Sarah Elizabeth Cox
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oispooky.bsky.social
Sarah Elizabeth Cox
@oispooky.bsky.social
5.6K followers 710 following 3.7K posts
👩🏻‍💻 PR @britsciassoc.bsky.social
🥊 1880s boxing + wrestling historian
📕 THE DEVIL'S DANCEFLOOR (Duckworth, Oct 2026)
✍🏻 Moscow, Munroe, Goodson, Wannop, Smith, Ball &c.
🤜🏻 Advisor #AThousandBlows
🏖️ Clacton-on-Sea 🖤

www.grapplingwithhistory.com
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oispooky.bsky.social
Hercules Cock, Son of Hercules.

[He was actually a Cox, but still - very good!]
12 August 1648 baptism record for Hercules Cox. In olde handwriting it says 'Hercules, son of Hercules Cox, Glassmaker' (I think?).
November 25, 2025 at 4:01 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
STUART NAME OF THE WEEK
Screenshot of Find My Past entry for HERCULES COCK, buried 1665. In the 'relationship' column it says 'Son of hercules'.
November 25, 2025 at 3:30 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
Clacton in 2025 is very different to 1912.

For example, a few minutes walk from my flat I used to be able to find:

🐂 People riding bucking bullocks bareback
🤷🏻‍♀️ An irrepressible Australian jackass, the limit in perversity (!)
🦘 A boxing kangaroo called Bob

Now there is just Wetherspoons.
Text from a summer 1912 East Coast Illustrated News and Clacton Graphic newspaper, digitised by the British Newspaper Archive. Some of the acts from a 'Wild Australia' show are described eg. throwing the lasso, astounding fears with the lariat by expert rope men, riding bucking bullocks bareback, fun in the stockyard, introducing Barney the irrepressible Australian jackass, the limit in perversity; The Boxing Kangaroo, Ballarat Bob, a Remarkable Encounter between Kangaroo and Bushman.
November 25, 2025 at 3:11 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
My whole block of flats is being driven mad by a) a broken garage door swinging and banging loudly in strong winds and b) someone dumping loads of boxes by the skips instead of in them.

Just go ahead and call me one of the world's (well, Clacton's) great scientific minds... 😂🤷🏻‍♀️
Three large cardboard boxes wedged under a garage door to stop it banging.
November 22, 2025 at 3:28 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
One for the South East Londoners. The 1890 New Cross Boxing and Wrestling Club. Photograph possibly taken outside what was then the Lord Derby, Woodpecker Rd. Or original New Cross House. Wrestler/boxer, club founder, Jack Wannop (1854-1923) is in the centre of the men standing, with walking cane.
Very faded 1890 photo of lots of men and a couple of young boys gathered in front of and inside a horse-drawn coach outside a pub. There are 10+ men in front of the coach on the ground and more than a dozen seated inside. Caption underneath reads NEW CROSS BOXERS' PICNIC 1890.
November 21, 2025 at 9:58 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
On the plus side, we have new decor and Jack's talking is coming along. This is T-Rex, Egg, Tayto, Spikey, Baby, Tail, Feet, RoorRoor, Sky, and Doo Doo 😂🦖
Photo of a green plastic table covered in small sparkly dinosaur stickers.
November 20, 2025 at 8:50 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
My local council suddenly has cash to spend on building a 'cultural and creative hub' and wants residents' ideas on what that annoying and vague phrase should mean. So far it's:

80% want more public toilets
10% homeless shelter
10% lock Farage in it and make him hold surgeries

Going well, then.
a boarded up white painted brick single story building on Clacton seafront, next to a footpath. Boarded up small pebbledash hut with gated door on Clacton seafront.
November 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
I think this corner one might have been number 2 and they were number 1, which has since been demolished and rebuilt, but... this kinda vibe. Right opposite a pub called The Stanley, at least!
Burnt out derelict row of light colour brick terrace houses being demolished.
November 18, 2025 at 6:03 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
Oh to find THIS original photograph!

From the May 23rd 1908 Mirror of Life and Boxing World, via British Newspaper Archive.

