Clog Fighting in South East Lancashire

[RuslanPashayev]

Dear Friends, who has any memories about the clog fighting/shin kicking/purring contests in South East Lancashire please be welcome to share. I will highly appreciate that. Thanks in advance. Kind regards, Ruslan

[Ray T]

I've head of it but thought it was a relatively modern phenomenon.

I once ran the sound system for the annual "Worst Singer in the World" competition which use to take place in Fleetwood; maybe it still does?

Must go and walk the whippets!

[LizzieW]

RuslanPashayev - are you writing a book or something? You are asking so many questions on sports and sportsmen from the past

[Pheno]

Well done for asking Lizzie - I've also been wondering and conjecturing as its not general genealogy stuff.

Pheno

[RuslanPashayev]

clog fighting/shin kicking contests were widely practiced by local colliers in South East Lancashire during 1800's. Bolton, Rochdale, Bury, Wigan, Salford, Oldham and other areas. There were famous Pendlebury Purrers  Two combatants stripped to their waists would apply hold of each other shoulders (and elbows) and will kick each others shins. The loser was the one who fell on the ground first, or gave up, or even released the initial hold. Those were the rules to the best of my knowledge. I have heard that contests continued illegaly till 1950's. Thanks.

[LizzieW]

RuslanPashayev - are you writing a book or something? You are asking so many questions on sports and sportsmen from the past

You haven't answered my question though.

[LizzieW]

Out of interest you may want to put cock fighting into your research and I don't mean with real cocks, but with people crouching down, arms crossed and trying to knock each other over.  We used to do it at school (in the North of England) but I'm sure that too must have originated with men fighting too.

[RuslanPashayev]

Its actually very funny, BUT you arent the first person on this forum who asks me the same question. Honestly to hear the same question asked over and over again is truly depressing. And yes I answered this question several times already and will repeat again - I am a ballroom dance teacher from Ohio USA...I do not write any books, may be some day I will write one on Latin Dancing Technique...But you asking made me think - DO YOU GUYS HAVE HOBBIES AT ALL? OR YOU DO RESEARCHES to make living ONLY Now can you picture that there ARE people in the world who have hobbies, and do researches for fun as a hobby. Hard to imagine right?

[Ruskie]

I think you will find that for many of the people on rootschat, researching family history IS their hobby. Many of them will be employment as well as having numerous other hobbies. Some are retired. I don't think there are any rootschatters who are professional genealogists - at least not one that I can think of.

You should not find it depressing that others have also asked if you are writing a book. Perhaps there is something in the questions you ask or the way you ask them, that gives people that impression. It's only natural for people to be curious about what you are up to. They may want to help you. I have read many threads over the years on rootschat where people actually are writing a book, and they ask for help with their research.

I think if you just wanted to find out general information about unusual things such as Clog Fighting, then you would use google to research. It is because you are specifically asking for people's memories and personal experience that gives the impression you are looking further into this, but you shouldn't get annoyed if people are curious about why.