By Nathan P Hunt
Professional wrestling is a business steeped in history and built on a foundation of tradition and respect. This is true throughout the world, but nowhere is the culture of celebrating this history more prevalent than in the UK. Workers of the past and present (as well as fans) gather for annual reunions to memorialise and commemorate the careers and performers who blazed a trail for wrestlers throughout the world. Beginning at the funeral of Catweazle (a beloved regular fixture on the UK's 'World Of Sport' television show in his heyday) back in 1991, the reunions have grown to include a large annual event for wrestlers and fans, as well as more intimate versions just for wrestlers and their families. The latter are held twice yearly in Leeds, hosted by former wrestler and promoter 'Tarzan Boy' Darren Ward along with Peter Thompson, who famously wrestled as Steve Fury (a good friend and travelling partner of William Regal in his early days in the business). Meanwhile, the original Southern reunion was founded by former wrestler, promoter, referee and actor Tony Scarlo in conjunction with wrestling referee Mal Mason. Current organisers Frank Rimer and Ken Sowden work closely with the event host, former wrestler Wayne Bridges, who holds the reunion at The Bridge's Pub in Kent. Both are an opportunity for attendees to meet up with old friends, reminisce about the glory days, discuss the evolution of the business and celebrate the contributions of the industry's legends. I had the honour to speak to some of the key figures in the organisation of the annual reunions to find out more about this noble tradition, its origins and its future.
Reunion organiser and website administrator Ken Sowden explained why British wrestling is an important part of the international wrestling landscape and why he feels that it is important to celebrate the contributions of the past through events like these.
"At one time Britain was the wrestling capital of the world. No other country could come close to the product that we produced. Many British wrestlers went abroad to teach our style and it was adopted by various countries. British wrestlers were always in high demand around the world and we saw our fair share of foreign grapplers coming to the UK to enhance their careers.
"Our main purpose is, for one day a year, to bring back the glory years of British Wrestling with our Reunion. Wrestlers are once again transported back to the huge stars that they were and the fans get to see those that entertained them night after night. The wrestlers themselves also meet up to relive the past, have a few drinks and tell a few lies."
He also revealed that there is more to the committee behind these reunions than just the events themselves and maintaining their website:
"We are here to help, advise and assist. Sadly we have to announce the passing of a wrestler, never a nice thing to have to do, we also (and this is something we never really comment on) help those that find themselves in some sort of difficulty."
Tarzan Boy Darren Ward, who organises the Northern events, explained the origins of the reunions and the people who made (and make) it possible.
"Tony Scarlo & Mal Mason founded the reunion movement in England; Tony organised it and it was held in Mal's garden. The thing that gave them the idea start it was the death of a famous TV wrestler - from Yorkshire funnily enough [as that is the home county for the Northern reunions] - Catweazle. Tony and Mal left the committee a few years later. Frank Rimer is the main spokesman for them (an ex wrestler and a nice bloke)."
Tony Scarlo (sometimes spelled Skarlo), would elaborate on the reunion's origins and explained that the idea was far from an immediate success.
"The idea of starting a reunion was around for many years. For some unknown reason it always seemed like I recieved the call when a wrestler passed away & then phoned other wrestlers to try and get as many to the funeral as possible. I became known as the voice of doom, or the angel of death - a title I wanted to lose - so I mentioned a reunion at every funeral but nothing happened until Catweazle's. Mal Mason suggested we start at once in his garden, so I contacted the wrestlers, but hardly anyone turned up. We tried again and this time Joe D'razio [who now serves as Reunion President] came with me, but still only 16 turned up. We then held it at Joe Cornelious' pub in Crawford Street, near Seymour Hall. It was a success, and the rest is history."
He explained that he stepped down from organising the event "because it was originally started to get wrestlers together to [reminisce, exaggerate &] tell lies about how good we were. It changed direction. It's still a good event, but not the way I wanted it to go." He continues to attend the reunions and enjoy them as a guest rather than be involved in the organisational side.