'The Cross-Buttocker' (YES) published several pages of coverage from the grand wrestling tournament at Hengler's, under the direction of William Bankier aka 'Apollo'.
Black and white poorly digitised photograph of J.W., a man in his late 30s pictured from behind, flexing his back muscles and puffing out chest. Think the moustache is just about visible, side profile of face. Underneath it says J.W. PRICE The Clever Burnley Light-weight Wrestler
November 18, 2025 at 5:37 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
When introducing music hall proprietor and promotor George Belmont in my book, I initially describe him as a king of copywriting and a wife-beating bastard. He's probably not going to sue me from hell, right? 😅

Public Relations genius, nasty nasty man.

Check this advert from 1888:
Black text on white background, digitised advert from the Sporting Life, early 1888. XTRA. XTRA. XTRA. XTRA, XTRA, XTRA. XTRA, XTRA. XTRA, XTRA SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT of JACK KNIFTON and JACK MASSEY, JACK KNIFTON and JACK MASSEY, JACK KNIFTON and JACK MASSEY, Governor Generals of the Great Gloventes, and Heroes of several stubborn set-to's, Who will Spar Three Rounds at 8 and 10 nightly. Who will Spar Three Rounds at 8 and 10 nightly, at BELMONT’S SEBRIGHT MUSIC HALL. HACKNEY ROAD, TO-NIGHT (Thursday, Feb. 9). and TWICE EACH EVENING, Also The BROTHERS MASSEY, Champion Lancashire Wrestlers of the World, in addition to A Cardinal Coterie of Celebrated Champion Convivial Candidates, Commencing 6.30 and 9p.m. Prices. 2d., 4d., 6d - Side door a Bit Xtra, BIT XTRA, A BIT XTRA, A BIT XTRA If Man is Man, and a Woman is a Woman, and a Horse is Horse, And the Horse is a bit Fast, the Woman a bit Slow, and the Man a bit Short, Then they want a Bit Xtra, A BIT XTRA, A BIT XTRA, A BIT XTRA, Cause they want it, and so does GEORGE E. BELMONT. The Proprietor, Manager, and Prince of Caterers. So says the Sporting Life. - ADVT.
November 17, 2025 at 7:01 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
Messed around with my website this morning to make it look a bit more contemporary and a bit less about circa-2002 Photoshop montages I create while sat in a Wetherspoons after work. Do we hate it?

Irrelevant, but the mint green is the same colour as my living room 🥊

www.grapplingwithhistory.com
grapplingwithhistory.com homepage. mint green background, a list of five blogposts down the right hand side (I want a couple more but can't figure out how!). 1890 woodcut image of Alf Ball and the Sisters Mills on the left above the title of the website. subheading rediscovering the wrestlers and boxers of late victorian london at the top. lower half of homepage, mint green with text explaining my forthcoming book, black and white photo of hezekiah moscow to the right press, podcasts, publications page about the author page. mint green, my half-cut at 9pm on clacton high street exhausted face as a profile pic.
November 17, 2025 at 3:22 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
And BNA page two. Need I go on!
More 1975 Luton News headlines. MY GIRL WAS A LITTLE ANGEL. Murdered woman's mother hits out. Teenager stabbed in ambush. I SAW MY BROTHER DIE - YOUTH Christmas thieving' worry for shops - unemployment may boost crime Gang warfare fears after attacks
November 14, 2025 at 9:51 AM
oispooky.bsky.social
My dad was a crime reporter on the Luton News in 1975.

Just a couple of the highlights from just one page of a British Newspaper Archive search 😆
Clip from 1975 Luton News. Headlines read POLICE STRETCHED IN WAR ON VIOLENCE. THE DAILY CATALOGUE OF CRIME. Schoolboy mugged, train trip ends in terror, DJs are hit with brooms, Thugs in bid to rob man TRAGEDY STRIKES VILLAGE FAMILIES, KILLER DOGS SAVAGE FARMYARD HENS Pigeons destroyed in new attack CRISIS BRITAIN FACES MORE GLOOM - MP, Rape case detectives praised
November 14, 2025 at 9:42 AM
oispooky.bsky.social
How wrestling was described by a Pall Mall Gazette writer in 1912. Or 1972. Or last week, who can really be sure.
Clip from a 1912 newspaper digitised by the BNA. It says: "The noble art has fallen upon evil days, nor can I summon enthusiasm for the competition in music halls in which fat men struggle in a greasy catch-as-catch-can."
November 13, 2025 at 2:22 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
'New Threats. New Era. New Season.'

