Friday, June 19, 2009

Juno, the Lady Wrestler of Brockley

From the Penny Illustrated Paper, November 10, 1906:

'London is shortly to be provided with a new sensation - the lady-wrestler. At the present moment, there is living, not a hundred miles from London - to be more exact, at Brockley, in Kent - a lady named Miss Juno May, who will shortly make her first public appearance with an open challenge to any other woman-wrestler for £1000.

Miss May, who is only twenty-two years of a age, and who is a British girl born and bread - she was born in Kent - is well named Juno, for she is of exceedingly attractive appearance, and indeed, anything more unlike the average strong woman could not well be imagined. Standing over six feet in height, Miss May is perfectly proportioned, and is the possessor of beautifully-shaped hands and feet. In colouring she is dark, with blue eyes, a clear skin and very regular features'.

Full story here. Did anyone ever rise to her £1000 Challenge? I haven't been able to find out any more about her, but the article mentions that her trainer was Mr Antonio Pierri. There are several mentions of him online - among other things he seems to have both fought and later managed the famous wrestler of the time Youssuf Ishmaelo, the Terrible Turk

1 comment:

Monkeyboy said...

Bugger.... "Standing over six feet in height, Miss May is perfectly proportioned, and is the possessor of beautifully-shaped hands and feet"

I was up for buying a ticket until I saw it was 1906. Wonder if she has any great grand daughters?