Ken Sowden reflected on the origins of the event and how it has grown over the years:
"When the Reunion started it had 6 people, and over the years it has grown to the biggest in Europe and second biggest in the world (behind the Cauliflower Alley Club in America). I have only been involved with the Reunion for a few years and a lot of the credit for its success has to go to Frank Rimer for all his hard work and dedication that he has put in over the years and to the Bridges' for their hospitality. The Reunion continues to grow and that is heartwarming, especially when you think how many of the greats have gone to the Dressing Room in the Sky. Sadly each year we lose more and more grapplers, but those that remain travel from around the world to be with us and the fans continue to support us, for which we are eternally grateful. This year we are expecting another record crowd."
Tony Scarlo and Mal Mason are owed a great deal of credit for setting up these reunions and have reason to be very proud of what the events have become. The reunions are a wonderful institution in the world of British wrestling and are a welcome celebration of the storied history of the sport in this country. Scarlo would share that his favourite thing about the events has been "seeing the delight on the faces of wrestlers meeting each other for the first time in years." He added that "The Southern reunion will always be my baby because I started it, but the Northern reunion is forging ahead in leaps and bounds."
Darren Ward told TW more about the Northern reunions and why Leeds, as the home of the legendary Relwyskow family, is the ideal locale for a pro wrestling reunion due to the rich history of the sport in that area:
"Our Leeds reunion is twice yearly, in March and October, and is for wrestlers and their families, while the Southern one is once a year and is open for fans too. We hire a venue, a bar, a P.A. system, buy the food (which is given away free, as is the tea and coffee). We fund it with a raffle and a few donations, and hopefully we don't lose any money.
"Leeds was the centre of wrestling in Europe, if not the world. I have everything on the history of the game going right back to 1908 when George de Relwyskow won his Olympic gold medal. I have lots of posters of Relwyskow going round the UK topping the bill between 1908-25, & offering £50 to any man who could pin him. Apparently he never lost. £50 was probably a year's wages for the average man in 1908! Sometime between 1926 & 1932 he realised the value in taking it off a mat into a ring & adding showmanship to make good entertainment."
In addition to George being one of the first wrestlers to incorporate showmanship into his athletic competitions (thus being one of the forefathers of professional wrestling as it exists today), his son George de Relwyskow Jr became a hugely successful and influential promoter and was based out of Leeds. This makes the city one of the natural choices as a setting for a wrestling nostalgia experience, and much like its Southern counterpart, the event is well attended by World of Sport alumni, as well as representatives from all aspects of the industry through the years.
2015 saw the first ever reunion in Manchester, as Marty Jones hosted a well recieved and highly praised event at the beginning of June. Jones lives in the area himself, but Manchester is also an important location for such an event due to the rich history of the sport in the city. It became the home for the first ever World Heavyweight Champion, crowned in 1905, George Hackenschmidt. The city was also the host to many famous events at Belle Vue, a historic venue for wrestling between 1930-1981. Jones worked the main event in the last ever wrestling show in the venue against WWE Hall Of Famer, Bret Hart. His Manchester reunion was well attended and saw well deserved awards being given to wrestlers of the past and present. 2016 will see an event to commemorate the rich history of wrestling in Blackpool, held in May by the fans and former wrestlers behind 'When Grappling Was Golden' Facebook page and Wrestling Heritage website. The event promises to be an interesting and revealing insight into the history of the sport in the seaside town and beyond.
The events continue to flourish and it is testament to the hard work of the legends of the ring and the lasting impressions they made on each other and the viewing public. I asked Ken Sowden about the future of the Southern reunion and how the event can be expected to grow:
"The future will rely on people attending and we are are always anxious for the new breed of wrestlers to attend. Slowly but surely, more and more are coming. After all, the stars of today are the legends of tomorrow. We advertise current shows on our website and are pleased to say that a number of promoters and wrestlers are now taking a keen interest in what we do. Obviously as the years go by, there will be those that are unable to attend, and the younger generation of fans cannot remember World of Sport wrestling on TV. Everything has a shelf life and the Reunion is no different. At the moment we are still growing and people still have an interest, so that can only be a good thing for all of us. The Reunion website (www.britishwrestlersreunion.com) is more popular than ever & we have a facebook page (British Wrestling, the Glory Years) which has seen 1800 likes in a year. We are coming to the attention of more people than ever before and people who may not have been aware of the Reunion previously will be visiting us for the first time this year to meet their heroes and chat with like minded fans."
