Eskdale wrestlers of the 19th century

19th CENTURY ESKDALE WRESTLERS

Eskdale was not one of the great centres of Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling in its heyday, but competitions at Ravenglass could draw high-class entrants, and the area produced one or two good contenders over the years. As the project develops, I hope to add more material, particularly from newspapers, to these extracts and abstracts from 19th century books.

William Litt "Wrestliana" (1823)
1816- Carlisle: "In 1816 Todd was one of the two last standers for the first prize, but who had a right to be the other, is somewhat difficult to determine. Being a spectator for that year, we do not hesitate to say that the conduct of the umpires was extremely blameable. In the course of the wrestling, a fall between Thomas Richardson, of Hesket, and Joseph Graham, from Ravenglass, was given to the former. We assert that Graham was not allowed a fair hold,- that it was a manifest snap,- and that after all it was a complete dogfall."

J. Wilson "Reminiscences in the life of Thomas Longmire (Ex-champion of England)" (c1887)
[Longmire was born near Ambleside, and apprenticed to his father's trade of bobbin turning at Thickholme Mill. His first wrestling win was at Troutbeck. He later invested his winnings by entering the pub trade, at the "New Hall Inn", Bowness by 1857, and the larger "Commercial Inn" by 1860.]

1842: Longmire won 10 times, including at Ravenglass
1850- Ulverston ("the Flan"): "Longmire was for the third time hailed champion... the final falls were contested with W. Gardener, Eskdale, who succeeded in obtaining the first fall, but the succeeding two were scored to Longmire..."
1852-Ulverston: "The winner of the Flan prize was William Gardiner, Eskdale;" Longmire did not enter.
1853 Ulverston: Won by William Robley of Egremont, William Gardiner of Eskdale second. Longmire did not enter.
1853 Whitehaven: W. Gardiner was second in the light-weight category.
1855 Ulverston (Flan): Gardiner was beaten in the 4th round by Isaac Selkirk of Beckermet.
1857: "At RAVENGLASS on the anniversary of St. Grouse, there was a wrestling tournament, which brought together a goodly number of professionals, and Ben Cooper was the most successful competitor for the Heavy-weight prize, T. Davidson, of Castleside, second, and W. Gardiner third.
James Pattinson was first in Light-weights, and T. Davidson second, the style of wrestling by the latter being greatly admired."
1857 Sep 29/30- Whitehaven: "Troughton, of Birkby, wrestled Robson very hard, ere he was brought to grass"
1859 Aug 9/10- Ferry Hotel: "THE LIGHT WEIGHT WRESTLING was won by J. Pattinson, of Weardale... W. Gardiner, of Eskdale, third; the last named distinguishing himself as well as any during the day." In the 4th round "Gardiner, after a dog-fall, stretched Swinbank on the greensward".
In the contest for 32 picked men, Longmire won, and W. Gardiner was 4th.
1861 Oct 1/2- Whitehaven: "In the fourth round, Jamieson threw Troughton, of Birkby, heavily with the hipe."

Jacob Robinson & Sidney Gilpin, "North Country Sports and Pastimes: Wrestling and Wrestlers" (1893)
..."there were many good scientific men at the palmy period of the lake wrestling rings, who abstained from attending public gatherings almost entirely, and yet were quite as good as those who may be termed professionals.
One instance we can select from many, will suffice to prove this. Jonathan Rodgers won the championship of many local meetings in his own immediate neighbourhood. He was born and brought up at Brotherelkeld, the highest farm in the vale of Eskdale. In his infancy, it was a lonely farm, seldom visited by strangers, but now well known to tourists crossing Hardknot. His forefathers had held the fell farm- a very extensive one, carrying between two and three thousand sheep- for generations. He once got as far as the Flan, and won easily in a strong ring, finally disposing of Joseph Parker of Crooklands, a really good man, supposed to be the coming champion of Westmorland. At another time, climbing Hardknot and Wrynose, he put in an appearance at Skelwith-bridge, near Ambleside, where Mr. Branker of Clappersgate, and a few gentlemen, had got up a meeting. Singularly enough, he came against four of the best men in the north, and threw the lot, namely- William Bacon and Jemmy Little, both of Sebergham, Thomas Grisedale of Patterdale, and finally Richard Chapman of Patterdale. Having every requisite, he might have gone on winning- but gave up; and is now the respected and prosperous tenant farmer of Brotherelkeld." [According to directories, Jonathan Roger was farmer at Butterilket in the late 1870s, but moved to Low Birker in the 1880s]