Charlie Warne of Springfield, St Columb first became champion of Cornwall in 1914 the previous two years it was Sydney Chapman of St Wenn who had also been Champion of Africa and middle weight Champion of America.
Charlie became heavyweight champion under the new Cornwall county wrestling association formed in 1923 winning the new perpetual belt which is still wrestled for to this day, in 1926 & 1927 defeating in the process Fred Richards (old pound) a well respected champion and very fine wrestler in his own right.
Some examples of his renowned can be found in the press:
The West Briton and Royal Cornwall Gazette - Thursday July 21st 1960
By Reverent Jolly a well known wrestling historian
This is an extract of a article running through past champions.... Of the men who followed I remembered best the
masterly display of Charley Warne of St Columb in 1926 the best wrestling in fact that I have ever seen, just and only just behind Warne's display was that of Francis Gregory at St Austell in 1927 or 28 when at 18 he defeated in turn Bazeley of St Dennis, Hawkey of old pound and finally Fred Richards a former champion.
Polkinghorn vs Cann souvenir booklet - 1976 by Ivan Rabey
Former heavyweight champion and much respected William (Sykes) Chapman talking on past champions says in his estimation the greatest exponent of Cornish Wrestling in all its aspects was yet another St Columb man Charlie Warne, Cornish Heavyweight champion in the 1920's.
