Boxing Ancestors

Introduction

This post was originally going to cover two direct ancestors only, about whom I remember hearing about briefly when I was younger. Recently I have uncovered another individual who, although a distant ancestor through the Peake side, I am including here.

Joseph Henry and Ernest Anthony Plant

These gentlemen are my 2nd great uncles, also on my maternal side. They were born in born in Wolstanton, Staffordshire to John Thomas Plant and Isabella Hardy. 

Joseph was the elder of the two, born on 14 April 1900; Ernest was born on 28 April 1904. Looking at the census records it is obvious that the brothers came from a hard working family. In 1911 their father was working as a quarryman in a brickyard and looking down his daughters are tile makers in the same location.

The brothers' nicknames were Nipper (Joseph) and Young Nipper (Ernest). They were bare knuckle boxers. I have not found much free information about the brothers' careers.

I have found Young Nipper on this website http://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/Boxer_Young_Nipper_Plant_Chesterton.htm

It says he was a professional boxer who was active between 1920 and 1930. He competed in 18 professional contests and boxed at flyweight, bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight. 

I have not correctly identified Nipper, as there are several entries which could be him.


Roots and Branches, The Official Journal of the Plant Family History Group, Issue No 1, December 1990 has a short reference to them.

Plant's Boxing Booth 
G R Tweedie
"Shortly after the Second World War on my demob from the Royal Navy I became a licensed boxer and soon after became famlllar with the Plants Boxing Booth. 

The Plant Family were Joe (Nipper) Plant, Ernie Plant and young Joe Plant, now all deceased. 

I travelled with them on the booth and most of the boxers were Ex-Service. Apart from other towns we vislted with the booth, Macclesfield was about the best for the boxers, taking on all comers and making a few bob on a Frlday and Saturday.

I am In my late slxties now but well remember the Plants who I think originated from Chesterton, Stoke-on-Trent, so perhaps some of your members may have some record of their Boxing Booth and of course the family".

Francis "Frank" Frederick Borrington 

16 Feb 1909 - 17 Aug 1989

Frank was born Derbyshire to Alfred Ernest Borrington and Gertrude Colebourne. I have posted more about his family and brothers at https://myfamilyhistoryfacts.blogspot.com/search/label/Borrington

Frank's professional boxing career debut was on 28 October 1931, at Highfield BC Derby, against George Frost. This debut match was drawn on points. On 19 December 1932 he had another debut against Tommy Stone at the King's Hall in Derby; Frank won by knockout.

Nicknamed "The Borrington Bomber", Frank competed in the heavyweight division and competed in a total of 64 bouts. He was the Heavyweight Champion of the Midlands. In 1936 Frank married Harriet White and the following year he retired from the sport. 

The full history of Frank's boxing career can be found at: https://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Frank_Borrington

The 1939 England and Wales Register, shows Frank working as Telecommunications Linesman G P O Engineering Heavy Worker, in Derbyshire; he also appeared to be an ARP warden. By the 1980s the couple were living in Lincolnshire; the probate records for Frank appear to suggest that the couple had no children.