DESCENDANTS of local legendary boxing champs, the Turpin Brothers, have loaned a special award marking their achievements to a Leamington museum.
Warwick and Leamington born Randolph, Dick and Jackie Turpin were champion boxers in the 1950s and 60s and were recently honoured posthumously for their achievements in sport by the British Boxing Board of Control.
The family of the boxing brothers thought it fitting to lend this award to a local museum so it can be viewed by the public and selected Leamington Art Gallery and Museum for the purpose.
The award will be on display at the local history museum for the next 12 months in a case already dedicated to the Turpin brothers.
Curator, Huw Jones, who worked with the Turpin family to get the award on display, said: “It’s wonderful to see the British Boxing Board of Control honouring the Turpin brothers with this award. We are very grateful to the Turpin family for loaning it to us so that it can be enjoyed by visitors to the gallery.”
Eldest brother Dick was the first black athlete to win a British title after the Board of Control lifted the so-called ‘colour bar’ in 1948 – which had blocked non-white boxers from competing professionally for titles.
He went on to win the middleweight title on the global stage at the Commonwealth Games that same year.
Randolph became the first black British world champion in 1951 when he beat boxing great Sugar Ray Robinson in a middleweight title fight in London.
While Jackie enjoyed a ten-year professional boxing career and ran Warwick Racing Club Boxing Gym, continuing to train there until he was 80-years-old.
There is a statue of Randolph in Warwick’s town centre.
Keith Turpin, son of Dick Turpin, said: “Thank you to Huw, and to the museum for letting us have this trophy, that has been donated to the family, on display for all to enjoy.”
The museum, attached to Leamington Library at the Royal Pump Rooms in the Parade is open from Tuesday to Sunday between 10am and 4pm.
Admission is free.
