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Life and Times of Sifu Bob Weatherall
Author: Bob Weatherall
Bob Weatherall was born in the small coal mining town of Nuneaton in the North Warwickshire county in England, where he still lives today with his second wife Noreen.
Bob has been a fighter from an early age, he had to be. At the age of 5 years, he developed, as it was then, the crippling disease of Polio. This was first noticed when he started to get very tired and fell asleep at school. A doctor was called and he was rushed to Whitley Isolation hospital where, after 18 months he was released and the long hard battle of rehabilitation followed. His rehabilitation was both mentally and physically demanding and necessitated in him having to learn to walk again.
His memories of this time consist of spending all of his time either in bed or in an iron lung, the machine used to treat Polio patients, with nothing to look at but the mirror above his head, and wishing he was outside playing with the other children.
When Bob finally returned to school he continued to struggle but his perseverance paid off when he finally got to represent Vicarage Street School by playing left wing for the School football team.
The following years at Higham Lane Senior School were quite uneventful but he has one very clear memory. One day the local school bully, who everyone was frightened of, started to pick on Bob. More out of fear than courage, Bob fought the bully and much to his surprise, beat him. After this he gained a new confidence and consciously made the decision that he would never be bullied again.
Bob's involvement in the Chinese martial arts began in the very early 1960's. He first started training with a local school that was based on the Chinese arts called Tai Gik Koon (Cantonese for Tai Chi), although it could not be classed as a traditional art.
After a time he realised that this was not a true Chinese art although, what he learned there stood him in good stead for later on. A friend of his at that time, a policeman, had trained in some of the Japanese arts, set up his own school and asked Bob to join him. This Bob did and so followed a period of experimentation and discovery, always searching for the genuine Chinese arts. During this time Bob being in his early 20's spent a lot of time in the classes fighting (sparring), which he loved.
Eventually he decided that if he was ever going to discover the true arts he would have to go to where they originated; 'The Far East'.
This was not an easy decision to make as he was married with two young sons, but his love for the Chinese arts proved too strong and in August he gave up his job and a very nervous Bob flew from England to Hong Kong.
Before beginning his quest, Bob had written to the Hong Kong Embassy asking for advice and information on Kung Fu and they gave him the address of the Hong Kong Martial Arts Association. When the reply arrived he was instructed to contact them on his arrival in Hong Kong.
On arrival, much to Bob's surprise he was greeted by several members from the association and escorted to a hotel. After such a long flight Bob simply wanted to sleep, but greetings had to be exchanged and meetings arranged for the next few days.
The following day a party was arranged to enable him to meet the different masters of the different arts. (Bob later found out that the reason he was being treated like a celebrity was because he was one of the first Englishmen to have traveled to Hong Kong to learn the genuine Chinese arts.) The Chinese Masters were so impressed by his commitment they had decided to help him all they could to further his knowledge and promote Kung Fu.
At this party Bob was introduced to all of the top masters. The son of one of these was about the same age as Bob and offered to show him around, from this a friendship grew which continues to this day, his name is Luk Chung Ma and often uses the English name of Michael. He started showing Bob some of the movements of his style and asked if he would like to learn more.
Michael's father was the famous Luk Chi Fu and one of the heads of the Pak Hok Pai (White Crane) style.
Bob jumped at the chance and after talking with Luk Chi Fu, Michael's father, who was one of the Pak Hok Pai (White Crane) style, he was accepted into the family of White Crane and after the ceremony of swearing allegiance to General Gwan, the god of Kung Fu, to Luk Chi Fu and finally Pak Hok Pai, his training began. Rigorous training followed in earnest every day and evening with short breaks for refreshment over a period of four months, which was the time he had calculated his money would last. In the mornings Bob used to go along to the park and watch the people practicing their different Tai Chi and Chi Gung movements. After a few days he was invited to join in which he did. He carried on this way for most of the time he was in Hong Kong, but to this day he still does not know who the teacher of Tai Chi was as he did not speak English, but at that time Bob's first love was Pak Hok.
Bob was very lucky that Luk Chi Fu and Luk Chung Ma trained him privately. All too soon the four months came to an end, but due to Luk Chi Fu's generosity, Bob was able to extend his stay for another month, during which time he gave demonstrations at the Hong Kong theatre and on Hong Kong television with Luk Chi Fu. Bob was also asked to represent Pak Hok Pai on a tour they were planning in the USA.
Unfortunately fate decided to play a hand in this decision and during a demonstration he was doing with Luk Chi Fu for the Hong Kong television, Luk Chi Fu demonstrated a throw with Bob. Bob had misunderstood what was required of him during the demonstration landed badly breaking his collarbone in two places (the floor was concrete covered with a blanket). It was at this point that Bob decided to return home to his family and clubs, as his training could not continue whilst his collarbone was mending.
In Hong Kong a very sad farewell party was held, where Bob promised to promote Pak Hok to selected students in England, and promised he would one day return. Bob has honoured his promise and visited Hong Kong on many occasions since then and in return, Luk Chi Fu along with Luk Chung Ma have visited Bob in England.
Sadly Luk Chi Fu passed away in 1995 but Bob and Michael's friendship continues today and they are in regular contact.
Back in England he continued to practice Tai Chi on his own and teach Pak Hok and Sanshou to his students, after a while he stopped teaching Tai Chi and concentrated on the external styles.
He continued to expand his schools, and train very good fighters but his interest in tai chi was to be revived at a later date when Xia Chengen came to England and stayed with him for two months. They trained together, Xia taught Bob the 24 step Beijing form.
After Xia went back he decided to carry on his training. He had known master Jifu Huang for quite a while and knew that he was very highly respected in the Tai Chi community but being a traditionalist he knew that he should not just approach him and ask him to teach him, so he asked another friend of his master Kim Han (who had taught Bob modern Wu Shu) to do the formal asking. Master Huang told him that he would be pleased to teach him, and so began the start of a long relationship that lasted until master Huang's death.
From master Huang, Bob learned Tai Chi and Chin Woo Northern Shaolin, he travelled every week to London from the Midlands to train with Master Huang. Together, they were working on a Chin Woo gym when master Huang died.
Through Master Huang, Bob met, trained and became friends with some of the worlds top Tai Chi masters; Masters such as Professor Li Di Yin. Professor Li being one of the people who devised the 42 and the 24 step simplified Beijing forms. Bob found it an honour to run over the form with the person who devised it and who is the worlds leading authority on the form. ...
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