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
The annual wrestling meeting on the Swifts at Carlisle, in September, 1825,
says a local report of that date, "was attended, as usual, by myriads of
country people, for whom this manly amusement appears to have charms quite
unknown to the degenerate race pent up within the walls of smoky and
enervating towns. The ring was under the entire management of Mr. Henry
Pearson, and the most complete order prevailed. It is calculated that from
twelve to fifteen thousand persons were lookers-on at the first-day's
sports." The first prize was eight guineas; and one guinea was given to the
last thrown man, or second stander. Among other well known wrestlers who
attended, and whose names are not mentioned hereafter, may be noted, John
Robson, Jonathan Watson, Tom Richardson, George Irving, William Earl,
Joseph Abbot, and Wilfrid Wright. Weightman, for the second time, carried
off first honours, with great ease: all efforts put forth to stop his
onward career being futile and unavailing in the extreme. In the third
round, he met Dan Burgh of Crookdale-hall; and in the fourth, Thomas Miller
of Crookdykes. In the fifth round, James Graham of Kirklinton laid down,
because, (as the victor slyly remarked,) "he kent it was neà use
russellin'!" In the sixth round, Weightman was lucky enough to be odd man;
while, in the final fall, the perfidious tricks and sturdy attacks of Jacob
Armstrong availed him nothing--for quick as thought his various moves were
frustrated, and he was sent to grass, sprawling on his back, in a style
which neither he nor any of his partisans had anticipated.
In the following year, 1826, Weightman was again the successful competitor
for the head prize in the Carlisle ring. He was opposed, from the second
round, by the following wrestlers, namely, Thomas Lawman, Wilfrid Wright,
John Robson of Irthington mill, Joseph Robley, and George Irving. The
description given in the _Carlisle Patriot_ of the event, is curious as
being the production of one to whom the North Country sport was evidently a
novelty, and on that account it may be worth quoting. The writer says:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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