David Low, the promoter of Scottish Wrestling Entertainment and a veteran of the ring himself, has attended several reunions and appreciates their importance for legends and contemporaries alike:
"I enjoy the reunions. I enjoy meeting old friends and people who I met when I first started in this 22 years ago. I enjoy listening to the stories and trying to work out which are true and which are absolute porkpies! Haha. I have a great respect for the Golden Era grapplers and think there is a real need for these greats to keep teaching and help to mould the younger generation."
August 9th 2015 saw the legendary (and famously reclusive) Kendo Nagasaki attend a reunion for the first time, where he was inducted into the British Wrestlers' Reunion Hall Of Fame, while Crusher Mason's daughter accepted a posthumous award in her father's honour. The March 2016 Leeds reunion was attended by Mark 'Rollerball' Rocco, who flew in especially for the event from his home in Tenerife to recieve his own Hall Of Fame Award. The celebration of legendary careers is one of the key elements of the reunions as the fans and peers of some of the industry's leading figures pay tribute to those who cemented their legacy and that of British wrestling on the worldwide landscape. Ken Sowden told me why this is the part of the reunions which excites him the most.
"I look forward to the award ceremony when we get to give something back to the wrestlers. Obviously I know in advance who are receiving awards but it is still great to see their faces when their names are read out and humbling to see how choked up some get when they are presented with their certificates. There is so much going on that sadly the day is over before you know it and we have to wait another year before we can do it again. I have been very fortunate and am very honoured to be part of the Reunion. At the end of the day though the Reunion is there for everyone, the wrestling fraternity, and we are thrilled that so many wrestlers and fans want to be part of it with us."
A truly wonderful tradition which continues to grow with every year, the British Wrestlers Reunions are an honourable and respectful institution which will hopefully continue for many years. Celebrating the richest and most diverse national history of any country throughout the world, it is a great thing to have for the wrestlers themselves, and in the case of the Southern Reunion, for fans as well.
Professional wrestling is a business steeped in history and built on a foundation of tradition and respect. This is true throughout the world, but nowhere is the culture of celebrating this history more prevalent than in the UK. Workers of the past and present (as well as fans) gather for annual reunions to memorialise and commemorate the careers and performers who blazed a trail for wrestlers throughout the world. Beginning at the funeral of Catweazle (a beloved regular fixture on the UK's 'World Of Sport' television show in his heyday) back in 1991, the reunions have grown to include a large annual event for wrestlers and fans, as well as more intimate versions just for wrestlers and their families. The latter are held twice yearly in Leeds, hosted by former wrestler and promoter 'Tarzan Boy' Darren Ward along with Peter Thompson, who famously wrestled as Steve Fury (a good friend and travelling partner of William Regal in his early days in the business). Meanwhile, the original Southern reunion was founded by former wrestler, promoter, referee and actor Tony Scarlo in conjunction with wrestling referee Mal Mason. Current organisers Frank Rimer and Ken Sowden work closely with the event host, former wrestler Wayne Bridges, who holds the reunion at The Bridge's Pub in Kent. Both are an opportunity for attendees to meet up with old friends, reminisce about the glory days, discuss the evolution of the business and celebrate the contributions of the industry's legends. I had the honour to speak to some of the key figures in the organisation of the annual reunions to find out more about this noble tradition, its origins and its future.
Reunion organiser and website administrator Ken Sowden explained why British wrestling is an important part of the international wrestling landscape and why he feels that it is important to celebrate the contributions of the past through events like these.
"At one time Britain was the wrestling capital of the world. No other country could come close to the product that we produced. Many British wrestlers went abroad to teach our style and it was adopted by various countries. British wrestlers were always in high demand around the world and we saw our fair share of foreign grapplers coming to the UK to enhance their careers.
"Our main purpose is, for one day a year, to bring back the glory years of British Wrestling with our Reunion. Wrestlers are once again transported back to the huge stars that they were and the fans get to see those that entertained them night after night. The wrestlers themselves also meet up to relive the past, have a few drinks and tell a few lies."
He also revealed that there is more to the committee behind these reunions than just the events themselves and maintaining their website:
"We are here to help, advise and assist. Sadly we have to announce the passing of a wrestler, never a nice thing to have to do, we also (and this is something we never really comment on) help those that find themselves in some sort of difficulty."
