HISTORY
MASTER
HIRONORI OTSUKA
SENSEI
TATSUO SUZUKI
SENSEI
PETER SPANTON
WADO RYU
Hironori Otsuka was born June 1st 1892 in Shimodate City, Ibaraki, Japan. At the age of 5 years, he began training in the martial art of Jujutsu under his great uncle, Chojiro Ebashi who was a samurai.
Otsuka’s father took over his martial arts education in 1897. At the age of 13, Otsuka became the student of Shinzaburo Nakayama in Shindo Yoshin Ryu Jujutsu.
On June 1st 1921, Otsuka received his certificate of mastery and license to teach.
Jujutsu was not to become Otsuka’s primary art and in 1922 began training in Shotokan karate under Gichin Funakoshi. By 1928, Otsuka was an assistant instructor in Funakoshi’s school and was also studying Kobudo.
It was the combination of Jujutsu and Shotokan karate that Otsuka used to form a new and more complete style of martial art we now know as Wado Ryu.
Otsuka opened his first school in 1934 although the style of Wado Ryu was not recognised until several years later.
Amongst Otsuka’s students came Tatsuo Suzuki whose name is now recognised throughout the world. In 1963, Hironori Otsuka dispatched Suzuki and two other students to spread the word of Wado ryu around the world. Before the end of 1964, Suzuki had formed the first Wado Ryu Federation in England and from his base in London expanded throughout Europe.
One of Tatsuo Suzuki’s students was a man from east London named Peter Spanton. After leaving the Merchant Navy he saw a newspaper article on karate. After watching Tatsuo Suzuki teaching, he decided to join. Peter was one of the first English men to be awarded a Black Belt.
Peter Spanton then went on to open his own karate clubs and association called Higashi. Two of his students were Alan Flook & Dave Wheatley who in tern went on to teach karate in Bristol.
SENSEI
ROY LEWIS
WEST ENGLAND MARTIAL ARTS
Roy Lewis was Born June 19th 1951 in Bristol.
His Father had served in the Royal Navy during WW2 and as part of this went on to box for the Royal Navy Team. It was partially due to inspiration from his father that in 1966 Roy started boxing at the Docklands Settlement in St Pauls, Bristol.
He trained here for 4 years until and unfortunately one of his sparring partners was stabbed to death at the Mill Club also in St Pauls. It was this incident that led Roy onto the path of karate.
In 1970 Roy started training Karate and by 1972 joined Bristol Karate club at the YMCA in Bedminster. His Sensei at this time was Dave Wheatley and Alan Flook.
In 1977 Roy, along with his close friend Stuart Pursey, Started North Bristol Karate Kai which we now know as West England Martial Arts. The club was based at Eden Grove church in Horfield and within just a few months had amassed to over 60 students.
By 1979 Roy had achieved his black belt under Sensei Ossie Thomas in Pontypool. During his grading, Roy had to fight against seven opponents at the same time and succeeded in beating all of them. Sensei Ossie Thomas gave Roy a standing ovation along with his own belt.
By this point Roy was proving to be a formidable fighter and martial artist, entering competitions and fighting at Crystal Palace in the English Championships.
He soon became a member of the England Sankukai Association under Sensei Nanbu 10th Dan and fought against Italy in London. He was then picked for the Return in Milan. The Chief Instructor of Sankukai was Sensei Butch White who was trained in Shukokai style karate. Butch is a very powerful and experienced karateka based in Birmingham and visited WEMA on several occasions. Roy himself has said that his invaluable techniques and advice has never been forgotten.
By the 1980’s Horfield Prison had taken Roy onboard to train the prison officers.
Throughout the years West England Martial Arts Association has also joined with Higashi (Under Peter Spanton) and Baska (Under Dickie Wu and Greg Wallace) and was based at Filton Sports Centre for over 30 years.
Roy along with various students managed to visit seminars to train with Tatsuo Suzuki, Peter Suzuki, Sensei Sakagami, Sensei Shingo Ohgami, Leon Jaye and several others.
It wasn’t long before Sensei Roy Lewis was awarded the title of Renshi, which is a great honour and means ‘polished instructor’.
Sensei Roy Lewis is currently a 8th Dan Renshi, Chief instructor to W.E.M.A
Over his career, Sensei Roy Lewis has had close to a thousand student’s and produced numerous black belts. His spirit that has given West England Martial Arts its reputation will never be forgotten.
