HALIFAX STARS – A celebration of the proud tradition of boxing clubs in Calderdale – funded by Historic England, Community Foundation for Calderdale and Sporting Heritage CIC

“The recent Halifax Stars heritage project has been a fantastic opportunity for our club and its members. On a club level it’s highlighted the importance of our club in the local community and showed how it has already impacted the lives of so many, we hope to long continue this. Our current boxing team, who had their profiles on display at the Piece Hall exhibition were all so proud, they were going to the show taking friends and relatives, their parents sharing on social media how proud they were, it was all round a huge success for us. We would like to thank Jeff and Historic England for giving us this opportunity.”
Mick Rowe, owner and trainer Halifax Boxing Club

Halifax Stars is an intergenerational heritage project celebrating the working-class culture of boxing clubs in Halifax and the surrounding area. It records the memories and experiences of older fighters and the gyms that used to be such an important feature of the town, as well as highlighting the importance of boxing coaching with young working-class people today – instilling self-discipline and self-care, respect, and pride in the community.

In developing this project with local ex-boxers and gym owners, we wanted to reflect the strength and communal nature of boxing culture in working-class towns like Halifax and across West Yorkshire. More importantly, we wanted to share this culture with a wider audience – to increase understanding of boxing’s remarkable working-class legacy and to champion the work that is done through boxing clubs to help some of the most marginalized young people in our communities.

The project was led by Verd de Gris Arts, working with filmmaker and photographer Geoff Brokate. However, it would have been impossible without the support and commitment of local gym owners like Mick Rowe, Cass Varey, and Josh Sandland, and the family of Carrie Shaw, whose book ‘Roy’s Boys’ lovingly documents the history of the local boxing scene.

We are indebted to Halifax Star old boys Steve Kizis, Chris Wild, Adam Fogarty, and Jason Whitaker. And a very special thanks to Liam Walsh, Jimmy First and Walter Stewart.

Halifax and its surrounding area have a long and proud tradition of boxing clubs and academies.This is a town that produced British, European, and Commonwealth Champion Richard Dunn; housed famous Mississippi bluesman and ‘Golden Gloves’ Champion Jack Dupree in the 70s and 80s (Eric Clapton and a host of blues greats came to jam at his council house in Ovenden) and brought Muhammad Ali to the terraced streets of Halifax in the 1970s (although this ‘myth’ is still open to debate…).

The area now has a growing number of successful boxing clubs and fitness gyms – with owners and trainers steeped in the stories, memories, and glories of the amateur and professional boxing scene. Many of these clubs have historically worked with some of the most socially and economically disadvantaged people in the borough – local boxing clubs are often one of the few places that still offer support and positive relationships for young people suffering adverse circumstances, at risk of crime, alcohol, and substance abuse in the area. Local clubs give these young people a sense of focus, getting them away from drugs, getting them fit, and taking care of their mental and physical well-being.

Rather than us trying to tell this story through historical facts and statistics – we chose to let the boxers speak for themselves and give you an insight into why boxing is perhaps the most noble of sporting arts.

The exhibition ran from Saturday 29 April – Sunday 28 May 2023

We produced 500 x full colour booklets – which were offered free to exhibition visitors, and were distributed through local libraries and boxing clubs

We produced 100 x comments cards – inviting comments from visitors to the show – all of these were filled in, giving us some wonderful reflections and feedback on the project

Audience figs: 2547 – The Piece Hall

“I felt real emotion walking in to the exhibition. The quiet, thoughtful presentation had quite an impact … Seeing people walking round, reading every piece of information and standing studying the photographs was really lovely, people were really breathing it in. I am so proud that my lovely dad played a part … he would have loved it … I think everyone involved came across as warm, humble, quietly proud to be part of the boxing community, the boxing family. I think anyone not familiar with boxing would feel that it was a real understanding of a fine sport, disciplined, inclusive, proud.” Krysha Greenwood, step-daughter of Clarrie Shaw, who wrote ‘Roy’s Boys’ – the book which formed the basis of our research work

We produced a 30-minute film ‘Halifax Stars’ which was shown as part of the exhibition – Film views: 1K – the film is now available to watch on YouTube and through the Historic England web site

Webblog on Historic England site:

heritagecalling.com/2023/06/26/halifax-stars-the-boxing-clubs-of-west-yorkshire/

Webblog on Sporting Heritage site:

www.sportingheritage.org.uk/content/news/blog/halifax-stars-boxing-working-class-culture-in-west-yorkshire

If you would like more information please contact Jeff:

tel: 07926 978651
web: www.verddegris.org

Keep up to date with other events as they happen by following our Facebook page Verd de gris arts and on Twitter and Instagram

Twitter @verddegris
Instagram @verddegris