Steel Bending/Breaking Contests of the 1950’s
- The Challenges and Challengers.
By David Horne
I wanted to know the results of the Breaking and Bending contests that featured in Britain in the 1950’s, so I set about researching through 100’s of Health & Strength magazines, books, etc.
In my Health & Strength magazines I found the 1955 British Nail Breaking Championships, which was won by Harold Cope against Brian Allkin, and also Arnold Dyson’s victory against Geoff Morris in Liverpool on May 5, 1957.
In the book Developing Grip Strength by my good friends David Gentle and David Webster it stated that Arnold Dyson, the 1953 NABBA Pro Mr Universe, beat Geoff Morris to win the British Bar and Nail Breaking Championships in March, 1954. It also stated that Dyson won the World Bar and Nail Breaking Championships in 1957. Maybe the Dyson versus Morris 1957 match in Liverpool was titled (or later titled) the World’s? Also maybe Dyson’s 1954 victory against Morris is an incorrect date, and is actually the 1957 contest, as I doubt they would have competed against each other before their 1957 encounter.
Main participants
Harold Cope
D-O-B:
Around 1916
Birthplace:
Lived in Ripley, Derbyshire.
Challenges:
Beat Brian Allkin to win the 1955 British Nail Breaking Championships. Challenges against Jack Maguire of London, and Trevor Barnett of Micky Wood’s gym were also mentioned. Did these come to fruition?
Best breaks/bends:
Broke a 6” nail in 6.2 secs.
Broke five x 6” nails in 1 min 33.5 secs at the 1955 British Nail Breaking Champs.
Broke ten x 6” nails non-stop in 3 mins 20 secs.
Broke fifteen x 6” nails non-stop in 5 mins.
Broke a 24” x ½” bar in 1 min 34 secs.
Titles:
1955 British Nail Breaking Champion
Film:
Nailbreaker - Mining Review No 8. Data Films, London, 1958. Strong Man on the British Pathe, 1963.
Arnold Dyson
D-O-B:
Birthplace:
Challenges:
Victory against Geoff Morris in Liverpool on May 5, 1957.
Best breaks/bends:
Broke a 6” nail in 6 secs.
Broke four x 6” nails in 59 secs.
Broke a 12” x 7/16” best quality iron bar in 29 seconds, the bar being supplied by Geoff Morris - on June 29.
Broke an 18” x ½” bar in 29 secs.
Titles:
1953 NABBA Pro Mr Universe.
1957 World Bar and Nail Breaking Champion.
Geoff Morris
D-O-B:
Around 1903.
Birthplace:
Lived in Southport.
Challenges:
Defeat against Arnold Dyson in Liverpool on May 5, 1957.
Best breaks/bends:
Broke five x 6” nails in 1 min 40 secs.
Broke six x 6” nails in 2 mins, at over 50 years of age.
Broke fifteen x 6” nails in 6 ½ mins (with 2 of these minutes taken up with wrapping the nails).
Broke a 12” x ½” iron bar in 40 secs.
Broke an 18” x ½” iron bar in 1 min.
Titles:
Book:
6ins Nail & Iron Bar Breaking made easy. With Lindop, Peter. pp.21. Foreword by Harold Wrigley.
I will now go through the information I found chronologically:
Health & Strength mag Aug 20, 1953 p.14.
A letter from Harold Cope is featured here asking what the British record is for breaking 6” nails and ½” bars. He states his times as “I break a 6” nail in 7 seconds, ten x 6” nails non-stop in 3 mins 20 secs, fifteen x 6” nails non-stop in 5 mins, and a 24” x ½” bar in 1 min 34 secs”. Cope also sent nails and the editor states that Bill Pearl and Jules Bacon were in the H & S office and did some mighty bending and breaking, but no times were clocked.
Health & Strength mag Sept 17, 1953 p.44.
It mentions Harold Cope appearing at the Physical Culture display in Heanor, Derbyshire [August 8] and going through a nail breaking routine, for which he claims the British record.
Health & Strength mag June 10, 1954 p.50.
Here it mentions Southport’s Geoff Morris nail breaking at a Physical Culture show at the St Paul Parochial Hall, Bolton, on May 8.
The Reg Park Journal mag Sept, 1954 p.20, 21 and 35.