(New Poster)

Season II of A Thousand Blows streams 9 Jan 2026.

The completely unaffiliated, unconnected, in no way endorsed by Disney, book with the true stories of Hezekiah Moscow, Alec Munroe, Sugar Goodson - THE DEVIL'S DANCEFLOOR - is published in Oct 😅👊🏻
Poster artwork from Disney Instagram for A Thousand Blows. It shows Stephen Graham as Sugar Goodson, Erin Doherty as Mary Carr and Malachi Kirby as Hezekiah Moscow all looking super menacing while the backs of some men in hats face them. Tagline - The Critically Acclaimed Series Returns.
November 12, 2025 at 6:11 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
WHO IS THE TERRIBLE GREEK?

Antonio Pierri - find out his REAL name in a book chapter I'm writing - and Greek George both used the nom de plume as wrestlers in 1892. Greek George was upset about it, and turned up at the Sporting Life with a pile of newspapers as 'proof'. A classic match set-up!
Clip from a late Victorian Sporting Life front cover, digitised by BNA. Headline is WHO IS THE TERRIBLE GREEK? Text reads: There are two claimants for this nom de plume. Antonio Pierri has been advertising himself as the Terrible Greek for some months in England and on the Continent, but his claim to the blood curdling title is disputed by Greek George, who avers that Pierri is only appearing in borrowed plumes. Greek George attended our office on Saturday armed with a bundle of newspapers to prove that for over six years he has been dubbed the 'Terrible Greek,' consequent upon his victories over all comers America, including James M'Lellan, Andre Christol' (Norwegian Giant). Fritz Muller. P. Combes, Charles F'ynn. Butcher Boy. Tony Peters. Lorenzo. Sam Mathers, Matsu Sorakichi, John Graham. John Leon. Antonio Pierri and others. So far as the title of "Terrible Greek" goes, that certainly appears to belong to Greek George, but Pierri now wants to wrestle him for the title and a purse offered by the National Sporting Club. On Saturday Mr. George Sinclair called at the Sporting Lifa Office, and said he was prepared to match Pierri against Greek George, for £100 a side, but no business was done.
November 12, 2025 at 10:07 AM
oispooky.bsky.social
Ah, never a dull moment opening up the Famly app for a 'My Day' update. Baby's First Dexter Roleplay?
Cropped shot of an almost two year old boy's podgy little arm holding a cloth and cleaning up blood splatter, sorry, red paint, from a table. A large tray of morbid looking lumpy red paint
November 11, 2025 at 6:30 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
Ava Gardner at 40 when she was incredibly beautiful but also looked like total filth and could drink you under a table was peak Ava Gardner.
Close up colour pic of Ava aged 40-41 with hair curled and pinned up, smiling.
November 11, 2025 at 8:54 AM
oispooky.bsky.social
Can't thank the Lewisham Ledger enough for this headline. So good 😂. You'll find the latest about Miss Juno May on my website AND there will be more in women's wrestling essay collection Amazons of the Arena next year 🤼‍♀️ Please message me if you're up for a challenge!

www.grapplingwithhistory.com
Full page feature from a local newspaper a few years ago, a sketch of an Edwardian woman and article about her - a 6ft 2 lady wrestler. The headline is MAY THE FORCE.
November 10, 2025 at 9:08 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
"The Finest Specimen of Womanhood Extant" at the Empire, Dublin, 1907!

Who was Juno May? 💪🏻

'From Brockley' ALLEGEDLY.

Do YOU know? I'm working on it. I've been working on it for six years. We'll get there one day. More to come.

