Tilbury and its Schoolboy boxing
Let me introduce myself. I have been a member of the Tilbury community from birth and educated through the local schools served an apprenticeship for 5 yrs as a Blacksmith - welder. I have also Policed the town. My sport at St chads Secondary Modern was boxing which I took up in the early 60’s. Today I put to you the story as told to me about St Chads School for Boys 1948-1950. This information I gained from a proud well known Tilbury man, Dave Ferry who himself was a schoolboy boxer in 1948, who like myself reached the semi finals of The National Schoolboy Boxing Championship, although there was a decade plus between us. Dave informed me of the two Jackson Brothers, Bobby and Jimmy Jackson. Bobby holding training sessions in the evening at the Youth Centre St Chads School and Jimmy having his own gym down by the Railway. Tommy Whiting, St Chads School, so Dave informed me became the first schoolboy in Thurrock to win the National Schoolboy Championships 1948. Donkey Callender from Park School, Grays lost in the finals at Leeds Town Hall. Dave told me of other locals, Terry Sharp, Joe Worrel, Bob Butcher, Terry and Allen Stephenson, Bobby Twigg and many more. Now it does seem strange that we were taught by the same teachers. Headmaster J Stanley Stone, Wally Walsham, Jack Priest. He also informed me of the relationship between St Chads School and Thurnscoe School Yorkshire where there was an exchange on alternative years between the two Schools. Boys from St Chads went to Thurnscoe forming Boxing and Football Teams and stayed in pupils homes and Thurnscoe pupils came to Tilbury (See photo) Wally Walsham being on the right hand side as you look at it. The man in the light jacket a teacher from Thurnscoe. Picture was taken at St Chads school.
Pupils of that time were to become trainers to in the 1960s. Donkey, Jimmy Callender, Charlie Mercer, Manny Suttling, Bobby Twigg, Brian Hatter, Arthur Tyson. The Schoolboys Terry Mayo twice Schoolboy Champion his brother Glen, Alex Suttling, Chris Cotter, Dennis Hales the Harley brothers and many more.
My thanks to Dave Ferry for his contribution to this story and photos. I expect many more stories can be added.
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I am a very proud daughter of Boxer Bobby Pike. My Dad has lived in Stifford Clays for 61 years. He is 90 years young, and is still very fit and active. He enjoys his huge garden and grows his own produce. He is loved very much by his wife Mabel, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
This is about my Dad Tommy Whiting who sadly passed away 4 years ago, only recently have I discovered articles about my father. Andy Reynolds, I would love to see that old gazette from 1948 and would be able to help you confirm if it was infact the same Tommy. You’re welcome to email me about this, krwhiting@bigpond.com
Does anyone remember seeinng Bobby Pike the boxer he fought against Randolf Turpin and never lost a fight He is a local boy from Tilbury
I read an old gazette 1948 that told of Tommy Whiting defeating a boxer named Kray from London in a major final, could’nt be could it?
I to boxed for St. Chads in 1955-57 at the same time as Micky Worrell we trained at Jim Jacksons gyme over the railways sheds freezing cold in the winter sweating hot inthe summer, but we didn’t care also with Lenny Carrett good days Mick and myself became district champs mick went on to become G.B semi but I think he failed a medical because of a damaged thumb me got stopped in the Div Champs we to also fought in the police cup and both won still got my medal happy days
The above brings back good memory’s, of the days I spent at St Chads, I boxed for the school and trained at The Globe Gravesend, Cootchie (Mr Daniels) used to give us the fare money to cross the thames on the ferry, I also trained at the Tilbury Dockers Club under Terry Slade, I remember Billy and Kelvin Hills, John Cook, Ricky Graham, my brother Les Reynolds a very successful amateur, and when Manny Suttling took over his sons Harry and Alex, I boxed against most of the schools in thurrock, Bushy Bit Aveley being a bit special, but I remember being in the St Chads team when beating them to take the Police cup which they had won for years, and it was a proud moment for me when Mr Stone called us all up on the stage at assembly and got all the pupils and teachers to applaud us, I recieved a small medal saying Thurrock champion which I was very proud of. My last fight was an open air event at the thames board mills sports ground Purfleet, I walked all the way from Tilbury, got a good hiding and walked all the way back home, Happy days Indeed.
I left St Chad’s Christmass 1949, I remember Bobby Twigg, the Butcher brother’s, and Chris Cotter, his brother David threatened to get Chris to beat me up. Happy days
Thurnscoe boys Back Row L- R 1 Bob Wesson; 2 ? Jackson;8 A Andrews Third Row L-R 2 Don MCallum; 3 P Scarrot; 6 Eric Cook; 7 Pete Calladine; 10 ? De Carolis; Second Row l-r 1 E Hardman; 2Colin Goodlad; 5 Mr Haigh Thurnscoe teacher; Front row;l-r 2 Dennis Champion; 4 Johnnie Hopes; 6 H Carter. More Details to Follow. Pete.
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