Credit has to go to late historian, Jimmy Cornfield for the words in this article. Jimmy wrote much of this in February 2000 assisted by Helen McIntosh Gordon, David McIntosh and Arthur Grant (Snr and Jnr). Ian McIntosh was born in Blantyre in 1915 and was the eldest of 6 brothers who lived with his […]
Tag: boxing
Jacob Naismith – Scottish Intermediate Boxing Champ
A Blantyre boy has been crowned Scottish Intermediate Boxing Champion! Straight into Blantyre’s ‘Ultimate Hall of Fame’ and a mention in the “Blantyre People” forthcoming book. Jacob Naismith (11) lives in Blantyre and trains and fights with O’Neils Amateur Boxing Club in Cambuslang. In an exciting match, Jacob who weighs 35.5 kg was fighting in […]
1962 John McDermott vrs VA Juma
I have a wee treat! Following the tribute posted earlier today, there’s a silent film on Pathe News, which features John’s gold winning boxing match in Australia’s Commonwealth Games. Filmed in 1962, it has now been colourised, and I’ve added sound effects and some music and edited it to 2 minutes. Courtesy of course to […]
Young Tommy Campbell, 1979
Opponents may have first been taken aback by young Tommy Campbell’s lack of stature in this photo from 1979, but he soon put that completely right by going on and becoming Class A Western District and Scottish Youth Champion at Bantamweight. The slightly built 15 year old flew out to Canada in March 1979 […]
1978 Boxing Successes
A good show was put on by Blantyre Boxers in April 1978 at Meadowbank where the Scottish Youth Boxing Championships were being held. Three were among the medals. Sixteen year old Hugh Kelly who boxed with the Blantyre Miner’s Welfare Club lifted the Bantamweight Class B title. Fellow colleague William Johnstone (16), boxing lightweight just […]
Frank Markey, Boxer 1929
Frank Markey was a professional boxer from Blantyre who was active between 1926 and 1944. He boxed at flyweight; bantamweight; featherweight and took part in 159 professional contests. On Saturday 2nd February 1929, Frank Markey took part in the final for the bantam weight championship of Scotland fighting against opponent Johnny Smith. It wasn’t […]
Death follows a Knockout
An interesting Blantyre story appeared in the Motherwell Times on Friday 12th June 1931. “Particulars have just been received from Mr. James Coffey, Main Street, High Blantyre, of the tragic death of his son, Mr. Bob Coffey, Australia, which followed a knock-out in a fight in which he was engaged with Bill Singleton Leitchhardt, Sydney .on […]
Eddie Miller, Featherweight Boxer
Thank you to Michael Gillan who nominated Blantyre boxer, Eddie Miller into our Hall of Fame.Michael emailed me, “Eddie was a Blantyre person who moved to Australia and became featherweight champion of Australia, beating Ronnie clayton for the british empire featherweight championship.” Eddie Miller was born in Blantyre, Scotland on May 10th 1917. At the height of his […]
1967 Blantyre Thistle Football Club
This photo is shared with written permission from Margaret McGaulley. Pictured in the 1960s is Blantyre Thistle and features her dad. Blantyre Thistle 1967— with Jimmy Perry, Joe Stoney, Davey French, George Longmuir, Hugh Swan, John Agnew, James Robertson, Terry Murphy, John Gorrance, Pat Cleary, Bill McMahon, Derek Burns, Eddie O’farrell, Dendy McCarroll (Manager), Walter […]