I recently saw my aunt Betty, and got more info on my dad's early days as a boxer. Well, it seems it started in the Church Lad's Brigade. He won races, so he was encouraged to join the Lisnagarvey Harriers, and then to get fit quicker he went along to the Boxing Club to train. He sparred with Boby Graham, still alive, she said. Kenny Coates ran the club and Dr Pat McHugh was the Dr for the club. Jackie Gorman was his trainer.

One day at a big match, the big name didn't turn up, and he was asked to stand in. I am told he entirely without experience, but he was willing, and he knocked out the big name (in local circles). He was give 10/- and gained local fame at once! Because he was an unknown, he was billed as Jim Thompson, and had to go under that name for some time.

I said he was in the Church Lad's Brigade. Well they were having annual camp, but dad wasn't allowed to go. The Rev Parr went to see my granny Annie Thompson, and she explained she couldn't let him go because he was a terrible sleep walker. Rev Parr pleaded, and said he could sleep in the Officers' camp and he would be looked after. Well, and so it was. However, one night my dad in his sleep replaced all the blankets in all the beds with coats. Picking them up and hanging them on the doors, taking the coats down and putting them over the beds. It wasn't till the next morning that they scratched their heads and wondered what had happened. Somehow dad knew....

One of the sweet stories from auntie Betty, God bless her.

Liz

Nice tale Liz. I liked reading that. I vaguely recall Kenny Coates, Jackie Gorman, and even Dr McHugh.
There used to be a bit of rule breaking in those days, in the sense that boxers would switch back to amateur after boxing professionally.