Continuing my love of old British Pathé videos is today’s post on Harold ‘the Champion Nail Breaker’. Based in Derbyshire, Harold’s feats of strength and not only impressive but also shine a light on a by then disappearing trend in health and fitness.
By the time of this video (1963), fewer and fewer individuals were engaging in the kinds of strength acts conducted by Harold. In a world where powerlifting was now popular and world’s strongest men competitions were just around the corner, Harold was something of a throwback to the time when Eugen Sandow and others used circus tricks to dazzle audiences.
That, for me, makes Harold all the more special.