This week in history (11 Feb – 17 Feb)

11 February

On 11 February 1966 Jack Green, instructor of the British Karate Federation’s Blackpool dojo was graded to 1st Dan under Keinosuke Enoeda. He was the third man in Great Britain to be awarded his 1st Dan, after Andy Sherry and Joseph Chialton had been graded the previous day in Liverpool.

17 February

On 17 February 1947, Nicholas Adamou was born. He began his Karate training, alongside his older brother Chris, in 1964 British Karate Federation’s London dojo.

When Hirokazu Kanazawa began teaching JKA Shotokan for the BKF in 1965, Adamou and his brother become devoted students of his.

Following the split from the the BKF, the Adamou brothers became members of the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB), whose Chief Instructor was Kanazawa.

Both Nick and Chris Adamou graded for 1st Dan in 1967 under Kanazawa.

Adamou joined Kanazawa’s Shotokan Karate International (SKI) when it was first formed. He also became the first karate-ka in Britain to be awarded 5th Dan under Kanazawa in 1983.

In 1990 Adamou formed his own Karate association, the International Association of Shotokan Karate.