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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Yorkshire (West Riding) => Topic started by: RuslanPashayev on Monday 23 October 17 03:20 BST (UK)
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My name is Ruslan, Delaware,Ohio(USA). My post is about - George Swithenbank (aka "Muck George") of the Junction, near Delph, Saddleworth who was born in 1825. In the mid and late 1840's he became the most prominent champion heavyweight wrestler of Yorkshire and South Lancashire. He practiced - Catch-as-catch-can, wrestling style which was popular in Lancashire,Yorkshire and Cheshire. He wins big heavyweight wrestling championship tourney in Bury, Lancashire in 1846. Then in 1849 he traveled to London to compete at Camden Town, at famous Cornish Style Championship. Swithenbank was associated with other best catch-as-catch-can wrestlers of the 40's - Adam Ridings (aka "Dockum") of Bury and William Buckley (aka "Trout") of Oldham. Swithenbank was the GREATEST wrestler of Yorkshire and South Lancashire in the 1850's and he was still wrestling in the early 1860's,his last competitive result in my collection is dated 1862. At his prime Swthenbank was 5ft 10 1/2 (180cm) tall and his weight was around 170lb (12st). George was a blacksmith, he lived his whole life in Junction, Saddleworth, and never got married. According to Ancestry he died at the age of 59 in 1884.I am trying to find his obituary in local Saddleworth newspapers, but I am not sure which papers might have covered that. Also trying to find any additional material on him. I would highly appreciate any info related to that subject.Thanks.Kind regards, Ruslan
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Confusingly, it's probably gong to be at Oldham.
https://www.oldham.gov.uk/info/200276/local_studies_and_archives
Wrestling was an integral part of rushbearings, and also the Whit Friday brass contests
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thanks so much for your reply, heres what I have...Saddleworth was in Yorkshire and it got split. Some of it was given to Ashton Under Lyne district in 1895.The rest was put in Oldham as late as 1974. Swithinbank is a 100% Yorkshire name and his dad was from Mirfield which is
Dewsbury. Father was Joseph or Josiah and mother Sarah from Saddleworth. Birth seems to be 1825 and his burial as 17th April 1884 at St Thomas Saddleworth. I am curios if there was any local newspaper which may have covered his death...I need his obituary. My hope is it may have more of his competitive results.
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Heres info...
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I can see the edge of Saddleworth Moor from the kitchen window (albeit in the distance) .
I'd try Oldham first of all.
https://www.oldham.gov.uk/info/200391/sources/659/newspapers_and_obituaries
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Pauline, you mentioned that wrestling was an integral part of rushbearings, and also the Whit Friday brass contests...Rushbearings are still present at Upper Mill as well as wrestling is...but what was that Whit Friday Brass Contest about and how it was related to wrestling?Do you know which style of wrestling was performed there? Never heard of it.
So you think his obituary will be in local Oldham papers for April 1884??
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http://whitfriday.brassbands.saddleworth.org/intro.html
Quite a serious competition. The local bands will practice several hours a week year round with extra practice before the event. Like all day Saturday and Sunday plus a 3 hour practice on a weekday evening.
Still an annual event, although it seems to be official started after just after your chaps time.
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Pauline so they still have "wrestling" at that brass band event or they had it in the past ??? may be I should email them?
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Ask the local studies centre which occasions in the past the year included wrestling.
I haven't heard of any wrestling at the modern brass competitions.
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thanks just emailed them, appreciate.
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Hi Ruslan,
I enquired a few weeks ago at the Local interest Centre re wrestling - if I recall it was a pub at Higginshaw etc.
In the local paper indexes there was only one mention the librarian could find which was a reproduction of an article from early 20th century re a local man.
There might be articles, obituaries etc in local paper filmed copies but not indexed so would be difficult to find.
However, you never know the email might be read by an employee with more ideas of where to look for you. Here’s hoping. :)
Heywood
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hello, thanks, yes unfortunately local archives Tameside and Oldham Archives do not have any specific info on wrestling/wrestlers, so its very hard to get any info...I am studying it mostly on BNA...any ideas if theres a museum/gallery/archive/historical society/library at Salford Hundred or nearby which may have any info???
