Britain's only matador - in Brum's own Bullring!

IN JUNE 1972, I interviewed Britain's only matador in Britain's only bullring - the dashing Henry Higgins in the old Birmingham centre-piece, the Bullring.

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Higgins was my guest on the ATV Today news programme to talk about his book To Be A Matador that he had written with James Myers, a long-standing friend with a deep knowledge of the Spanish bull-fighting scene.

Henry, a handsome, engaging fellow, was the first Englishman to become a Matador de Toros - a specific title in the profession and the highest that can be attained.

I had discovered that Higgins was born in Bogota, Colombia, of an English father and Mexican mother.

Henry went to a boarding school Holmewood House in Kent and then King William's School on the Isle of Man.

His parents came to live in England and when he was 14 they went to Spain on holiday.

He was taken to a bull fight as his father had become interested in it in Mexico.

Higgins junior was hooked. Poster of bullfighters he had seen were pinned on his walls - Joaquin Bernado, Giuron and Chamaco. He read all the books he could find on bullfighting.

His parents then sent him to Spain to a summer school in Granada that offered courses in art, music and culture.

Here, the young Higgins developed a new interest taking up guitar lessons and hanging around gypsy caves listening to flamenco music.

He decided to be - a flamenco musician.

He was also watching a young bullfighter who was to be well known in the UK while never coming here.