HUNDREDS of people flocked to Oxford Town Hall to enjoy wrestling.

Women were particularly raucous, shouting, cheering, jeering, clapping and gesticulating as the wrestlers battled it out in the ring.

On most nights, there was hardly a seat to spare in the main hall.

Yet, if certain women city councillors had had their way, wrestling would never have taken place there.

In a heated debate 50 years ago, in November 1960, one of them described it as “beastly entertainment”.

The city estates committee had received a request to stage wrestling from Dale Martin Promotions and had recommended holding two trial bouts.

The council agreed by 30 votes to six, but not before Alderman Kathleen Lower and others had spoken of their opposition.

Mrs Lower said: “Male members may think I know nothing about wrestling, but I have seen enough on films and TV.

“I am not at all sure that we want to encourage this type of audience.

“I have certain pride in the hall and buildings and the type of person it is likely to attract is not the type who would respect the amenities of the Town Hall.

“Wrestling might have a certain amount of skill attached to it – I would not know – but I don’t think it is sport.”

Amid laughter, she said: “There is nothing particularly skilful about trying to twist each other’s heads and necks off.

“I don’t think we should encourage this type of beastly entertainment in the Town Hall.”

Councillor Olive Gibbs supported her, saying that there had once been a demand for cock fighting and bear baiting.

She said: “I don’t think demand is the criterion. I watched wrestling on TV last night and it is absolutely degrading to see these people hitting each other all over the place. The screams from the crowd were disgusting.”

But there was plenty of support in the council chamber for wrestling.

Councillor Fred Ingram said: “This is the Town Hall of the city and it should be available for the use of any citizen.

“If people want to see other people being thrown about, good luck to them.

“As long as the wrestling is confined to the ring and not outside it, we would be wrong to turn this down.”