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Home Page > History

History

bill_heffer1.jpgThe British Kempo Ju-Jitsu Federation was formed to further
the teachings of Hanshi Bill Heffer. Hanshi Bill was a dedicated
Master of Ju-Jitsu and spent a vast amount of his time
dedicated to furthering the principles of the style he formed
called Zen Ju-Jitsu Ryu.

Like so many early Ju-Jitsu masters, Hanshi Bill started his
martial arts life in the early days within the British Judo
Council (BJC) formed by Kenshiro Abbe Sensie, Hanshi Bill was
also a member of the British Judo Association, albeit he became
dissolutioned with their politics and went on to form the
Southern Judo and Ju-Jitsu Association, in membership of the
BJC. Hanshi Bill developed the largest Judo and Ju-Jitsu group
in the South of England. Following on from this he had the good
fortune to meet Sensei Dominic McCarthy of the Zen Judo Club
in Petersfield and went on to form a strong friendship with (Mac)
until he passed away. During this Period Hanshi Bill set up the style
of Ju-Jitsu which is still practiced by his son today of Zen Ju-Jitsu Ryu.

 Hanshi Bill Heffer (Deceased)

Zen Ju-Jitsu Ryu had many associations over the years from the Martial Arts Commission, to the
British Ju-Jitsu Association, The Amateur Martial Arts Association and Tom Hibbert, to include
United Kingdom Ju-Jitsu Federation and the well respected Sensei Gunner Salders and his close
Sensei Jim MocClair, to a myriad of groups too many to mention. Needless to say Hanshi Bill left
his mark on modern martial arts and his son Bruce is dedicated to furthering the principles of his
father's group the Zen Ju-Jitsu Ryu.

Hanshi Bill was extremely well respected within the martial arts
fraternity both in the United Kingdom and abroad in countries
such as the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Unfortunately we were robbed of his superb leadership and
prowess following a debilitating brain haemorragh at the
young age of 54. Hanshi Bill soldiered on with disabilities
until his untimely death 10 years later.

Not many people in this world have the chance to leave a
lasting legacy, however, Hanshi Bill was one of those lucky
people who has been able to leave a lasting impression on
everyone who came into contact with him and his son 
Hanshi Bruce Heffer still regularly meets people who 
remember his father with fond memories and true respect.

Before he died, Hanshi Bill commenced work on writing a book, which sadly was never finished,
however below is a small excerpt from his journals on his views on the conduct of martial arts:

Do not spoil any art by dictatorship or the creation of individual wealth!
Look at the way they work their art with thoughtfulness and understanding. I teach the
throwing art of Judo, the foundation for the style of Ju-Jitsu I practice, but I do not teach
competiton Judo. If a student wishes to pursue competition as a way to fulfilment, then there
are Judo society's that only train for competition. That is good, if that is what one wants out of
a martial art.

However, my teaching of Judo is the foundation of throws in the Ju-Jitsu art that I teach.
Today's competition Judo would have no place in this. In the Ju-Jitsu art there are lots of schools,
or as we call them Ju-Jitsu Ryu.

So what gives one Ju-Jitsu Ryu the right to think that they have the right to become a dictator
Ryu?

I have been in martial arts since the age of eighteen, and at this time of putting pen to paper
at the age of fifty, I have spent my time obtaining knowledge from all styles of martial arts, and
so have formed my Ju-Jitsu Ryu by taking the best from each of these styles. Having been busy
researching this for many years, I find that all the founder members of Ju-Jitsu Ryu's are very
much self styled.

As there was no grading syllabus ever laid down in the world by the old masters of Ju-Jitsu, no
Ryu should hang their dirty washing out in public, but first look to see the good and the bad
within their own style, as their Ryu came  into being the same way as their counter-parts.

Their dedication to the Ju-Jitsu art I honour, and walk close to the ground in the hope that they see my point of view, in doing so honour my Ryu by, coming to see me, and then understand that we in the Ju-Jitsu art should not live under the black sword of dictatorship. Each Ryu should work to promote co-operation and friendship between all Ju-Jitsu Ryu’s being non party in politics and non sectarian in religion, race or creed. I have set this programme out and dedicate it to all members of the Zen Judo Ju-Jitsu Council, and to all free martial artists that have the wisdom to see, so be creative. I do not feel that any organisation should have the right to state its policy or principles on any martial art organisation, but I would be the first to agree, that an organisation should be set up so that all Ju-Jitsu organisations in the country could be represented by a representative from each Ju-Jitsu organisation. In doing this you would get advancement in the country, and not dictatorship by one body, or a syllabus that you may not agree with. I will make no apology whatsoever to any one person, or to any organisation not agreeing with my notes…… 

This quote from Bill Heffer was written 4 years before his near fatal brain haemorrhage, but never published. Sensei Bill Heffer lived on for a further ten years, somewhat disabled, but retired from the martial arts soon after his illness.


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Hanshi Bruce Heffer

The British Kempo Ju-Jitsu Federation was founded in 1989 by Hanshi Bruce Heffer, and Sensei
Terry Coughtrey and boasts a membership of 3000 plus students and instructors. Bruce Heffer’s background in the martial arts began at 8 years of age studying BJA under his father Bill Heffer, who was running the Southern Ju-Jitsu Association at that time. Gaining his respective dan grades along the way, Bruce then joined the Army and whilst in Germany was exposed to many other styles of martial arts including Taekwondo and Karate. Returning to civilian life some years later, Bruce felt that the brief insight into other disciplines further developed his own understanding of the martial disciplines. He went back training with his father and for several years he toured England with him running coaching courses and applied technique seminars. Bruce Heffer formed South Coast Martial Arts in 1985. Today South Coast Martial Arts runs a very successful operation under the umbrella of the British Kempo Ju-Jitsu Federation. Bruce Heffer’s consuming interest within the martial arts disciplines is an ongoing life pursuit. For the past thirteen years, adding further to his talents and knowledge, he has been studying Kendo and Iaido. Terry Coughtrey’s roots in the martial arts stem back to 1969, when he began training in Wado-Ryu Karate under Japanese Master Tatsuo Suzuki.

After ten years in Wado-Ryu he decided to explore other Karate styles looking at Shotokan, Shukokai and Kyokushinkai along the way. He then went on to explore the Chinese combat systems, studying four individual styles, which included Wing Chun, Hung Gar and Northern Leg. On the basis of all that he had learned, Terry Coughtrtey then founded Zen Kempo-Ryu Ju-Jitsu. In 1987 Terry became a full time professional instructor and over the past fourteen years has forged instructional inroads by teaching the military and the police. Terry like his partner Bruce has a continuing thirst for martial arts knowledge, and to these ends has been learning the skills of Muay Thai under Master Sken.

  
 
 

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