 Illustration of a half Nelson technique | |
| Also known as | Catch-as-catch-can Lancashire catch-as-catch-can Lancashire style |
|---|---|
| Focus | Grappling,ground fighting |
| Country of origin | England |
| Famous practitioners | |
| Ancestor arts | Folk styles from England and continental Europe |
| Descendant arts | |
| Olympic sport | No |
Lancashire wrestling, commonly calledLancashire catch-as-catch-can orLancashire style, is afolk wrestling style that originated in thehistoric county ofLancashire inNorth West England. It became notable as the least restrictive and most aggressive style in England. It was popular across Britain and abroad, becoming a primary influence oncatch wrestling, through which it is an ancestor offreestyle wrestling,American folkstyle wrestling, Brazilianluta livre, Japaneseshoot wrestling andShooto, modernsubmission grappling, and associated styles likemixed martial arts andtheatrical professional wrestling.
The style was practiced and popularised in the area that now includes Lancashire,Greater Manchester, andWest Yorkshire. The objective was to achieve aback 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 utilisedstand-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, utilisinggrounded techniques to win bypin orsubmission. This was similar to German and Dutch/Flemish folk styles:halber ringkampf ("half wrestling") andganzer ringkampf ("full wrestling") in German, andneergooi ("throwing someone down") andondergooi ("throwing someone down and keeping him underneath") in Dutch/Flemish. According to Jim Parr, a champion fromWigan in the early 1900s, "In Lancashire, where the Lancashire or catch-as-catch-can-game, as it is called, originated, all falls count when the shoulders touch the mat together. It makes no difference whether you throw a fellow over your head, and let go of him, or whether you press him down with ahammerlock, or roll him: It is a fall every time the shoulders strike together."[1][2][3]: 232 [4]: xv, 29–33, 48–49, 51–52 [5]
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), theNelson,single leg anddouble leg takedowns, as well aspar terre (grounded). 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 ofusing them to achieve a pin but not with the intent to hurt an opponent or make them quit.[1][3]: 230, 232–236 [4]: 29–33 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.[3]: 232 [4]: 51–52 [5]
Wrestling on the ground made the Lancashire style unique in England, along with its minimal restrictions on holds and techniques—known as "catch-hold" or "catch-as-catch-can"—in contrast to the more restrictiveCornish,Devon,Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling styles.[1][4]: x, xi, xv, 51–52
In his bookWrestling (1890), Walter Armstrong described the style as:[4]: 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 asGreco-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 theCounty Palatine, in addition to the use of any fair means of throwing an antagonist." And describing the wrestlers, "Fortunate it is for the human race in general that Lancashire wrestlers are mostly small men,Acton andBibby, the two fiercest exponents of this uncivilised fashion of wrestling, being only 5 ft. 5 in. in height and 101/2 stone weight and 5 ft. 4 in. and 11 stone weight respectively." 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 (except Sunday) after reweighing the competitors.[3]: 230, 232–236 [4]: 30–33
Many of the wrestlers were textile workers and colliers, with a predominantlyworking class audience. As a result,Victorian era newspapers and magazines gave it little recognition until its popularity grew, leaving relatively few written records in contrast to the more widely accepted styles of the time. The wrestlers and their financial backers would sign an agreement under a governing body (usually a newspaper like theSporting Chronicle orWigan 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 andmusic halls, featuring theatrics as part ofvariety acts. Wrestlers from Europe, the United States, and other countries also toured England. Such flamboyances along withmatch fixing moved the style from sport to commercial entertainment, gradually setting a foundation for modern theatricalprofessional wrestling in Britain.[1][2][5][7]: 52–53 [8]: 1419–1421, 1425
