The History of St
The History of St. Peter’s Boxing Club
St Peter’s Amateur Boxing Club was first open in 1939, formerly known as Woolwich Catholic Boxing club. In those days it was a place where grown men went to watch bare-knuckle boxing, and also keep themselves in shape. This sport was there for the poorer generation who were good with their fists, which in turn help them earn extra money to feed their families.
As the British Boxing Board of Control established in 1929, took 12 years to control the illegal bare-knuckle bouts, Woolwich Boxing Catholic Boxing Club was closed down as a grown men boxing club and was taken on by St Peters Catholic Church in 1951. This was shortly after the 2nd World War, and the church used the club to bring order and discipline to the youths who had turned to stealing and fighting. Children were also taken there by their parents if they were unruly at home. The coaches then where ex bare-knuckle boxers, who the youths looked up to and I expect, feared. A young boxer named Pat Dempster, was trained by his father Joe Dempster who himself had 25 bouts between 1910 to the end of the 1930’s.
The Dempster family started a trend and since then most of the coaches have been ex amateur boxers who started there boxing career at the club. Pat Dempster went on to train to excellent amateurs from the Woolwich area, Steve Higgins and Gerry Lavelle.
Gerry was an excellent amateur who was part of the England amateur boxing squad in the late 1970’s. “He was a young trouble maker, who changed his stance on life when he found boxing!” Pat Dempster his coach was quoted saying after one of his successful bouts.
Gerry went on to join the Armed Forces, where he carried on his boxing career.
After leaving the Forces he came back as a coach to St Peter’s, before moving to Chichester, and opening his own amateur club working with his brother, helping to change young peoples lives.
Steve Higgins was one of St Peters great prospects he was a street youth, always causing trouble, stealing, fighting and drugs. He had just left juvenile prison for assault when Pat Dempster met him and started off a great boxing career, by setting out ground rules.
Steve went on to be an excellent amateur but decided to go the professional route but after a bad accident lost partial sight in one eye. He returned to St Peters as a coach and has been with the club every since.
The club moved from the St Peter’s Catholic Church to St Peters Catholic School in 1974 with Pat Dempster in-charge he retired in 1989 and handed the reigns to Steve Higgins who has been running the club ever since. Due to political correctness the club had to drop the catholic and in 1990 changed to St Peter’s Amateur Boxing Club.
The club has around 150 members, of which 70 are active, whom come regular and are training to be boxers or just get fit. The members are mainly aged 7 to 25 years old. They all come for different reasons, but mainly to be part of something. The club has been there for the young people in the area. We try to tackle varies everyday problems which affect young people within the Woolwich area.
The coaches walk the street talking to street gangs explaining what we are doing for the community with club, inviting them in to look but following the rules of the club. In the Woolwich anti social behaviour by young people is 20% higher than the rest of the Greenwich borough; this includes criminal damage and vehicle crime.
The club looks at ways to reduce boredom, as most of the young people express how bored they are most of the youth club have closed in the area. We also provide a way for young to reflect in a positive way through competition, also developing teamwork, respect and discipline.
From the 1980’s the club has changed the lives of many young people, some have joined the army, returned to learning and the older ones have got jobs and have started believing in their community.
There has been around 20 members of the club since the 1970’s have been ask to join the England team with 4 of them representing the country the most famous from the club is Julius Francis who went on to be British heavyweight champion.
The club has always been in the heart of the community, now due to changes in the school and the church the club has been force to leave these premises, the reason for this is the price we were paying for the 2 nights was £1600 per year this went up considerably to £4000, which we had to pay the full amount straight away. We tried to negotiate but the schools decision was final. This outrage the parents who noticed the changes in their children since they had started at the club some even protested to the school.
We have now found a new club location; this is again a church, which has noticed the need to retain the club within the area. They have given us 5 days a week, day and evening starting from 0900hrs –2100hrs if it is required. The cost of the new location is £5200 per year.
The location is St Thomas’s Church, Maryon Road, Charlton SE7.
The club now has a fresh start; we have payper quarter of £1300, and renewing our public liability insurance of £378 per year. This leaves us with around £70 per month to fund the following equipment;
- Boxing Bag Supports
- These will need to be constructed over the beams without cutting into them costing £60 each we need five.
- Boxing Ring
- The club has a floor ring, which is now very old, we need to purchase a new or used training ring starting price is £1300.
- Update training equipment
- Every two years the club update certain items such as skipping ropes £10.00, sparring gloves £35.00, head guards £42.00 each and focus mitts £25.00. These items the club normally purchases 5 per term cost approximately £585.00
The club has now slowly started to function but this equipment is needed urgently. The young people who use the club are very dedicated and enjoy there time in the club. Attached are three testimonials from to boxers and a parent, more can be arranged if needed. These testimonials I hope will explain haw the club as affected their lives.
Steven has approached many youth groups as we are looking on taken on young juveniles and young people with obesity issues. This is now possible with the amount of time we can use the new location.
The club is looking towards 2012 Olympics, we have three young promising boxers who have a good chance of being picked to joined the British boxing squad once they have passed the ABAE selection process. One of the being a young girl, who was very overweight when she started, but has lost that weight and is a very good young boxer.
The club is anxious to start in a new area of the Greenwich borough, the club is only two miles from our old club house so the old members will still be able to attend. We have moved close to a housing estate called Morris Walk, which is been the heart of most of the youth crime in the area, so this will be our main focus.
Here are a few testimonials from members and their family on how the club has changed their lives.
