Johnny Broome (Born: 14 March 1818;
Birmingham,
England – 31 May 1855;
England) was a
lightweight bare-knuckle boxer.
Broome was a gifted pugilist known as "Young Duckro." He was never defeated in the prize ring, and had a younger brother (Harry Broome) who became
Heavyweight Champion of
England. Johnny stood 5’ 6½" and weighed between 133 and 140 pounds.
Early life
Johnny Broome was born in Birmingham on 14 March 1818.
According to one source:
"while he was yet a boy he could ride a pony at full gallop, standing on its bare back, and hence he gained in the neighbour-hood the nickname of "Young Ducrow" (
Andrew Ducrow
Andrew Ducrow (1793–1842) was a British circus performer, often called "Colossus of equestrians". He was the originator of horsemanship acts and proprietor of Astley's Amphitheatre and remains one of the few giants of equestrian drama whose na ...
was a famous acrobatic horseman of the age). The same source states: "Johnny was by trade a hammerman, and his work at the anvil strengthened and developed the muscles of his splendid chest and arms."
Boxing career
Johnny Broome fought 10 times and was undefeated when he retired from the ring.
Early fights took place with Jack Hunt, Tom Ellis and Bill Holwell, Welsh Champion, resulting in a draw and two victories for Broome.
Subsequently, a fight took against Charles Spilsbury on 26 January 1835.
Subsequent fights took place against: Gallet on 5 February 1838; Charley Jones at Woore, Newcastle-under-Lyme on 21 May 1839; McGinty, near Glasgow on 1 July 1840; Joe Bostock in Warwickshire on 6 October 1840.
Broome won the
Lightweight Championship of
England when he defeated
Jack Hannan in
Oxfordshire, England on 26 January 1841. The bout lasted 47 rounds and 79 minutes. Broome defended his title against John Gorrick (known as "Bungaree")
on 27 April 1842 near
Newmarket, England. Broome won in 42 rounds and 57 minutes.
[Dowling’s Fights for the Championship, 1855]
In addition to his fighting career, Johnny Broome was also influential in the boxing world as a financial backer and arranger of fights. One fighter that he backed for a period was
William Perry William Perry may refer to:
Business
* William Perry (Queensland businessman) (1835–1891), businessman and politician in Queensland, Australia
* William H. Perry (businessman) (1832–1906), American businessman and entrepreneur
Politics and ...
(the Tipton Slasher).
Broome attempted to arrange a fight between Perry and
James "Deaf" Burke in August 1842, although the match was cancelled as Broome failed to pay the deposit on the match stake in time.
Later in the same year Broome set up the two fights between Perry and the American,
Charles Freeman.
Broome also managed the fighting career of his younger brother
Harry Broome
Henry Alfred Broome (1826 – 2 November 1865) was a boxer from the bare-knuckle fighting era who became heavyweight champion of England in September, 1851 when he defeated fellow Englishman William Perry in Mildenhall, England. He lost the tit ...
, eventually setting up a fight with William Perry, which resulted in Harry Broome being recognized as Champion of England in 1851.
Horse racing
In 1848 Broome accepted an offer to compete in the
Grand National steeplechase at
Aintree. On board an unconsidered outsider named
Eagle
Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...
, he got as far as
Becher's Brook on the second circuit before falling.
Suicide
Towards the end, Broome's reputation was tainted with scandal, as he was associated with some questionable transactions and a card fixing fraud.
On 31 May 1855 he walked into the kitchens of the Wrekin Tavern, at
Bow Street, took a carving knife and cut his own throat. He bled to death and was buried at
West Norwood Cemetery.
His younger brother,
Harry Broome
Henry Alfred Broome (1826 – 2 November 1865) was a boxer from the bare-knuckle fighting era who became heavyweight champion of England in September, 1851 when he defeated fellow Englishman William Perry in Mildenhall, England. He lost the tit ...
(1825–1865) was also a prize fighter.
See also
*
List of bare-knuckle boxers
References
Further reading
* ''West Norwood Cemetery's Sportsmen'', Friends of
West Norwood Cemetery
1995
{{DEFAULTSORT:Broome, Johnny
1818 births
1855 deaths
Bare-knuckle boxers
English male boxers
Lightweight boxers
Burials at West Norwood Cemetery
People from Birmingham, West Midlands
Boxers from Greater London
Suicides by sharp instrument in England
Deaths from bleeding