Repton Boxing Club is a

boxing Boxing is a combat sport and martial art. Taking place in a boxing ring, it involves two people – usually wearing protective equipment, such as boxing glove, protective gloves, hand wraps, and mouthguards – throwing Punch (combat), punch ...

club in

Bethnal Green Bethnal Green is an area in London, England, and is located in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is in east London and part of the East End of London, East End. The area emerged from the small settlement which developed around the common la ...

, east London, England. The club grew out of Repton Boys Club, which was founded by

Repton School Repton School is a 13–18 co-educational, private, boarding and day school in the public school tradition, in Repton, Derbyshire, England. Sir John Port of Etwall, on his death in 1557, left funds to create a grammar school which was th ...

, a public school in Derbyshire. Repton Boys Club was set up by the school to help underprivileged young men in east London. The club is located at 116 Cheshire St,

, London E2 6EG. The club has produced many notable alumni, including world champions and Olympic gold medallists. Notable ex-members include John H. Stracey,

Audley Harrison Audley Hugh Harrison, (born 26 October 1971) is a British former professional boxer who competed from 2001 to 2013. As an amateur, he represented Great Britain at the 2000 Olympics, winning a gold medal in the super-heavyweight division and ...

and

Maurice Hope Maurice Hope GCH OBE (born 6 December 1951) is a British former boxer, who was world junior middleweight champion. Born in Antigua, he grew up in Hackney, London. He represented Great Britain at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany ...

History of the Club

The club has been called Britain’s oldest boxing gym and is housed in a corner of a former Victorian Bath House on

Cheshire Street Cheshire Street is a street in east London linking Brick Lane with Bethnal Green and Whitechapel. It has had various names in its history, such as Hare Street, and today forms part of Brick Lane Market on Sundays. The Cheshire Street part of th ...

, Bethnal Green. Repton Boxing Club was established by Repton School in 1884 and operated as part youth club, part boxing club. Repton School ceased its involvement in 1971 and the club became solely dedicated to boxing. Ronald and Reginald Kray, the notorious gangster twins, trained at the club and made donations to it. The club’s motto is ‘Non Viscara…Non Gloria’ (No Guts...No Glory).

Notable alumni

Repton Boxing Club has produced world champions and Olympic gold medallists. Notable alumni include John H Stracey, Maurice Hope, Micky Carter, Billy Taylor, Dave Odwell, Graham Moughton, Gary Barker, Sylvester Mitte, Audley Harrison and Tony Cesay.

Film and music video setting

The club is located in a former bathhouse and as such has provided a retro backdrop for many films and music videos over the years. The boxing gym has played host to artists such as JLS and Plan B who have used the club as a setting for their music videos. The music video for Take That’s first top-ten single, “

It Only Takes a Minute "It Only Takes a Minute" is a 1975 song by American soul/ R&B group Tavares, released as the first single from their third album, '' In the City'' (1975). The song was the group's only top-10 pop hit in the United States, peaking at number 10, ...

” was filmed in the club in 1992. Director Guy Ritchie has also shot scenes for two of his films inside Repton Boxing Club. Ritchie’s 1998 film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels features scenes shot inside of the club, as well as his 2019 film The Gentlemen.

Current club activity

Repton Boxing Club was a male-only club for many years, but in recent years have introduced women's classes. As of July 2020, Repton had 12 female boxers who were carded. Repton Boxing Club is a registered charity.

References

{{reflist 1884 establishments in the United Kingdom Boxing clubs in the United Kingdom