Showing 10 results

Authority record
Boxer

Parks, Frank (1885-1945), boxer and Olympian

  • Person
  • [11 Mar 1885]-22 May 1945

Frank Parks was born in London in 1875 and became a member of the Polytechnic Boxing Club in 1892. He had great success as an amateur boxer and won his first Polytechnic competition that same year. By 1899, he had won his first English Championship, competing for the Poly. Parks was the Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) Heavyweight Champion in 1899, 1901-1902 and 1905-1906. He also won the Polytechnic’s Studd Trophy in 1902 for the best athletic achievement. French Championships in 1905. Won Olympic Bronze in 1908.

In 1905 he retired from boxing and spent his retirement coaching novices. However, he returned to the ring in 1911 for a series of ABA exhibition bouts at Madison Square Garden in New York with fellow Brit Reuben Charles Warnes.

In 1914 he was made Honourable Secretary of the Polytechnic Boxing Club and remained involved with the club until his death in 1945. The Club dedicated a laurel wreath plaque to his memory with the inscription ‘as a token of admiration by his many friends for his high example and untiring efforts for the welfare of this club for 52 years’.

Elliott, John (1901-1944), boxer and Olympian

  • Person
  • 10 May 1901-25 Jun 1944

John Elliott was a British middleweight boxer who competed in the 1920s. He won a silver medal in boxing at the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris, losing against the successful British boxer Harry Mallin in the final bout.

In 1924 and 1925 he won the ABA National Middleweight title.

O'Hanrahan, Patrick (1895-1963), boxer and Olympian

  • Person
  • 12 Nov 1895-1963

Enrolled at the Polytechnic Secondary School on 14 January 1908, aged 13. Attended the school until 1911. Member of the Polytechnic Boxing Club and Swimming Club. Served in the 12th London Regiment ‘The Poly Rangers’ in 1914 under the surname Zoller. He appears to have changed his surname in 1920 as hereafter all reference is to Pat O’Hanrahan. In 1922 he was elected Vice-Captain of the Polytechnic Boxing Club, a post he held until 1928 when he was elected Vice-President. In January 1935 he is referred to as an old member and twice ABA Welterweight Champion.

Member of the GB team at the 1924 Paris Summer Olympics. He advanced to the second round of the welterweight class after winning his fight against René Dubois of France on points. The matches were held in the Veledrome d'Hiver. In the next round, O'Hanrahan was defeated by Jean Delarge of Belgium who won the gold medal in this weight class. It was his only Olympic appearance.

In January 1925 he travelled to the USA as part of the British Amateur Boxing Association team and he won the 1925 ABA National Championships.

Mitchell, Harold James (1898-1983), boxer and Olympian

  • Person
  • 5 Jan 1898-8 Feb 1983

Harold James Mitchell was a British boxer who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics. He won the gold medal in the light heavyweight competition after beating Thyge Petersen in the final.

Mitchell was a four-time ABA champion in the light heavyweight class (1922-25) and was European Champion in 1924

Hunt, Walter (fl.1927-1929), boxer

  • Person
  • fl.1927-1929
Walter Hunt was the 1927 ABA Lightweight Champion, on behalf of Holloway ABC and the 1929 ABC Lightweight Champion on behalf of the Polytechnic ABC

Rawson, Ronald (1892-1952), boxer

  • Person
  • 17 Jun 1892-30 Mar 1952
Served as captain in the Royal Engineers during WW1. Was awarded the Military Cross with two bars.
Won the ABA Championship in 1920 and 1921.
Gold Medal at the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games - Heavyweight.
Studied at Cambridge.
Joined the Polytechnic Boxing Club after the War.

Morris, Charles William (1879-1954), boxer and Olympian

  • Person
  • 23 Aug 1879- 9 Apr 1954
British featherweight boxer who competed in the early twentieth century. He won a silver medal in Boxing at the 1908 Summer Olympics. He was Featherweight Champion in the ABA National Championships in 1904 and 1907, and finalist in 1906 and 1908.

Barnes, WKA (1918-2000), alumnus, boxer and journalist

  • Person
  • 1918-2000
W K A Barnes attended the Polytechnic Secondary School from July 1934. He enrolled in the School of Architecture at the Poly in 1938, but his studies were interrupted by WW2 and he left to join the RAF in July 1940. He recommenced his studies in April 1946 and gained the Polytechnic Certificate and Diploma in Architecture, graduating in December 1948. Barnes worked at architect firm Saxon, Snell and Philips before moving to the NW Thames Regional Health Authority where he was involved on several hospital projects including Brompton Hospital and Whittington Hospital.