Stan Bissell

By the time the 1948 London Olympics came around, Stan Bissell was nearly 42-years-of-age, and his best years as a freestyle wrestler were behind him. A former British middle-, cruiser- and heavyweight champion, he also won the middleweight freestyle silver medal at the first two Empire Games in 1930 and 1934. He and Joe Reid were the only two English wrestlers to win medals at both Games. Bissell failed to make the British freestyle team for the 1948 London Olympics, but was offered a consolation place in the Greco-Roman event, which he took, but without success. He admitted 50 years later, that, because the style prohibited use of the legs, it was traumatic, and foreign to his style of wrestling.

During the War, Bissell was a Commando trainer, and for more than 30 years was an officer with the Metropolitan Police, where he taught unarmed combat to fellow officers, and was in charge of the Force’s physical recreation programme. In 1960, he was one of two men charged with organising the new Police Training School at Hendon, north London. Well known for his giant stature and thick neck, Bissell was also a leading expert in jiu-jitsu, and in 1949, Inspector Bissell took part in the famous London-to-Brighton walk, organised by the Surrey Walking Club.