"Bare Knuckle" fighters

[Wendl]

Hi there....

Can anyone offer any insight as to "Bare Knuckle" fighting during the early 1900's....apparently a popular past time to earn extra money in the Newtonards road, Short Strand and Shankill area's of Belfast. 

All the best
Wendy

[Christopher]

Read all about them on www.belfastforum.co.uk I think they are on the History board under Hardmen of Belfast. Seamus Doyle, Stormy Weather, Silver McKee and Buck Alec were the well known ones. Blair Mayne (Colonel Paddy), a founder of the SBS / SAS, was more than capable of handling those guys. He came out of Mooneys Bar at Cornmarket when Stormy and Silver were having a punch up and banged their heads together. I imagine most large cities throughout the British Isles had their Bare Knuckle fighters. The Marguess of Queensbury rules meant nothing to those guys nor did bookies shops as bets were made on the spot.

[Wendl]

Hi Christopher...

Thanks for that....I'm looking for Information on a Cuthbert Carr...he was Known as the "Bare Knuckle" fighter of the Newtonards road...and worked at Harland and Wolfe....Hopefully someone may be familiar with him.

All the Best
Wendy 

[Christopher]

He's at least a generation before the one's I mentioned Wendy. I'd still post the query on the Belfast site. It's part of the history of the city. We're trying to get as full a picture of events in our time as possible. It's much better than bits scattered on genealogy sites all over the place.

Best Wishes, Chris

[Christopher]

Hi Wendy,

I've just been watching Bare-Knuckle fighting on YouTube.

One was Denis "Aney" McGinley (35) challenging bareknuckle champ Dan Rooney (33)
in Crossmaglen on 9th August 1990.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mla2VxabR74&feature=related

The other was about the late Bartley Gorman (1944 - 2002) who held the title "King of the Gypsies" He mentioned Gypsies are similar to the Indian tribes in the US. Bartley's breed are the Gormans, the Fureys, the Wilsons, the Kellys, the O'Neills, the Maguires and the Bryans. www.youtube.com/watch?v=lB0_QEh-KVs&feature=related

A bit more research is required to find some information about Cuthbert Carr.

Christopher

[Wendl]

Thankyou for your reply, I have seen the entries you speak of on youtube....
as well have found out much information on Cuthbert Carr, he was a Shipwright by trade, and worked in America as well as Belfast....also, lived off the Newtonards road....

Thanks again

[Dancing Master]

Bare Knuckle fighting was illegal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/east/series2/bare_knuckle_fighting.shtml

[Christopher]

Bare Knuckle fighting was illegal.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/insideout/east/series2/bare_knuckle_fighting.shtml

It may have been illegal but when you needed a loaf on the table what was there to do? The ancestors of many people stole a loaf and were transported. How many people from the ruling classes were bare-knuckle fighters? The areas where such guys were usually found  tended to be the areas of cities where the poor working classes lived.  

Christopher

[Chris88]

How do I upload a photo on here? It's a photo of my nans uncle with a Bartley Gorman but not the Bartley Gorman who died at age 57, I was told the the Bartley Gorman in the photo with my nans uncle is related to Bartley Gorman king of the gypsies who died recently.