Hi all, Does anyone know of any history of this kind of entertainment/sport in Gippsland in the late 19th century? I have a mystery man, Walter Morris SIMON, a nephew of Yarram farmer Thomas MORRIS THOMAS, who appears to have been involved in this game. Walter was born 1866 in Ruthin, Wales, and died in 1896 in San Francisco, aged 29. The family legend is that Walter died after a boxing match. I found a death announcement in the San Francisco Call that simply said "SIMON - In this city, June 13, 1896, Walter M. Simon, a native of Wales, aged 29 years." No chance of a death certificate because of all the destruction caused by the earthquake and fire of 1906. Just last week a friend in California unearthed a mention of him in the SF Daily Bulletin of 23 August 1889: "Brief Mention - Walter M. Simon, the champion horseback wrestler of Australia, arrived in the city a few days ago and is looking for a match. The Australian contingent in this city claim that Simon is an all-round athlete, and particularly clever with his fists, having defeated several well known pugilists, Sam Matthews among the number." I've found mentions of Sam Matthews on the internet - he was better known as a wrestler. Oral history says that Walter was in Australia not long before he went to San Francisco, but this brief mention indicates that he was here well before. If he was promoting himself as Australian in 1889, perhaps he had actually migrated here, maybe with the help of his uncle TMT, and later gone to America. There is a record of a 22 year old W. Simon arriving on the Iberia in October 1887. Then again, it could have been a marketing exercise to make himself seem more exotic or ferocious. I wish I could get to Gippsland, I'd consult that excellent index at the Port Albert Maritime Museum. Never thought to look for mentions of SIMON/S while we there. If anyone has any suggestions on how to follow this up I'd be most grateful. Thanks, Loretta