An article on 50 year old Geoff Morris by Bert Loveday is featured in this mag, and includes 5 pictures (3 bending photos). Geoff Morris was a strandpuller, nail bender and a bodybuilder. Bert (the author) had just recently timed Geoff’s efforts, and these came out as; breaking 15 x 6” nails in 6 ½ mins (with 2 of these minutes taken up with wrapping the nails). This was followed by breaking a 14” x 7/16” bar in 40 secs, and then a 18” x ½” bar in just over 2 mins.
Health & Strength mag Dec 8, 1955 p.44.
It states that the national press were in attendance for the Britain’s Champion Nail Breaker contest between Ripley’s Harold Cope and Walsall’s Ron Allkin. This was at the Regent Hall, Nottingham on Nov 12. Harold Cope retained his title, breaking a 6” nail in 6.2 secs, and five in 1 min 33.5 secs. It mentions retaining the title, so had he won this in 1954, earlier than this, or was it a self appointed title?
Health & Strength mag Dec 22, 1955 p.40.
Here it shows a photo (shown below) of the 1955 Nail Breaking contest, with Harold snapping a nail, and Brian Allkin (not Ron) looking on.
Health & Strength mag Mar 29, 1956 p.50.
It mentions the increased popularity of the strongman in the media, and mentions television appearances of Harold Cope on ITV, and on a show from Derby, on March 17. Harold is also booked for some Physical Culture shows at the Spotlight on Fitness show at Chesterfield on April 11, and the East Midlands area show at Nottingham on April 28. Once again he challenges anyone to beat his times for breaking nails.
Health & Strength mag Apr 12, 1956 p.50.
Details of Harold Cope’s TV appearance from Derby on March 17 are mentioned. After an expander demonstration with the show’s presenter, and the bandleader Joe Loss, Harold then bent a 20” bar and broke two 6” nails.
Health & Strength show programme Apr 28, 1956.
Harold Cope is 5th on the bill at the East Midlands H&S show at the Regent Hall, Nottingham on April 28. It states he is Britain’s Champion Nailbreaker, and that there is an open challenge to all to break his nails, or stretch his ‘Challenge’ expander.
Health & Strength mag Apr 26, 1956 p.39.
It mentions Harold Cope in the line up for a Physical Culture show at the Working Men’s Club at Langley Mill, Derbyshire on June 23.
Health & Strength mag May 10, 1956 p.31.
Harold Cope’s nail breaking prowess is mentioned in the write up from the Spotlight on Fitness show from the Little Theatre, Chesterfield on April 11.
Health & Strength mag Feb 28, 1957 p.40.
Photo of Harold Cope bending a bar.
Health & Strength mag Mar 28, 1957 p.31.
It states that Harold Cope (Britain’s undefeated nail breaking champion), has a small club going in Ripley, and has a few protégés. A match has been arranged between one of Harold’s members and the Eastwood strong lad Henry Clifford, for March 8, at the Langley Mill show.
Health & Strength mag May 23, 1957 p.33.
On the letters page, a letter titled ‘How’s this for a Contest?’ by Bob Mitchell states “I have seen Arnold Dyson break a 12” x 7/16” iron bar in under a minute, and break four standard 6” nails in 45 seconds. He can also bend four nails together in his teeth! Can Cope break a 12” x 7/16” iron bar? My suggestion is a contest between Cope and Dyson on the next Mr Universe show. Then – and only then – will we know who the British Champion is.”
On the same page is a letter from Geoff Morris titled ‘Anyone over 50 Equal these?’ In this letter Geoff mentions his feats done in March this year, at over 50 years of age. 1. Breaking six x 6” nails in 2 mins. 2. Breaking 12” x 7/16” best quality iron bar in 40 secs. 3. Breaking an 18” x ½” best quality iron bar in 1 min 30 secs.
Health & Strength mag July 31, 1957 p.40.
It mentions Harold Cope in the line up for the All Star TV and H&S show at the Regent Hall, Nottingham, on Sept 14.
Health & Strength mag Aug 14, 1957 p.23.
In the letters page is a letter from Geoff Morris on Arnold Dyson. “On Saturday, June 29, in Holiday Town TV programme, before announcing the winners, Arnold Dyson, former Pro Mr Universe, did a feat of strength, namely, breaking a 12” x 7/16” best quality iron bar in 29 seconds, the bar being supplied by myself as this is a feat I also do. I offer £5 to anyone who can perform this feat in the same time as Dyson, whom I consider unbeatable at it.”
