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Sue Brittain: 'Emmeline Pankhurst' of wrestling | |
(about 21 hours later) | |
Sue Brittain, whose funeral has been held in Pudsey, West Yorkshire, was an unlikely sporting heroine. | Sue Brittain, whose funeral has been held in Pudsey, West Yorkshire, was an unlikely sporting heroine. |
She was one of a small band of professional female wresters who plied their trade between the 1960s and 1980s. | She was one of a small band of professional female wresters who plied their trade between the 1960s and 1980s. |
Brittain - real name Marjorie Farrar - often had to fight local laws even to be allowed in the ring to grapple with opponents. | |
Fellow wrestler Al "Armour-plated" Marshall, veteran of more than 1,000 bouts, said of her: "She fought for women's rights, she was the Emmeline Pankhurst of wrestling." | |
The comparison with the early 20th Century suffragette came about because of Brittain's battles with local councils to be allowed to wrestle. | |
Equal opportunities | Equal opportunities |
Her legal fight came to a head when she used equal opportunities legislation against the then Greater London Council during a two-day court hearing in 1979. | |
She won the case and went on to fight in the ring, against Jane St John, at Wimbledon Town Hall. | |
It was the first women's bout in London since the 1930s. | It was the first women's bout in London since the 1930s. |
Ron Farrar, Brittain's husband of 54 years, said his wife would fight for her "political rights" by appearing in person before local councils to argue for a women's bout. | Ron Farrar, Brittain's husband of 54 years, said his wife would fight for her "political rights" by appearing in person before local councils to argue for a women's bout. |
Apart from a 10-day period, she held the British Wrestling Alliance (BWA) ladies' champion title from its inception in 1970 until she retired in 1982. | |
She was also recognised by the American Ring Wrestling magazine and was placed in its top 10 rankings. | |
Despite receiving many offers to fight in mainland Europe and the US, she never did so, turning them down because she did not want to leave her family. | |
She did lose her BWA title for a 10-day period in 1977 when she was beaten by Indian wrestler Akala Jan in Bradford. | |
Leotard and tights | Leotard and tights |
But a determined Brittain demanded, and won, a rematch and never lost the title again. | |
Mr Farrar said: "She was a villain in the ring and that suited the promoters." | Mr Farrar said: "She was a villain in the ring and that suited the promoters." |
The couple had a mutual interest in wrestling and she had been training in the ring for some time. | The couple had a mutual interest in wrestling and she had been training in the ring for some time. |
When a female wrestler could not fulfil a match in Whitley Bay, near Newcastle, she took her chance. | When a female wrestler could not fulfil a match in Whitley Bay, near Newcastle, she took her chance. |
With a leotard and tights bought in a Leeds department store and with a pair of borrowed boots, the career of Sue Brittain was born. | |
Mr Farrar said it "didn't surprise me, but it certainly surprised the relatives and friends". | Mr Farrar said it "didn't surprise me, but it certainly surprised the relatives and friends". |
"She didn't care what the audience thought of her. She would win at any cost but outside of the ring that impression was entirely false," he added. | "She didn't care what the audience thought of her. She would win at any cost but outside of the ring that impression was entirely false," he added. |
Fellow wrestler Marshall knew that putting the name Sue Brittain on a bill would boost the takings. | Fellow wrestler Marshall knew that putting the name Sue Brittain on a bill would boost the takings. |
"We were just 10-a-penny but ladies were an attraction and would put bums on seats," he said. "She could handle herself." | "We were just 10-a-penny but ladies were an attraction and would put bums on seats," he said. "She could handle herself." |
Sue Brittain retired from the ring in 1982 and, apart from a handful of bouts in which she donned a mask and adopted the name of Lady Satan, that was the end of her wrestling career. | |
She died aged 76 on 28 April. Her funeral was held at a Roman Catholic church in Pudsey, Leeds, on Tuesday. | |
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