News on Screen

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 9th Year

Issue

Issue No.

10

Date Released

Jun 1956

Stories in this Issue:

• 1. UP TO DATE
• 2. Ten YEARS ON: ROOF CONTROL
• 3. ANOTHER CENTURY
• 4. KNOCKED ‘EM IN THE OLD FORD ROAD

Story

Story No. within this Issue

4 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: N.C.B. amateur boxing Southern Area finals at Bethnal Green.
NCB Commentary - Bethnal Green on a Saturday afternoon, populous marketing centre of London’s East End, prepares to welcome miners from the South of England who hold this year’s Eliminators for the Mineworkers Boxing Championships at the local York Hall.
Men from the Kentish coalfields, from the East and West Midlands and from South Wales meet to decide who shall go forward to the National Finals at Leicester in May.
In front of a mixed audience of Mining Folk and Londoners, the boys get down to business.
In the Bantam weight contest at 8 st. 7 lbs. Brown of the West Midlands meets Howells from South Wales. Early in the bout Howells went down and took advantage of a count to give himself a breathing space. But Brown pressed home his advantage, pinned Howells in a neutral corner and for the rest of the bout had Howells in and out of trouble on the ropes. The winner: Brown - one up to the West Midlands.
Featherweight bout on the programme was between Robinson, again of West Midlands, and Thomas of South Wales. At 9 st. Thomas was fighting as a replacement for Briggs, who didn’t appear. The name Thomas is a familiar one in Minng Boxing and the face in the corner is certainly famous. Yes, its Eddie Thomas - come to see his younger brother put into practice some of the lessons he’s learned. Retired from professional boxing, today Eddie Thomas runs a licenced mine. But in a close fought bout, it was Robinson who took the points decision.
Most sensational bout of the evening was the light-weight clash at 9 st. 7 lbs. between McDonald of East Midlands and Andrews of South Wales. Andrews, in the dark shorts, went after his man straight after the opening bell and during the whole bout looked as if he was thoroughly enjoying proceedings. McDonald did what he could to keep out of trouble but the pay off to the bout came in the 2nd round. Wait for it - and that’s it, as far as McDonald was concerned. It was a beautiful right delivered by Andrews in no uncertain manner, with an effect that McDonald was to remember for quite a few hours.
Year by Year the Miners Boxing Championships have become more firmly established and even more popular event in the amateur boxing calendar.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 7th May 1956.

Keywords

Sport; Competitions; Boxing; Mining

Locations

London; England; Bethnall Green

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
Film User   Vol.11 No.123 January 1957, p29.
The National Archives COAL 32   /12 Scripts for Mining Review, 1956-1960

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board