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Argyle Artful Billy - Professor of Punch

B

bandjsheldon

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I am trying to trace my great grandfather who was a well-known boxer at the end of the 19th century. He was remembered in an article in The Bugle, 25 march 1999, which reproduced a piece from 1898.
At the end of the article it said that he had retired and was a successful 'licensed victualler' and boxing teacher.
A William Argyle, 36, appears in the 1901 census at 180 High St, Aston (RG13/2855, 46, P8).
Is the the same man?
Is this the Dog & Duck?
 
Hi, over the years there was much talk in my family of this man. I have checked with my brother and he states that The Professor was my father's, mother's, father and that would make him my great grandfather. We too have that article from The Bugle and my brother, the font of all family knowledge, further informs me that Billy Argyle kept The Garrison Arms pub, now very famous thanks to Peaky Blinders, then The Hay Mills Tavern and then The White Lion Pub at Deritend. So we must be related somehow. My father and mother were from Sparkhill and by the time I was born we too lived in Sheldon.
 
William Argyle was publican of the Plough and Harrow in Hay mills in 1911.
As well as 3 sons William had 6 daughters , one would be your grandmother
Alice Victoria m. James sheldon
Edith m. William Cridland
Lily m. Walter Musgrove
Emily marriage not found but possible passage to Canada found
Rose m. Bert Banks
Phyllis m. George W Swoffield, 1939 publican of the Broadway, Belchers Lane.
 
I am trying to trace my great grandfather who was a well-known boxer at the end of the 19th century. He was remembered in an article in The Bugle, 25 march 1999, which reproduced a piece from 1898.
At the end of the article it said that he had retired and was a successful 'licensed victualler' and boxing teacher.
A William Argyle, 36, appears in the 1901 census at 180 High St, Aston (RG13/2855, 46, P8).
Is the the same man?
Is this the Dog & Duck?
William Argyle was publican of the Plough and Harrow in Hay mills in 1911.
As well as 3 sons William had 6 daughters , one would be your grandmother
Alice Victoria m. James sheldon
Edith m. William Cridland
Lily m. Walter Musgrove
Emily marriage not found but possible passage to Canada found
Rose m. Bert Banks
Phyllis m. George W Swoffield, 1939 publican of the Broadway, Belchers Lane.
 
Wow Alberta, brilliant work. So all the talk I heard was true, his daughter Edith married my grandad, making the Professor my great grandad. My brother further told me a few tales recounted to him by our Dad. Obviously with his boxing skills, the Professor was not one to upset. Dad related a tale that one day he was walking past The Adam and Eve pub, top of Bradford St and looked in and there was Billy Argyle. This pub was not one of his usual drinking haunts and my Dad asked him why he was up this way. He told him there was a cheeky young blighter who was working on the building site next door and he had said the wrong thing and upset him. He was waiting there to give the young guy 'a straightner'.
Then another tale. He lived for a time with one of his daughters and her husband decided to visit the Professor's tailor, got himself a suit made and booked it to the pugilists account. When he found out he was murderous and went after the guy who legend says fled to Australia to escape the wrath of Billy Argyle.
 
Hello all. Just come across this feed and it makes very interesting reading. My grandmother is/was Rose, Billy's daughter so he is my great grandfather too. I'd be very keen to hear more about him, and obtain/see the copy of the Bugle as mentioned earlier? Cheers
 
Hi Deslittle, I have that copy of the article in the Bugle about Billy Argyle-if its allowed I will upload it to the site
 
Hi All, here is the article to which I was referring-my great grandad in all his pugilistic glory ! Yours too Deslittle.
 

Attachments

  • PROFESSOR BILLY ARGYLE.pdf
    1.1 MB · Views: 32
Hello all. Just come across this feed and it makes very interesting reading. My grandmother is/was Rose, Billy's daughter so he is my great grandfather too. I'd be very keen to hear more about him, and obtain/see the copy of the Bugle as mentioned earlier? Cheers
Hello
My Grandmother was also Rose Banks so we are obviously related
 
Hi Gill, attached is the Bugle article about our great grandfather, a master of nose breaking and ear enlarging- great terminology from long ago don't you think. To go forty eight rounds , nearly three hours in one fight sounds pretty brutal but those were the hard times in which he lived. He was quite a character too even after he had finished with boxing, as he liked a drink and my father recounted tales of him sorting out a few local cheeky young guys who upset him,
 

Attachments

  • PROFESSOR BILLY ARGYLE.pdf
    1.1 MB · Views: 23
Hi Gill, attached is the Bugle article about our great grandfather, a master of nose breaking and ear enlarging- great terminology from long ago don't you think. To go forty eight rounds , nearly three hours in one fight sounds pretty brutal but those were the hard times in which he lived. He was quite a character too even after he had finished with boxing, as he liked a drink and my father recounted tales of him sorting out a few local cheeky young guys who upset him,
Thank you so much for this article
Can I ask your name please
 
William Argyle was publican of the Plough and Harrow in Hay mills in 1911.
As well as 3 sons William had 6 daughters , one would be your grandmother
Alice Victoria m. James sheldon
Edith m. William Cridland
Lily m. Walter Musgrove
Emily marriage not found but possible passage to Canada found
Rose m. Bert Banks
Phyllis m. George W Swoffield, 1939 publican of the Broadway, Belchers Lane.
Hi, my husband is Emily’s grandson. She immigrated to Canada. married J.D. McCloy and settled down in Glenboro, Manitoba.
 
Hi, over the years there was much talk in my family of this man. I have checked with my brother and he states that The Professor was my father's, mother's, father and that would make him my great grandfather. We too have that article from The Bugle and my brother, the font of all family knowledge, further informs me that Billy Argyle kept The Garrison Arms pub, now very famous thanks to Peaky Blinders, then The Hay Mills Tavern and then The White Lion Pub at Deritend. So we must be related somehow. My father and mother were from Sparkhill and by the time I was born we too lived in Sheldon.
Hi, I’m curious when you say “kept” The Garrison Arms do you mean that he managed it or that he owned it??
 
Hi, I’m curious when you say “kept” The Garrison Arms do you mean that he managed it or that he owned it??
Hi I think earlier in this thread about The Professor, one of the moderators listed the pubs Billy Argyle had managed and The Garrison was not one of them but considering his reputation for enjoying a drink around the local area and the company he kept I am sure he would have taken a libation at The Garrison
 
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