You heard it right: "Gravy Wrestling." Leave it to the Brits.
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Bacup, UKCompetitors take part in the 10th annual World Gravy Wrestling Championships at the Rose ’n’ Bowl pub. Contestants participate in fancy dress and wrestle in a pool of Lancashire gravy for two minutes while being scored for a variety of wrestling moves
Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images
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In my home county of Lancashire, we sure know how to measure a man's masculinityl Anyroadup, wrestling in gravy is a more humane evolution from how we used to do it, clog fighting....
ReplyDeleteClogs are wooden soled shoes usually worn by miners and cotton mill workers in the 19th century and early 20th century. Mines and cotton mills tended to be wet underfoot, therefore clogs were preferred because they were long-lasting, comfortable and cheap to buy or repair. Clogs were also worn by other working class people due their cheap cost and durability.
Clog fighting, or purring, was a way of settling disputes in Lancashire during the 19th century. Although taking part in clog fighting, or betting on the outcome of the fight was illegal, people continued to take part and watch clog fights. There is some debate as to how exactly a clog fight was carried out. It is generally accepted that the men fighting were naked, accept for their clogs. They would either stand or sit and try to kick each other as hard as they could in the shins until one of the fighters couldn’t take any more. There is a story of a clog fight somewhere near Manchester in 1843 where two men, Ashworth and Clegg, both naked except for their clogs, took part in a clog fight. Both men were severely injured. It is said that the winner, Ashworth, later went on to kill an opponent in a cog fight before emigrating to Australia. It is unknown if Ashworth had been transported by the Government to Australia as a convict, or if he had chosen to settle there. (From lightshaw meadows') website