Alfred Banbrook

Alfred Banbrook was an exponent of freestyle, Greco-Roman, and Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling. Before he took up wrestling in 1906, however, he was a fine runner and excelled as both a middle-distance and cross-country runner, having taken up the latter discipline with the Hampstead Harriers at the age of 15. His brother George was also a Hampstead member and he also became a fine wrestler.

Alfred was a London police constable with W Division and regularly competed in, and won, police wrestling tournaments. Shortly before his appearance in both the freestyle and Greco-Roman events at the 1908 London Olympics, Banbrook reached the semi-final of the English Championships at Shepherd’s Bush, losing to fellow policeman, and the eventual champion, Ned Barrett. Banbrook returned to the ring after World War I, but mainly in police competitions.