(She apparently did a v. good, very quick, very slick, elbow roll!)
Advert from an Irish newspaper in 1907 which reads EMPIRE 7 twice nightly 9 tonight (Tuesday) JUNO MAY THE LADY WRESTLER. The finest Specimen of Womanhood Extant. Height 6ft 2; weight 18st 17lb; age 22; nationality English V John Bain of Glasgow
November 10, 2025 at 8:57 PM
oispooky.bsky.social
The Goodwin Gymnasium ("three doors down from [the former] Shoreditch station") used to stand at 5 Kingsland Road, London - what is now a very closed milkshake shop, although I believe it was actually in that space to the right, incorporating the arches. Here's Jack Wellend V Alf Ball, 1890:
Scene from Kingsland Rd taken from Google maps. The building at no. 5 is three story, covered in posters and graffiti. To the right are some boarded up railway arches and a space, also covered in band and fashion flyers. Black and white sketch from the Illustrated Police News in 1935, digitised by the BNA. The drawing depicts an 1890 match at the club, two men in the ring, one knocked down, are surrounded by men yelling, cheering, waving fists and sticks, some on tiered seating.
November 10, 2025 at 11:23 AM
oispooky.bsky.social
Fred got in trouble during the war for buying rationed maize and other cow feed, knowing it to be stolen. When the police came, his defence was that he didn't buy food for cows "because he only had 10 hens". They found it in a fridge. Then he got absolutely destroyed by the Bucks Herald 🤭
Clip from 1941 Bucks Herald newspaper which describes by great grandad Fred Cox in court. It says "Cox, 69 years of age, who looked opld and crippled, said his son was the only proprietor of the filling station. He only 'pottered about'.
November 9, 2025 at 8:42 AM
oispooky.bsky.social
Remembering my grandad, Thomas Walter Cox (1913-1987). He worked at the Packhorse Service Station near Dunstable with his dad, Fred, joined the 2nd Btn. Beds & Herts, got shot through the neck in N. Africa, May 1943, came home, married my nan, and got a job as an electroplater for Vauxhall cars.
A slim man in his mid 40s with slicked back hair and a moustache holds a three or four year old boy (my dad) in front of an old cottage and some stocks on a day out. Both hold ice creams. It is about 1955. The same man, aged 30, in 1943. He's sat on a hospital bed smiling, wearing a full torso plaster cast wrapped round his body and neck. Next to him is a nurse but she's got her head cut off by the photographer's framing. His smile always makes me think she told a funny joke. He was flown from Tunisia to the Leicester Infirmary I believe, so this was possibly taken there.
November 9, 2025 at 8:27 AM
oispooky.bsky.social
At her first interviews in 1906, 6ft 2 Lady Wrestler Miss Juno May huffed that she wished people would "stop asking if she was a woman suffragist" - confirming she wasn't.

V. fun that she may have JUST missed meeting Kitty Marion (see @drfernriddell.bsky.social Death in Ten Minutes) in 1907! 💥
Text of a 1906 newspaper advert for the Empire Palace Theatre. Acts listed include Dublin's eminent baritone Mr Chas Robinson, Kitty Marion, Frank Bernard and Co. in their Excruciatingly Funny Act 'HELLO!' and Monday next... a startling engagement: Juno May world's champion lady wrestler. Cover of Fern's book, showing head and shoulders shot of Kitty with title DEATH IN TEN MINUTES overlaid - Kitty Marion. Activist, Arsonist. Suffragette. Quote from Lucy Worsley describes the book: "fierce, fresh, and feminist"! I agree.
November 8, 2025 at 10:42 AM
oispooky.bsky.social
Taking a break from The Devil's Dancefloor tonight to work on pinning down Miss Juno May for a forthcoming international essay collection on women's wrestling, past and present-ish. Out 2026 (I don't know how, when, where) edited by @physcstudy.bsky.social & US colleagues!

AMAZONS OF THE ARENA! 🤼‍♀️
A black and white photo of current WWE women's wrestler Rhea Ripley, leaning nonchalantly on ring ropes wearing black lipstick and black, metal, studded leather and sort of generally being the hottest thing you've seen in your whole life. I am, like, almost straight as well. Perhaps. Screenshot of Spokane Press newspaper in 1907, in the centre is a curvy Edwardian woman posing arms behind head in white blouse and trousers, above her the headline SIX FOOT THRILLER IS COMING FROM LONDON
November 7, 2025 at 7:07 PM