George Swithenbank of Saddleworth - Champion Wrestler of Yorkshire

[RuslanPashayev]

thanks just emailed them, appreciate.

[heywood]

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

[RuslanPashayev]

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???

[Rena]

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.   

[RuslanPashayev]

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

[libby9]

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,

[libby9]

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.

[libby9]

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.

[Rena]

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.