Tarzan Boy Darren Ward, who organises the Northern events, explained the origins of the reunions and the people who made (and make) it possible.
"Tony Scarlo & Mal Mason founded the reunion movement in England; Tony organised it and it was held in Mal's garden. The thing that gave them the idea start it was the death of a famous TV wrestler - from Yorkshire funnily enough [as that is the home county for the Northern reunions] - Catweazle. Tony and Mal left the committee a few years later. Frank Rimer is the main spokesman for them (an ex wrestler and a nice bloke)."
Tony Scarlo (sometimes spelled Skarlo), would elaborate on the reunion's origins and explained that the idea was far from an immediate success.
"The idea of starting a reunion was around for many years. For some unknown reason it always seemed like I recieved the call when a wrestler passed away & then phoned other wrestlers to try and get as many to the funeral as possible. I became known as the voice of doom, or the angel of death - a title I wanted to lose - so I mentioned a reunion at every funeral but nothing happened until Catweazle's. Mal Mason suggested we start at once in his garden, so I contacted the wrestlers, but hardly anyone turned up. We tried again and this time Joe D'razio [who now serves as Reunion President] came with me, but still only 16 turned up. We then held it at Joe Cornelious' pub in Crawford Street, near Seymour Hall. It was a success, and the rest is history."
He explained that he stepped down from organising the event "because it was originally started to get wrestlers together to [reminisce, exaggerate &] tell lies about how good we were. It changed direction. It's still a good event, but not the way I wanted it to go." He continues to attend the reunions and enjoy them as a guest rather than be involved in the organisational side.
Joe D'Orazio
Ken Sowden reflected on the origins of the event and how it has grown over the years:
"When the Reunion started it had 6 people, and over the years it has grown to the biggest in Europe and second biggest in the world (behind the Cauliflower Alley Club in America). I have only been involved with the Reunion for a few years and a lot of the credit for its success has to go to Frank Rimer for all his hard work and dedication that he has put in over the years and to the Bridges' for their hospitality. The Reunion continues to grow and that is heartwarming, especially when you think how many of the greats have gone to the Dressing Room in the Sky. Sadly each year we lose more and more grapplers, but those that remain travel from around the world to be with us and the fans continue to support us, for which we are eternally grateful. This year we are expecting another record crowd."
Tony Scarlo and Mal Mason are owed a great deal of credit for setting up these reunions and have reason to be very proud of what the events have become. The reunions are a wonderful institution in the world of British wrestling and are a welcome celebration of the storied history of the sport in this country. Scarlo would share that his favourite thing about the events has been "seeing the delight on the faces of wrestlers meeting each other for the first time in years." He added that "The Southern reunion will always be my baby because I started it, but the Northern reunion is forging ahead in leaps and bounds."
Darren Ward told TW more about the Northern reunions and why Leeds, as the home of the legendary Relwyskow family, is the ideal locale for a pro wrestling reunion due to the rich history of the sport in that area:
"Our Leeds reunion is twice yearly, in March and October, and is for wrestlers and their families, while the Southern one is once a year and is open for fans too. We hire a venue, a bar, a P.A. system, buy the food (which is given away free, as is the tea and coffee). We fund it with a raffle and a few donations, and hopefully we don't lose any money.
"Leeds was the centre of wrestling in Europe, if not the world. I have everything on the history of the game going right back to 1908 when George de Relwyskow won his Olympic gold medal. I have lots of posters of Relwyskow going round the UK topping the bill between 1908-25, & offering £50 to any man who could pin him. Apparently he never lost. £50 was probably a year's wages for the average man in 1908! Sometime between 1926 & 1932 he realised the value in taking it off a mat into a ring & adding showmanship to make good entertainment."
In addition to George being one of the first wrestlers to incorporate showmanship into his athletic competitions (thus being one of the forefathers of professional wrestling as it exists today), his son George de Relwyskow Jr became a hugely successful and influential promoter and was based out of Leeds. This makes the city one of the natural choices as a setting for a wrestling nostalgia experience, and much like its Southern counterpart, the event is well attended by World of Sport alumni, as well as representatives from all aspects of the industry through the years.
