Category Archives: Wrestling

Announcing The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III

Published 120 years after the Bartitsu School of Arms in London closed its doors for the last time and marking the 20th anniversary of the modern Bartitsu revival movement, the Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III is now available from Amazon. Over … Continue reading

Posted in Antagonistics, Baritsu, Bartitsu School of Arms, Biography, Boxing, Canonical Bartitsu, E. W. Barton-Wright, Editorial, Edwardiana, Fencing, Fiction, Hooliganism, Humour, In Memoriam, Instruction, Interviews, Jiujitsu, Mysteries, Physical Culture, Pop-culture, Reviews, Savate, Seminars, Sherlock Holmes, Sparring, Suffrajitsu, Vigny stick fighting, Wrestling | Comments Off on Announcing The Bartitsu Compendium, Volume III

Early 20th Century French Self Defence Manuals Translated by M.P. Lynch

A heads-up that a number of rare French antagonistics manuals, most dating from the period immediately following the brief Bartitsu Club era, are now available in English translation via Amazon, courtesy of M.P. Lynch. All the translations are available for … Continue reading

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More on the Bartitsu Club’s 1902 Exhibition at Oxford

Our 2017 article on the Bartitsu Club’s “grand tour” of exhibitions during early-mid 1902 included several detailed reports on the event staged at the Oxford Town Hall. One of those reports offered the intriguing detail that a Mr. Whittle, who … Continue reading

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“The Georgia Wonder Meets the Great Japanese Wrestler”

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Friday, 29th July 2011 Lulu Hurst, also known variously as the “Little Georgia Wonder” and as the “Georgia Magnet”, was a music hall sensation during the mid-late 19th century. Claiming to possess a … Continue reading

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Ryan Drago: Gentleman Bruiser and Bartitsu Rassler

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Friday, 18th May 2012 A profile of the esteemed strongman and professional wrestler Ryan Drago, whose intensive Bartitsu training sweeps all enemies before him …

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Antagonistics at the Royal Albert Hall (1904)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 23rd October 2012 Demonstrations of Pierre Vigny’s self defence with a walking stick and of jiujitsu were included alongside this July, 1904 Graeco-Roman wrestling championship bout between George Hackenschmidt and Tom Jenkins.

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Ambushed! (1905)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Monday, 11th February 2013 A dramatic sketch of French jujitsu pioneer Ernest Regnier, who operated under the quasi-Japanese nom de guerre of “Professor Re-Nie”, being headbutted by “Witzler”, a professional wrestler. The assault apparently … Continue reading

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“The Great Anglo-Japanese Tournament”: Bartitsu in Nottingham (March 1902)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Monday, 29th July 2013 The best evidence indicates that E.W. Barton-Wright’s Bartitsu Club in London closed down during the early months of 1902, for reasons that are still mysterious.  A recently-discovered series of … Continue reading

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“Learn ‘Glima’ And Protect Yourself Against Hold-Ups” (1923)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 10th December 2015 Click on the image above to expand it. Icelandic glima wrestler and showman Johannes Josefsson enjoyed great success touring throughout Europe and the United States during the early 20th century, including … Continue reading

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Armand Cherpillod in 1905

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Monday, 16th June 2014 A promotional postcard featuring Bartitsu Club wrestling and physical culture instructor Armand Cherpillod, shown posing in typical early 20th century jujitsu garb. According to his 1929 biography, Cherpillod was invited … Continue reading

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