Wrestling and Wrestlers: Biographical Sketches of Celebrated Athletes of the Northern Ring; to Which is Added Notes on Bull and Badger BaitingRobinson, Jacob
History
Wrestling and Wrestlers: Biographical Sketches of Celebrated Athletes of the Northern Ring; to Which is Added Notes on Bull and Badger Baiting
Robinson, Jacob
Wrestlers; Wrestling
In the first and second rounds, Dickinson threw John Baillie and John
Routledge; and in the third had a keenly contested struggle with John
Watson--a well known athlete in the early annals of the Carlisle ring--and
succeeded in throwing him. Among others who came to grief in the third
round were Tom Richardson, "the Dyer"--then a stripling in his teens, and
Joseph Bird of Holm Wrangle. Turning out as fresh as a lark, in the fourth
round, Dickinson grassed William Ward; and in the fifth, James Routledge;
the latter of whom had previously done good service by disposing of John
Nicholson of Threlkeld, William Earl of Cumwhitton, and Joseph Peart. In
the sixth round, the hero of the day was fortunate enough to be odd man;
and then at the last faced George Dennison, (who had previously carried off
William Slee of Dacre, with a clean hype.) The final fall was a singular
one. "Dennison," says Litt, "threw in his left side with much force,
intending to buttock his opponent; Dickinson left go, and Dennison,
disappointed of his object, staggered forward a considerable distance, but
could not save himself from going down on his hands, otherwise he would
have won the fall, as he had preserved his hold."
The head prize--a belt, and eight bright guineas--was then handed to
Dickinson, amid much cheering, especially from the Alstonians, and some
commotion from the disappointed friends and admirers of Dennison.
After tracing Dickinson's career, until his brow was decked with the green
bay of victory, in the foremost wrestling ring of the kingdom, there ensues
a sudden collapse. The Carlisle ring of 1814, was probably the last one in
which he figured, for afterwards we lose sight of him altogether as a
wrestler.
About this date he married Sarah Eals, of Alston, innkeeper, who proved a
shrew. Not living happily with her, and being himself a man who loved
quietude and peace of mind, more than strife and contention, he left both
the neighbourhood and his shrewish partner behind him, somewhat suddenly,
and went into Scotland, where he lived for some time employed as a
gamekeeper. He afterwards emigrated to America; and although doomed to be
an exile from Alston and his native district, it is said he returned again
to England, and died many years ago.
GEORGE DENNISON
OF PENRITH.
For more than thirty years--from 1808 to 1840--George Dennison was a
well-known character in the north; trusted and esteemed by all classes as a
skilful bone-setter, all over Cumberland, Westmorland, and a great part of
North Lancashire. Whenever a bad case of broken limbs or dislocated joint
befel an unfortunate individual, throughout this wide district, the first
move in most cases was either to, "Send for Dennison," or else, "We must go
to Penrith."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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