2015 saw the first ever reunion in Manchester, as Marty Jones hosted a well recieved and highly praised event at the beginning of June. Jones lives in the area himself, but Manchester is also an important location for such an event due to the rich history of the sport in the city. It became the home for the first ever World Heavyweight Champion, crowned in 1905, George Hackenschmidt. The city was also the host to many famous events at Belle Vue, a historic venue for wrestling between 1930-1981. Jones worked the main event in the last ever wrestling show in the venue against WWE Hall Of Famer, Bret Hart. His Manchester reunion was well attended and saw well deserved awards being given to wrestlers of the past and present. 2016 will see an event to commemorate the rich history of wrestling in Blackpool, held in May by the fans and former wrestlers behind 'When Grappling Was Golden' Facebook page and Wrestling Heritage website. The event promises to be an interesting and revealing insight into the history of the sport in the seaside town and beyond.
The events continue to flourish and it is testament to the hard work of the legends of the ring and the lasting impressions they made on each other and the viewing public. I asked Ken Sowden about the future of the Southern reunion and how the event can be expected to grow:
"The future will rely on people attending and we are are always anxious for the new breed of wrestlers to attend. Slowly but surely, more and more are coming. After all, the stars of today are the legends of tomorrow. We advertise current shows on our website and are pleased to say that a number of promoters and wrestlers are now taking a keen interest in what we do. Obviously as the years go by, there will be those that are unable to attend, and the younger generation of fans cannot remember World of Sport wrestling on TV. Everything has a shelf life and the Reunion is no different. At the moment we are still growing and people still have an interest, so that can only be a good thing for all of us. The Reunion website (www.britishwrestlersreunion.com) is more popular than ever & we have a facebook page (British Wrestling, the Glory Years) which has seen 1800 likes in a year. We are coming to the attention of more people than ever before and people who may not have been aware of the Reunion previously will be visiting us for the first time this year to meet their heroes and chat with like minded fans."
David Low, the promoter of Scottish Wrestling Entertainment and a veteran of the ring himself, has attended several reunions and appreciates their importance for legends and contemporaries alike:
"I enjoy the reunions. I enjoy meeting old friends and people who I met when I first started in this 22 years ago. I enjoy listening to the stories and trying to work out which are true and which are absolute porkpies! Haha. I have a great respect for the Golden Era grapplers and think there is a real need for these greats to keep teaching and help to mould the younger generation."
August 9th 2015 saw the legendary (and famously reclusive) Kendo Nagasaki attend a reunion for the first time, where he was inducted into the British Wrestlers' Reunion Hall Of Fame, while Crusher Mason's daughter accepted a posthumous award in her father's honour. The March 2016 Leeds reunion was attended by Mark 'Rollerball' Rocco, who flew in especially for the event from his home in Tenerife to recieve his own Hall Of Fame Award. The celebration of legendary careers is one of the key elements of the reunions as the fans and peers of some of the industry's leading figures pay tribute to those who cemented their legacy and that of British wrestling on the worldwide landscape. Ken Sowden told me why this is the part of the reunions which excites him the most.
"I look forward to the award ceremony when we get to give something back to the wrestlers. Obviously I know in advance who are receiving awards but it is still great to see their faces when their names are read out and humbling to see how choked up some get when they are presented with their certificates. There is so much going on that sadly the day is over before you know it and we have to wait another year before we can do it again. I have been very fortunate and am very honoured to be part of the Reunion. At the end of the day though the Reunion is there for everyone, the wrestling fraternity, and we are thrilled that so many wrestlers and fans want to be part of it with us."
A truly wonderful tradition which continues to grow with every year, the British Wrestlers Reunions are an honourable and respectful institution which will hopefully continue for many years. Celebrating the richest and most diverse national history of any country throughout the world, it is a great thing to have for the wrestlers themselves, and in the case of the Southern Reunion, for fans as well.
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You can also read my full interviews with the participants in this piece by clicking their names below:
Plus you can see my other related articles/new stories about the following legends and their reunion awards:
(This article has been updated from an original version posted on the 'GetRealWrestling' website in July 2015, but was edited and moved here after that site closed.)