On page 25 it mentions Harold Cope’s 17 year old daughter Mary, placing 3rd in the 1957 Miss Erewash Valley Show at Langley Mill.
Health & Strength mag Aug 28, 1957 p.25.
In the letters page is a letter from Arnold Dyson. “I strongly dispute Harold Cope’s claim to be British bar breaking champion, as he has been beaten at this by Geoff Morris of Southport no less than three times.
“Subsequently I challenged Morris and a contest was arranged as a result. This took place on May 5 this year at Liverpool and was won by me. Two of my feats in this contest were breaking 12in x 7/16in iron bar in 30 secs, and an 18in x 1/2in bar in 40 secs.
“The fact that I won over Morris – who was previously undefeated at bar breaking – fully entitles me, I consider, to claim the title in question.
“Mr. Cope, it seems, bases his claim on a base of breaking NAILS faster than most people. But nail breaking is NOT bar breaking, and so many ladies are breaking nails now (Joan Rhodes, Sadie McIntosh, etc) that I would prefer to leave that item out of the controversy.
“It may be mentioned in passing though, that I broke a nail in 6 secs and 4 nails in 59 secs at the Oldham Spastic Children’s Charity Concert. John Lees (Mr. Britain 1953) timed these performances.
“On the ‘Holiday Town’ Television Show from New Brighton on June 29 this year I broke an 18in x 1/2in bar in 29 secs, timed by Macdonald Hobley.
“If Harold Cope or anyone else would like to meet me for the title in dispute, I’ll willingly give them a contest on the following or other suitable feats to be agreed upon: (1) Breaking a 12in x 7/16in bar (one or two); (2) Ditto 18in x 1/2in (one or two); (3) Bending a 10in x 3/8in mild steel carriage bolt into a U shape.
“I’m prepared to make a wager of £25 a side on the result, and will gladly deposit this sum with H&S in the event of a contest being arranged.”
In the letters page is also a letter from Wally Wright. “Over the past few months I have noticed various challenges being thrown against Harold Cope’s title of Britain’s Champion Nailbreaker, with many would-be names quoted as likely challengers. I am pleased to be able to announce now that anyone now has the opportunity of meeting Harold in fair open competition, with an official judge from the Headquarters of Health and Strength in attendance at the forthcoming ‘All Star TV, H&S’ show being staged in Nottingham on September 7 [moved forward to Sept 14]. Challenge is – 1: Quickest broken 6in nail; 2: Breaking of 10 6in nails; 3: Breaking of 18in x 1/2in Iron Bar. There will be £10 to anyone who can surpass on all three of these feats of strength, plus a trophy which I am putting up for the occasion. Full details from myself any time before the above date.”
Health & Strength mag Sept 11, 1957 p.46.
It mentions that Harold Cope hopes to have a match with Trevor Barnett of Micky Wood’s gym. It is also hoped that at Harold’s appearance in Nottingham on Sept 14, that a surprise competition from a bodybuilder holding an official international title will take place. It says “arrangements are now in hand”. Is this Arnold Dyson?
Health & Strength mag Sept 25, 1957 p.24.
Wally Wright mentions that he has had correspondence with Arnold Dyson, who says he is willing to meet Harold Cope at the East Midlands show at Nottingham on Sept 14, but with the challenge reading as; 1) Breaking a 12” x 7/16” iron bar (fastest time); 2) Breaking an 18” x ½” iron bar (fastest time); 3) Breaking six x 6” nails; 4) Breaking one 6” nail (fastest time); 5) Bending a 10” x 3/8” steel bolt into a U shape, with a £25 side stake. This includes the text of Harold’s challenge, together with some of Arnold’s personal challenge.
On page 42 it mentions Harold Cope appearing at a Physical Culture show at the Palace Theatre, Newark on Aug 10 performing nail breaking feats.
Health & Strength mag Oct 23, 1957 p.24.
Wally Wright reports that no one came forward to challenge Harold Cope at the H&S show at Nottingham on Sept 14 despite many reports to the contrary. On page 41 in the show report it mentions that Harold broke nails in his usual skilful and easy way.
[Such a great shame that Arnold Dyson and Harold Cope couldn’t have got it together at the Nottingham show]
Health & Strength mag Dec 19, 1957 p.20.
