Wigan, where he coached for over 20 years, teaching the Lancashire style of catch wrestling to some of the leading post-World War II wrestlers, including Karl Gotch and Billy Robinson, among others. Riley's students were significant influences on professional wrestling, catch wrestling, and mixed martial arts (MMA), especially in Japan. Riley's Snake Pit has continued to operate and train wrestlers over 50 years after his death.
Joseph Acton, known by his ringname "Little Joe" or "Limey Joe", was a British professional wrestler and world champion who competed in England and America during the late 19th century. Acton is one of a handful of wrestlers credited with introducing "catch-as-catch-can" wrestling, with its roots in old Lancashire wrestling, to the United States. Wrestling under the name Joe Acton, and nicknamed "The Little Demon," Acton was considered one of the top wrestlers of his era.
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 is also one of the most accomplished modern-day catch wrestlers, having won three Snake Pit World Championships and a Snake Pit British Championship.
Wrestling and grappling sports have a long and complicated history, stretching into prehistoric times. Many traditional forms survive, grouped under the term folk wrestling. More formal systems have been codified in various forms of martial arts worldwide, where grappling techniques form a significant subset of unarmed fighting.
Joseph Reid was an English wrestler. He was a champion in Lancashire style wrestling, a six-time British champion, a two-time British Empire Games medallist, European Championships bronze medallist, and represented Great Britain at the 1932 Summer Olympics.
All-in wrestling was both a style of professional wrestling that emerged in the United Kingdom in the Interwar period as well as a term that came to describe professional wrestling in general during the 1930s and 1940s in the United Kingdom. As a style, "All-in" referred to a style that hybridised catch as catch can and other forms of British folk amateur wrestling with the emerging performances and showmanship of professional wrestling. Unlike Olympic freestyle wrestling, "All In" professional wrestling was presented as "no holds barred".
The different styles of wrestling may be classified in various ways, such as:
The Snake Pit is a wrestling gym and organisation in Aspull, Wigan Borough, England. It hosts the Aspull Olympic Wrestling Club. Founded in 1948 by Billy Riley in the town of Wigan, it was originally known as Riley's Gym. Riley was succeeded by Roy Wood, one of his last living students. In December 2023, Wood was recognised on the 2024 New Year Honours and awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) "for services to wrestling and young people" after coaching for almost 50 years. An exhibition about Riley and the gym began at the Leigh Town Hall in April 2024.
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.
Pashayev, Ruslan (22 July 2019). The Story Of Catch: The Story Of Lancashire Catch-as-catch-can Wrestling. First Fifty Years 1820–1870. Amazon Digital Services LLC - KDP Print US. ISBN978-1072393252.
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