Genealogy Chat

Is there anybody out there who remember a public house in Southwark (I think near Waterloo) named The Ring, boxers used to train in the rooms upstairs. I'm trying to find anything on a boxer who trained there and fought under the name of 'Young Madrelli' I don't know if this is the correct spelling or if it was his real name. He would have been there around 1935/1940. Any ideas anyone please. Linda

Im a bit young for that but I found www.bbc(.)co(.)uk/london/sport/boxing/pubs(.)shtml There is loads if you google 'the ring blackfriars'

I googled 'boxer Southwark' and this came up - the famous Southwark boxing stadium, 'The Ring'. ... www.bnmaa.co.uk/site.asp?Page=Savate the website seemed to take a while to open so I didn't hang around but it may help. Jill

Cheers Willow

thanks Jill, when I 'google' I never find anything, perhaps I don't do it right

hi linda found this the pub is still there The Ring, Blackfriars The Ring public house is all that remains of a historic boxing location in South London. Just across from the pub use to stand the Ring boxing arena until in 1940 when it was bombed during an air raid. The Ring arena was originally called the Surrey Chapel built in 1783 until the strange shaped building was bought by former British Lightweight champion Dick Burge in 1910. Together with his wife Bella they staged many boxing matches including well known fighters such as Len Johnson, Jack Drummond, Alf Mancini, Jack Hood and the legendary Ted 'Kid' Lewis. The Ring public house, Blackfriars The pub is a must for any fans of old fighters as the walls are adorned with posters and pictures of the many boxers who once fought at The Ring. Until recently the pub had a working gym above and it is still common to see old fighters who still visit this tribute to what was 'London's Premier Arena'.

Hi Lorraine, Thanks for your info. I am reasonably near to The Ring and do know it. However, it's the boxer Young Madrelli I really want and I know he used to fight there in the old arena which stood where the underground station now stands. The pub named The Ring was built on opposite ground after the Germans bombed the arena in 1940 and boxing continued in there for a long time after. I can't find anywhere where I can view a list of boxers that once fought there. Suppose it would help if I knew I had the correct spelling. Thanks for your trouble. Linda

Hi Linda, Im in same position. My Grandfather used to box at Blackfriars Ring and I contacted Southwark archives about it but apparently all the photos and stuff that was in the pub were disposed of when the place was demolished years back. They told me some of the photos were in a pub 'opposite' but lots had disappeared. Now Grandad had LOTS of boxing prizes in his house from the turn of the century I should think up to perhaps the 1920s BUT I have googled and cannot find him anywhere. If you find your bloke, look out for a George Dixon (though they all seemed to use nicknames)

Hi Linda from reading the passage from the website is says that a lot of old boxers still go to the pub ,maybe it would be worth chatting to the landlord to see if anyone remembers your boxer. lorraine

hi again just found this info about a book on the ring Anyone interested in learning more about Dick Burge and the Ring can obtain an excellent little booklet 'Box On' by Stephen Powell, obtainable from The Ring Public House, 72 Blackfiriars Road, London SE 1 8HA. Condensed from an article by Max Tyler in Call Boy (Journal of the British Music Hall Society), Summer 1997

MY Dixons are all from Bermondsey/Rotherhithe/Deptford area

Hi you might want to research the Dun Cow of the Old Kent Road, which was also a very famous boxing training pub. The person you are searching may have trained there at some stage? I used to go there often in the late 80's...it's a surgery now!! Shirley-ann

Hi Shirley-Ann, it wasn't the Dun Cow that was famous for its boxing ring, it was the Thomas A'Becket down the Old Kent Road that was famous for its boxing. Sue