Staffordshire County Police Boxing Tournament, Stafford

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Date:13th of November 1952

Description:The Stafford team from the Borough and Headquarters Divisions are photographed in the dressing rooms during the annual boxing tournament of the Staffordshire County Police Force which was held on Thursday 13 November, at the Market Hall, Stafford. Left to right: J Sugden (second), F Mountford, Cadet Clerk T Dutton, L Wilcock (trainer), P Fitzgerald, D W Gill and J G Martin. The team were third in the competition for the Anson Shield for the Division scoring most points.

The Chief Constable, Colonel G W R Hearn, D.L. was a ringside spectator. The tournament lasted over five hours. It was estimated that around 2,000 people were in the Market Hall from all parts of the county to support their local candidates for honours. The Anson Shield was won by Smethwick with 30 points. The points scored by other Divisions were: Willenhall 23, Stafford 13, Brierley Hill 10, Burton-on-Trent and Newcastle 8 points each.

In the heavy-weight competition Stafford’s hopes rested on D W Gill, whose opponent in the semi-finals was C J Deakin, of Smethwick, who retired after the second round. A C Allen, of Willenhall in the other semi-final knocked out W K Fielding, of Burton-on-Trent. In the final Allen knocked Gill down just before the bell at the end of the second round and the bout ended with Allen leading on points. F S Mountford of Stafford Division went down on points to J B Wallis of Smethwick. The championship was won by D Anslow of Wednesbury.

In the light-weight competition there were three Stafford competitors J G Martin and P Fitzgerald, of the Town Division and J Harris of Headquarters. Harris displayed good footwork against J B V Unitt, of Smethwick, who won on points. In the second series Martin lost on points to H Finch of Willenhall. Fitzgerald’s opponent was G A Plant of Willenhall and he fought well to end up ahead on points. Fitzgerald was put out of the running in the semi-finals by A W Pointon of Newcastle who took the lightweight crown by beating M Weatherall, of Brierley Hill on points in the final.

In the middle-weight competition D White of Headquarters won on points against S Birch of Burton-on-Trent. Later it was announced that there had been an error and that Birch had won. Birch was outpointed in the semi-finals by Griffiths of Smethwick who was in turn outpointed in the final be R H Grimley his divisional colleague.

In the Cadet Clerks (Police Cadets) contest D Wassell of Stafford Division was outpointed by K R Ward of Willenhall. R A Picking of Headquarters lost to A Boyle of Smethwick. In the third round of his contest with C Bowen of Burton-on-Trent, T Dutton of Headquarters failed to wipe out a points deficit accumulated in the earlier rounds. Cadet Clerk B J Burton of Headquarters the 1950 National Schoolboy Champion fought a tense duel with J Parker of West Bromwich, a former Boys Club Champion who won on points. There was a sensational end between C H Adams of Brierley hill and a last minute civilian entrant, L Parkes of Stoke on Trent deputising for R Simpson. Parkes knocked out Adams soon after the start and medical aid was called for. Adams later returned to the dressing rooms.

This photograph was published in the Staffordshire Newsletter on Saturday 22 November 1952. Reproduced by kind permission of the Staffordshire Newsletter who retain copyright.

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Creators: Staffordshire Newsletter - Creator

Donor ref:D4527-B8-NN-1137 (201/45593)

Source: Staffordshire County Record Office

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