Cornish Wrestling in Liskeard was reported in local newspapers as early as 1829, but it wasn’t until May 30, 1908 that a field in Station Road was given as a specific location, attended by ‘several hundred spectators.’ Representing Liskeard were R Richards, ‘a novice at the game’, and E Masters. Neither won any of the prize money; the first three prizes of £5, £3 and £2 were won by each of the three Chapman brothers of St Wenn.

By June 4th 1930 the prize money had increased to £6, £4 and £3; the St Austell Gazette reported that ‘At a wrestling match at Liskeard finer was never seen in any county’. But still no Liskeard men among the prizes! A wrestling event on Saturday September 1, 1945 was interesting for two reasons: the venue was specifically named as ‘Rapson’s Field, Station Road’ and the mention of a well-known local man ‘A match that brought great applause between Harry Gregory (Roche) and Jack Bice (Liskeard) was drawn’. A demonstration rematch took place in Liskeard two years later between these two wrestlers when ‘a fair-sized crowd most heartily applauded the two veterans, both ex-champions, who found that neither had lost his ringcraft and tricks. The result was a draw; each wrestler having had two falls.’

Jack Bice was in fact John Patrick St Britius Bice, who owned a Newsagent, Tobacconist and Sweet Shop with his wife in Fore Street, he had an agency for Watkins, Rosevere Tractors in Old Road, was a member of ‘Churchill’s Secret Army’ in WWII, and Mayor of Liskeard in 1957 and 1958. As an undefeated middle weight champion of Cornish Wrestling, he represented Cornwall in international tournaments held in Brittany.

Not everyone was a supporter of wrestling matches though, one that outraged the protesters was planned to be held in Moorswater on Easter Monday 1832. Posters appeared in Liskeard that proclaimed ‘Wrestling gives rise to drunkenness, quarrelling, swearing, gambling, neglect of families and wasting hard earned wages. These consequences are so sad at any time, especially now when we have so lately been humbling ourselves before God in fasting and prayer’ [on Good Friday and Easter Monday].