The 20th annual British Wrestlers' Reunion was held at its traditional venue, The Bridges Public House, (proprietors, the former World Heavyweight Champion, Wayne Bridges and his bodybuilding champion wife, Sarah) in South Darenth, Dartford, Kent, on Sunday 14th August 2011. All were welcome: wrestlers past & present, referees, promoters, MCs, cornermen, their families, friends and members of the general public (i.e. the fans).



This year's reunion, a double celebration of the 90th birthdays of Mick McManus and Joe D'Orazio, exceeded all expectations. Unfortunately, Mick had to leave before he could be presented with his special award, but Joe was there to receive a heartfelt tribute from Frank Rimer on behalf of everyone in the "British wrestling fraternity". There were plenty of other "Wrestling Legends" on show to make it a day to remember. Tony St.Clair and "Mr Muscles" Johnny England were both attending a reunion for the first time, and visitors came from far and wide. New committee member Steve Barker announced that in the run-up to next year's reunion, a "Legends Wrestling Show" will be held at the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, on Friday June 1st 2012, and invited all those wrestlers who felt fit enough to take part to let him know. We await further news with high hopes of something really spectacular.

An exciting new feature is introduced here. Click on the symbols & or the text between them, to play short audio clips of the introductions, tributes and speeches.


 

If you can identify anybody not named in a photograph, please email: furnacehot@aol.com.

Meanwhile, on the Wrestling Heritage website you can read the Wrestling Heritage report and also author Ray Clarke's view of the day's events.


The stars of the show - "The man they loved to hate", Mick McManus, and Joe D'Orazio



 

The Bridges pub, and some products of the committee's hard work


 


Remembering those we've lost in the last year


 

The organisers and the assembled crowd


 

The Presentations


 





Two announcements, and a face or two picked out from the crowd


 

The award winners pose for photographs


 

Look who's here - a "Who's Who of British Wrestling"


 

 

(1) Keith Myatt & Jim Howard    (2) Tony St.Clair & grandson    (3) Frank Rimer & Tony St.Clair    (4) Tony St.Clair & Keith Myatt


 

 

(1) Jackie Turpin    (2) Alan Sargeant    (3) Derek Collins    (4) "Mr Muscles" Johnny England


 

 

(1) Johnny England & Jim Howard    (2) Mark "Rollerball" Rocco, Jackie Turpin, Tony "Banger" Walsh, Johnny England    
(3) Mark Rocco & Steve Lee Curtis    (4) Johnny Kincaid & Mark Rocco


 

 

(1) Bobby England & Karl Heinz    (2) Colin Joynson & Tony St.Clair    (3) Tony Scarlo & Jim Sullivan    
(4) Karl Heinz & Johnny Kincaid


 

 

(1) Mick McManus & Johnny Kidd   (2)Pete Evans & "Romany" Baz Riley    (3) "Bad Boy" Bobby Barnes & Tony "Titch" White    
(4) "Judo" Pete Roberts, Johnny Kidd, Steve Grey, Neil Sands, Tony St.Clair with grandson


 

 

(1 and 2) Peter Szakacs, Joe D'Orazio and family    (3) Tony Bates & Al Tarzo   (4) Tracey Kilby, "Bearman" John Elijah & ?


 

 

(1) Dave "Butcher" Bond, John Elijah & Big Bill Bromley   (2) Jackie Robinson & "Tarzan Boy" Darren Ward   
(3) Ciaran McConnell & Craig Winters   
(4) "Tiger" Dara Singh jnr, "Mighty Mongol" Susha, Mark Rocco, John Elijah, Frank Rimer & Japanese visitor Shuhei Aoki


 

 

(1) "Hurricane" Keith Haward & Frank Rimer   (2) John Cox    (3) Young Apollo & friend


 

Some pictures sent in by reader Jim Howard.


 

 

(1) Sanjay Bagga & Alan Lee Travis   (2) Keith Myatt   (3) Tony St.Clair & Keith Myatt    (4) Jackie Turpin


 

 

(1) "Kung Fu" Eddie Hammil   (2) Referee Al Saxon, Bobby Barnes & Johnny Kidd   (3) Johnny Kincaid & Johnny Saint   
(4) Mick McManus (many thanks to Jim for this photo, which is also used at the top of the page)


 

 

(1) Tony St.Clair   (2) Jim Howard & Tony St.Clair   (3) Ian Muir and Wayne Bridges   (4) Mark Rocco & Johnny Saint


 

 

(1) Peter Szakacs and granddaughter   (2) Alan Sargeant   (3) Steve Grey, Johnny England & Jackie Turpin
(4) Sanjay Bagga & Yorghos Christopoulos


 

 

(1) John Cox   (2) John Elijah


 

Jim Howard, pictured with the wrestlers


 

 

(1) Mark Rocco   (2) "Kung Fu" Eddie Hammil   (3) Bobby Barnes   (4) Johnny England


 

 

(1) Tony St.Clair   (2) Mick McManus   (3) Steve Grey


 

Any more photographs, sent in by readers, will be added to this page.
If you can identify anybody not named in a photograph, please write in to furnacehot@aol.com.