After a previous letter from someone mentioning ‘The Mighty Apollon’ J.C. Tolson (who would have been 54 years old at this time), Cope replied with his usual three feats challenge, which he says is open to anyone, either amateur or professional, or any nationality. Cope declared this challenge as one of the straightest in the world!
Health & Strength mag July 31, 1958 p.24.
In a letter from Harold Cope he mentions that a London film company (Data Films) had recently filmed his strength feats, and now the film is being shown all over the country. The title is “Nailbreaker”, and is showing in Mining Review No 8.
http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/69014?view=synopsis
He has also made nine appearances at various cinemas, and mentions if anyone would like a go at his feats he will do his best to appear at their local cinema or H&S show. This has to be on a Saturday as he works regular nights down a coal mine. Cope also mentions a challenge that was written up in the Sunday People newspaper. This challenge for £10 is against Londoner Jack Maguire, and was the usual 3 feats plus pressing two 56lb blockweights, weights held upside down for most repetitions.
[There is also a piece of film called Strong Man on the British Pathe site (I.D. 233.04). This short film features 50-year-old Harold Cope of Ripley, the champion nail breaker of the world. Firstly he presses two dumbbells above his head for reps, which is then followed by him pressing two 56lb block weights with two hands and pulling an expander behind his neck. He then performs his speciality by snapping a 6” nail in about 6 seconds, and bending a ½” thick bar. He offers anyone £20 and the world crown if they can break a 6” nail in 5 seconds, which is just faster than his own record.]
Health & Strength mag Jan 29, 1959 p.20.
In the letters page a question was asked on why the nail breaking contest refereed by Tony Carroll at the 1958 Mr Universe show did not take place. The answer was that the expected (six) competitors were not forthcoming; these included some from the Universe contest itself. After a deal of persuasion, three reluctantly agreed to have a go, but by this time it was too late to go ahead.
Health & Strength mag Oct 17, 1963 p.41.
In the write up for the Mr Wales contest it mentions 60 year old Geoff Morris performing nail and bar breaking, and also his £100 chest expander feat of strength as part of the show.
Health & Strength mag Aug 6, 1964 p.35.
Harold Cope’s challenge to the world is mentioned, to see if anyone can duplicate some of the feats. It includes the quickest time to break a 6” nail, and now includes the quickest time to snap seven 6” nails (with no time allowed for wrapping of nails). Another requisition for the challenge is that Cope supplies the nails for the match, and the author of the page remarks “I suggest that if Cope expects anyone to accept the challenge that the promoter finds the nails!” The author also mentions that he would put his money on Arnold Dyson any time, and says “those who saw him at Harold Wrigley’s recent show will know why”.
Health & Strength mag Dec 10, 1964 p.36.
Arnold Dyson’s performance at the S.E. Britain show at Stratford Town Hall (Oct 31) is mentioned. Dyson broke two ½” iron bars, and also did a posing display. On page 41 is a full page photo of Dyson bending the bar.
Summary
It is a shame that Arnold Dyson and Harold Cope never met in competition, maybe if Cope had not wanted everything his own way, even down to picking the nails on one occasion, it would have happened. Dyson seemed far better than Cope on the bar snapping, but also was even quicker snapping nails than Cope. Of course bars and nails vary, but Dyson did break Geoff Morris’s 12” x 7/16” best quality iron bar in 29 seconds (11 secs faster than Geoff) – so he tried other steel. Morris thought Dyson was unbeatable on this bar. Dyson wanted to go against the best, and when he went against Geoff Morris in Liverpool on May 5, 1957 he beat him.
I feel that on a balanced contest of say 4-5 different snaps then Dyson would definitely have beaten Cope, and even on Cope’s own challenge I think Dyson would have come out the victor on a head-to-head!
Here are their personal bests and the challenge – you decide!
Harold Cope’s Challenge
1: Quickest broken 6in nail; 2: Breaking of 10 x 6in nails; 3: Breaking of 18in x 1/2in Iron Bar.
Harold Cope
Broke a 6” nail in 6.2 secs.
Broke five x 6” nails in 1 min 33.5 secs at the 1955 British Nail Breaking Champs.
Broke ten x 6” nails non-stop in 3 mins 20 secs.
Broke a 24” x ½” bar in 1 min 34 secs.
Arnold Dyson
Broke a 6” nail in 6 secs.
Broke four x 6” nails in 59 secs.
Broke an 18” x ½” bar in 29 secs.
If anyone has any extra information, please contact me.
