Boxing

A Memory of Ynysboeth.

When I was a young lad my father Gwilym Jones and Joe Collins of Avondale Street (Joe was, during the 1939-45 war, the army lightweight boxing champion of India) My father had been a professional boxer in his earlier years.They opened up a boxing club in the Ynysboeth Hotel, for all the local boys, including boys from the Tynte and Penrhiwceiber. We had a full size boxing ring on the top floor of the Hotel. Many of us lads from the village became club members, and as we progressed with our boxing skills we travelled and fought at many boxing clubs; Swansea, Cardiff, Newport, Bristol,and Swindon to name just a few. Some of the club members and friends of mine,were Eddie Summerill (lived on Main Road),Brian Hicks Avondale Street, Graham Poole (Nant-Y-Fedw), Maldwyn Dower (Avondale Street) some boys from the Tynte and many others.