Hall Of Fame

Hall of Fame - World Gurning Champions

 

Details of World Gurning Champions from 1945 to current day.

Gurning appears in the Guinness World Records. Once for Most Gurning World Championships wins (male), and once for Most Gurning World Champion wins (female).

Year

Champion

2nd Place

3rd Place

2017

 

 

 

2016

Adrian Zivelonghi (Coventry)

Tommy Mattinson

Ged Eccles

2015

Gordon Blacklock

Tommy Mattinson

Adrian Zivelonghi (Coventry)

2014

Tommy Mattinson

Alan (Happy) Hornell

Gordon Blacklock

2013

Tommy Mattinson

Adrian Zivelonghi (Coventry)

Alan (Happy) Blacklock

2012

Tommy Mattinson

Joe Peet

Gordon Blacklock

2011

Tommy Mattinson

Gordon Blacklock

Adrian Zivelonghi (Coventry)

2010

Tommy Mattinson

Gordon Blacklock

Adrian Zivelonghi (Coventry)

2009

Gordon Blacklock

Alan (Happy) Hornell

Ged Eccles

2008

Tommy Mattinson

Alan (Happy) Hornell

Gordon Blacklock

2007

Tommy Mattinson

Gordon Blacklock

Alan (Happy) Hornell

2006

Tommy Mattinson

Gordon Blacklock

Alec Woods

2005

Tommy Mattinson

Gordon Blacklock

Alec Woods

2004

Tommy Mattinson

Adrian Zivelonghi (Coventry)

(=) Gordon Mattinson

(=) Gordon Blacklock

2003

Tommy Mattinson

Gordon Mattinson

Alex Woods

2002

Tommy Mattinson

Peter Jackman

Gordon Mattinson

2001

Tommy Mattinson

Peter Jackman

Alan (Happy) Hornell

2000

Peter Jackman

Tommy Mattinson

Gordon Blacklock

1999

Tommy Mattinson

Peter Jackman

Rodney McVeigh

1998

Peter Jackman

Tommy Mattinson

Alex Woods

1997

Peter Jackman

Gordon Mattinson

Roy Millington

1996

Peter Jackman

Gordon Blacklock

Jim Wilshire (Australia)

1995

Gordon Blacklock

Peter Jackman

(=) Albert Henson

(=) Lenny Wells

1994

Albert Henson

Ian Rickerby

(=) Gordon Blacklock

(=) Lenny Wells

1993

Gordon Blacklock

Albert Henson

Peter Jackman

1992

Ian Rickerby

Des McKenna

Ron Looney

1991

Ron Looney

Ian Rickerby

Jim Cawell

1990

Ron Looney

Tommy Mattinson

Robert Johnston

1989

Gordon Blacklock

Tommy Mattinson

Ron Looney

1988

Gordon Blacklock

Ron Looney

Ian Rickerby

1987

Tommy Mattinson

Ron Looney

Jim McKenzie

1986

Tommy Mattinson

Ron Looney

Graham Tomlinson

1985

John "Snowball" Bryan

Dennis Russell

Tommy Mattinson

1984

Gordon Blacklock

Ron Looney

Jim McKenzie

1983

Ron Looney

Gordon Blacklock

Paul Seichter

1982

Ron Looney

Gordon Blacklock

John Bryan

1981

Ron Looney

John Bryan

Gordon Blacklock

1980

Ron Looney

Gordon Blacklock

Walter Cussins

1979

Ron Looney

Gordon Mattinson

-

1978

Ron Looney

Gordon Mattinson

-

1977

Gordon Mattinson

John Bryan

Ron Looney

1976

Gordon Mattinson

Ron Looney

John Bryan

1975

Gordon Mattinson

Henry Cass

John Bryan

1974

Gordon Mattinson

Miss Marie Quinn (USA)

John Bryan

1973

John Bryan

Gordon Mattinson

Alan Williams

1972

Gordon Mattinson

D Mansergh

J Hewitson (Calderbridge)

1971

Gordon Mattinson

J Delaney (Kendal)

Mr Burns (Whitehaven)

1970

Gordon Mattinson

Albert Henson

J Bainbridge (Staveley)

1969

Gordon Mattinson

"Taffy" Thomas

B McGrady (Silloth)

1968

Gordon Mattinson

Albert Henson

Dai Llewllyn (Wales)

1967

Gordon Mattinson

"Taffy" Thomas

John Bryan

1966

"Taffy" Thomas

Gordon Mattinson

Jock Branthwaite

1965

Albert Bennison (Consett)

(=) "Taffy" Thomas

(=) Dai Llewllyn

-

1964

"Taffy" Thomas

Jock Branthwaite

Albert Henson

1963

Jock Branthwaite

Albert Henson

"Taffy" Thomas

1962

"Taffy" Thomas

"Tedser" Stephenson

Albert Henson

1961

Albert Henson

"Taffy" Thomas

Jock Branthwaite

1960

"Taffy" Thomas

"Hardy" Campbell (Thornhill)

Mr Simpson (Millom)

1959

"Taffy" Thomas

Albert Henson

-

1958

Stanley Plummer

-

-

1957

Stanley Plummer

Ike Singleton

Jock Branthwaite

1956

Charlie Harvey

"Taffy" Thomas

Jock Branthwaite

1955

Jock Branthwaite

Mr Simpson

Albert Henson

1954

"Tedster" Stephenson

Jock Branthwaite

T Walker

1953

-

-

-

1952

C Harvey

Jock Branthwaite

T Walker

1951

-

-

-

1950

-

-

-

1949

Jock Branthwaite

-

-

1948

T Walker

-

-

1947

T Walker

Mr Peel (Millom)

-

1946

-

-

-

1945

T Walker

J Hugo (Frizington)

-

Notes

 

Most of the traditional Crab Fair events, including the gurning competition, were not held during the war years 1939-44 because it was impracticable to stage them.

 

"Jock" Branthwaite was reported in 1949 to be a bus conductor from Bransty, Whitehaven. He recorded a Crab Fair song which was played over loudspeakers at the 1949 Fair. He also sang the song on radio in 1955. A 1966 newspaper report stated that he won the gurning competition seventeen times, but this is almost certainly incorrect.

 

Tommy Mattinson of Aspatria is the winner of the most competitions to date, with thirteen victories. His father Gordon won ten times. Ron Looney of Egremont won the event eight times. Gordon Blacklock of Thornhill, Egremont has won six times. Wyndham "Taffy" Thomas of Cockermouth was victor on five occasions.

 

The first woman competitor, Mrs Mabel Braddock, took part in 1966. Mrs Braddock is the daughter of Albert Henson.

 

Miss Marie Quinn, reported to be the USA Champion, is the only woman in history to gain a place in the top 3 (2nd in 1974).

 

Contestants from Canada, Australia, the USA and Holland have taken part in the Egremont gurning championship. Nearer to home, competitors from all parts of the country regularly take part, and nowadays these competitors regularly outnumber local gurners.

 

Overseas contestants have been numerous, but not one has ever become World Champion Gurner

 

A junior gurning competition was first held in 1979 and continues to this day.

 

There was controversy at the 1997 World Gurning Championship when the judges awarded first prize to the wrong contestant. Peter Clifford, an actor from Manchester, was initially given the Championship, but after the event the judges stated that they had meant Peter Jackman. The situation was resolved when Peter Jackman was handed the trophy on TV programme "They think it's all over" a few months later.

 

After 8 wins in a row, Tommy Mattinson did not take part in the 2009 World Gurning Championship due to the death of his mother.

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