Illegal Boxing Matches

[Andy Underscore]

An old colleague of mine said that in the days when boxing was illegal, there used to be regular boxing matches held where the three county boundaries (Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshie) met in Selly Oak/Harborne. I think the idea was that if the 'police' turned up the boxers could simply hop across the county border to avoid their juristiction. Has anyone else heard such a story? Thanks

 

[Morturn]

I am not sure if boxing ever been illegal in the UK. Bare knuckle boxing has been legal since the 17th century as it is governed by quite strict rules. Street fighting was and still is illegal, but I also have my doubts that stepping into another county to avoid arrest is true too.

I have spoken to many old time boxers including my ancestor Tommy Pardoe who would go from pub to pub and box. They would walk into pubs with their boxing gloves hanging around their necks.

 

[Stokkie]

There's a wide coverage of prize fighting in the Birmingham and Black Country papers. But often bouts took place in a field or rural location. If the police did interfere Breach of the Peace was the offence.
Published: Saturday 26 September 1885
Newspaper: Harborne Herald

British Newspaper Archive.

I don't think that the county boundaries were significant. The Tipton Slasher fought once in Oldbury and another fight was reported in Merry Hill.

 

[Morturn]

There's a wide coverage of prize fighting in the Birmingham and Black Country papers. But often bouts took place in a field or rural location. If the police did interfere Breach of the Peace was the offence.
Published: Saturday 26 September 1885
Newspaper: Harborne Herald
View attachment 199246
British Newspaper Archive.

I don't think that the county boundaries were significant. The Tipton Slasher fought once in Oldbury and another fight was reported in Merry Hill.

Thanks, that has just reminded me of what Jack Hargraves once said about why a boxing ring is called a ring when is square. It was a circular ring of posts for prize fighting but if the police turned up, they could quickly dismantle and hide four posts amongst the crowd.

 

[Astoness]

Thanks, that has just reminded me of what Jack Hargraves once said about why a boxing ring is called a ring when is square. It was a circular ring of posts for prize fighting but if the police turned up, they could quickly dismantle and hide four posts amongst the crowd.

thanks mort something i did not know

lyn

 

[Brasscaster]

The attached report from The Birmingham Daily Post published on 27 May 1884 (source: British Newspaper Archive) describes a prize fight between two women. "Black Hannah" is a distant relation on my family tree. The penultimate sentence of the report describes the spectators fleeing across the border from Dudley to Staffordshire when police arrived. So maybe supporting Andy's suggestion in Post 1.

 

[Stokkie]

Interesting that these fights are both in the same time period. In Harborne B'ham Maney is taken before the Tipton Police (Magistrates) court and Royal before West Bromwich - both outside Birmingham.

But perhaps people thought that they could escape across county lines? Interesting.