Variations of "loose" wrestling styles in England have been recorded since theAnglo-Saxon period and the roots of Lancashire wrestling have been traced toBolton in the 1330s, with significant influence fromcontinental European styles. They were brought by Protestant textile workers fleeing religious persecution, namely Germanbauern-art ringen (wrestling after the farmers' fashion) and Flemishstoeijen (to touse, to tangle, to scuffle, to handle roughly). The styles practiced by these German, Flemish, as well as French immigrants, blended with the local style, resulting in "Lancashire up and down fighting", also called "purring", and "the Bolton method" due to the style's roots in that area. By theEnglish Civil War, it was a usual way to resolve disputes between men in the areas of East Lancashire and West Yorkshire, who commonly wore loin clothes and clogs, and engaged in a combination of wrestling, throttling, and kicking. The bouts ended by submission, usually through a hang (stranglehold), or inability to continue, signalled verbally or by raising a hand. It soon became the only "prize ring" (professional) combat sport practiced in the area. In the 1820s, the sport was made illegal due to serious injuries and 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][3]: 180 [9]
Threatened by the loss of an entire industry, the publicans (pub owners and managers) ofAshton reformed the local professional fighting circuit into wrestling in 1928, incorporating the "fair back fall" (two shoulders on the ground) based onCornish andDevon wrestling, althoughground wrestling made the style unique in England. Wrestling was a usual pastime for amateurs in the area, competing in challenge matches to see who was better, commonly betting quarter or half gallons of beer, and tournament prizes included pigs and silver watches. In 1856, the first written ruleset (the Snipe Inn Rules) was issued by Nelson Warren, proprietor of the Snipe Inn Grounds inAudenshaw, and professional championships were established such as the Snipe Inn Grounds Gold Cup and theCopenhagen Grounds Silver Belt. Also around that time, the Lancashire style was introduced to Scotland byDonald 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", also called "rough and tumble" by workers on thefrontier, leading to anAmerican variation. 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 "ManchesterSporting Chronicle Rules", based on the original Snipe Inn Rules. In 1894, a world title bout at Bengler's Circus inLiverpool betweenTom 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 ofHindley facing "Bull Dog" Tom Clayton ofFarnworth, which attracted 3,000 spectators to the Heywood Athletic Grounds. In 1899, during theEaster holidays, the first British championships were held at the National Athletic Grounds inKensal Rise, London, for the 12 stone (170 lb; 76 kg) and 10 stone 4 pounds (65 kg; 144 lb) championships. Joe Carroll won the 12 stone tournament, becoming the first champion of Britain, while the 10 stone 4 pounds championship went undetermined.[1][2][4]: 43–44 [8]: 1420–1422
In 1904, the sport was changed again by the establishment of the National Amateur Wrestling Association of Great Britain (NAWA). Also called "catch-as-catch-can", it was a different style based in London, using a revised version of the Manchester Sporting Chronicle Rules. With the emphasis on amateur competition after the start of theOlympics, wrestlers who had competed for prizes or wagers were banned. It has been claimed this was because the primarily working-class professionals were more skilled than the primarilyupper 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 theatricalprofessional wrestling. Notably, theatrical pro wrestling was a failure inWigan 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 became British championships. The most notable wasJoseph 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 andBilly Riley, founder of Riley's Gym, popularly known asThe Snake Pit. AfterWorld 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, likeHerbie Hall, a ten-time British champion, British Empire silver medallist, and Olympian.[1][5][7]: 98 [8]: 1420–1422, 1432 [10][11]
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During its heyday, the Lancashire catch-as-catch-can style spread abroad through wrestlers like Joe Acton andTom Cannon, becoming the most popular style in Great Britain, the United States, Canada, 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 theatricalprofessional wrestling, Americancollegiate wrestling, Brazilianluta livre andvale tudo, Japaneseshoot wrestling andShooto, and other styles such asmixed martial arts (MMA).[3]: 234–235 [4]: x [5][7]: 52–53 [12] As the Lancashire style declined,The Snake Pit inWigan became one of the last sources to preserve it. Its students, such asKarl Gotch andBilly 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).[11][13][14] To revive it, The Snake Pit began holding its own Lancashire-style catch wrestling competitions and certifications in 2012, and held its firstWorld Catch Wrestling Championships in 2018.[11][15][16]
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