Great insight into the work of a boxing record compiler...

Rescued from the archives: 1 - Dick Greaves v Roy Hilton
By Miles Templeton

One of the joys of researching and compiling boxers' records from before the war is to do so in the knowledge that these records, unlike those of the 1950s onwards, can never be completed. So many contests took place in those days that each record produced can only ever be the summary of contests that have been found thus far.

Each bout found, therefore, adds a little extra to the record, and there is great satisfaction to be had in watching them grow. For instance, back in 2006 my record for Sam Minto contained details of 281 professional contests. After a further five years' research, ably assisted by fellow record compiler Richard Ireland, the total had grown to 331 bouts. Many of these additional bouts were located in aged newspapers. This is where Colindale Newspaper Library comes in.

This wonderful institution contains a copy of virtually every newspaper printed in the UK and is further supplemented by a large collection of overseas newspapers. I visit the library about four times a year for about four or five days each time. Richard travels up one day per week. Between us we are slowly working our way through hundreds of local newspapers in a search for long forgotten boxing contests that were not reported in Boxing News.

Although it is an arduous and gruelling task, it is also hugely rewarding and enjoyable. One is transported back in time by reports of long-forgotten murders, scandals and rail disasters, a world of coal mines and football matches where the star players were called Bert, Ted and Wilf and played in front of 50,000 spectators for a fiver a week.

Continue reading:

http://blog.boxinghistory.org.uk/2011/09/rescued-from-archives-1-dick-greaves-v.html

Much appreciated. Cheers

Great Stuff Alex. Hard work but like you say must be great to go back in time for a few days at a time. Things have changed so much in the last 100 years or so. Keep up the good work mate.

Thanks guys. Just to clarify - this piece was written by boxing historian Miles Templeton, not me.

So it is, sorry Alex, i might need to invest in some glasses.

Cracking stuff from Mr Templeton again, alex. Thanks so much for sharing.

Good to see you posting regularly. Unless I'm mistaken, I remember you from the OLD Beeb forum and also Boxing Banter. I had a different moniker, back then, and I'm not going to say what it was but if you are whom I believe you to be we used to chat together about Terry McGovern, among others.

Either way, the stuff you are sharing with us here is first class.

You must be thinking of someone else, HumanWindmill, as I've not been on those forums.

I'm really glad the historical stuff is so well received on 606v2. There'll be regular posts on that blog and a new British boxing history website to follow later in the year.

There's a bit of a teaser here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaNjTN1quJc

alexd wrote:You must be thinking of someone else, HumanWindmill, as I've not been on those forums.

I'm really glad the historical stuff is so well received on 606v2. There'll be regular posts on that blog and a new British boxing history website to follow later in the year.

There's a bit of a teaser here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaNjTN1quJc

In that case, a warm welcome aboard, alex.

Thank you very much!

alexd wrote:You must be thinking of someone else, HumanWindmill, as I've not been on those forums.

I'm really glad the historical stuff is so well received on 606v2. There'll be regular posts on that blog and a new British boxing history website to follow later in the year.

There's a bit of a teaser here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaNjTN1quJc

Looks amazing.

Cracking read again alex. Thanks to yourself and Mr Templeton.