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thanks so much for your reply, heres what I have...Saddleworth was in Yorkshire and it got split. Some of it was given to Ashton Under Lyne district in 1895.The rest was put in Oldham as late as 1974. Swithinbank is a 100% Yorkshire name and his dad was from Mirfield which is
Dewsbury. Father was Joseph or Josiah and mother Sarah from Saddleworth. Birth seems to be 1825 and his burial as 17th April 1884 at St Thomas Saddleworth. I am curios if there was any local newspaper which may have covered his death...I need his obituary. My hope is it may have more of his competitive results.
I've trawled through scores of online newspapers up to the date of 1st January 1885 looking for any mention of his death but unfortunately there isn't an entry in any newspaper in the British Library, which can be accessed via membership of the gales website. Newspapers that mentioned the surname Swithenbank covered the districts for Huddersfield, Oldham, Leeds, London, Yorkshire, etc., etc.
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thanks so much appreciate, what about Sporting Chronicle, a Manchester based major sporting paper which was first released in 1874...???Is that paper digitized and can be accessed thru BL membership ??? Thanks.Kind regards, Ruslan
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Sporting Life 04 April 1860
Daniel Heywood of Hollinwood, and George Swithenbank, alias Muck George, of Saddleworth, are matched to wrestle 2 back falls out of 3, Lancashire fashion, catch - weight, for 25l. a-side, on Monday the 9th of April. All foul play to be barred out; to take place at James Winterbottom's the Hare and Hounds, Higginshaw, Oldham, 15l. a- side is down in thehands of John Saville, Pedestrian Inn, Oldham, and the remainder of the money is to be made good by ten o'clock on the 9th inst. the day of wrestling. The men to be in the ring at eleven o'clock, and agree to a referee by half past, or the stake holderr to pick one. As both men are renowned wrestlers, a good deal of money is likkely to change hands,
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Sporting Life 05 April 1862
Snipe Inn Audenshaw.
Wrestling, Newton and Swithinbank. - Joseph Newton of Ducknfield, and George Swithinbank, of Saddleworth, have signed articles to wrestle the best of three back falls, Lancashire fashion, for £50 a-side, here, on Monday, April 28. To wrestle according to the Snipe Inn rules. Mr, Wm, Swann holds £5 each; to be made into £10 each on April 7; into £25 each on April 21; and the final deposit of £25 each on the day of wrestling at one o'clock. All deposits to bestaked at Wm. Swann's.
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Huddersfield Chronicle 11 May 1861
George Swithenbank, of Junction, blacksmith, charged William Grime and Joseph Normanton with assaulting and kicking him on the 21st ult. at Calf - Hey. It appeared from the statement of complainant that he was fighting with Grime, and that the other defendant, Normanton, held him while Grime kicked him severely on the head and about the body. Defendants said that complainant began of them, and Grime and he agreed to fight; that after they had fought a short time Normanton only endeavoured to separate them. Witnesses were called on both sides, but their testimony being of a conflicting nature the case was dismissed.
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It was noticeable to me that George was only mentioned when he was at his peak,then in the 1870s-1880s the only Swithenbanks that were mentioned were others who were being married or was a John Swithenbank, cricketer, and other Swithenbanks who were in the Brewery trade. I did notice various mentions of a Mr Swithenbank in the 1870s-1880s at various functions but it's anyone's guess whether he was once George the wrestler.
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thanks for sharing appreciate, yeah the 1862 match vs Newton was his last official appearance in the wrestling ring...I think he retired shortly after it.
His golden era was late 40s and 50s, unfortunately I dont have many of his results, besides those
of Bury Tourney victory in 1846 and his visit to London,in 1857 he wrestled Wm Swann giant of Ashton and lost...basically George was champion of Lancashire and Yorkshire 1845-1857.
Huddresfield papers, interesting idea...
I am also trying to figure out if it was him who won Nudger Sports in 1845 at Rochdale Bagslate Races.