Big hitters of 50s and 60s

[alantalbot]

Does any one remember my wife's cousin Sambo Bennett from Eckington?

The first story I recall about him was when he went to Blackpool on a day trip paid his tanner to the donkey ride man, picked up the donkey ran to the 100 yds mark and back, put the donkey down and walked away.

Another story that is from the horses mouth, the Eckington police sgt. whos name I think was Nelson (now he was a bully) suggested that Sambo emigrate to Australia, Sambo replied that he did not have the £10 for the assisted passage and so Nelson paid it in order to get him of his patch.

I only met him once when he was home from Canad his second emigration.

[warday]

Sad news this week that one of sheffield's big hitters passed away, after a short illness, in Boston Pilgrim Hospital Lincolnshire.(RAY MORGEN 77) Funeral lincoln Crematorium,monday november 5th 1.50 p.m. R.I.P. RAY.

[terry457]

Henry is my uncle and he passed away at home,(think it was dagnem road??)

Dennis Hobson used to speak highly of him and told me of a few scraps n scrapes they were involved in.Henry was a big man and used to bash em up in the Elm-Tree.

 

he also used to be able to turn a car over in the scrapyard, there was also Nimis Driver who was a strongman around the pubs in Attercliffe a very small man with the strength of 10! can anybody remember him ?

[blues1]

Albert chinn was also a very dangerous fella. As was my dad William (bill) brown who knocked out & battered Albert green in a fight outside a chippy. Though Albert and his gang took my dads door off in the middle of the night and hurt him big time with hammers and razers. My old man had not been in Sheffield long after moving from glasgown with brother tommy & all the family.

yes i used to be a friend of alberts he went in prison all rough and tough and came out as bent as a 10 bob note lol

[ripon street]

I recall calling at Mick Cowan's house in Ecclesfield and noticing a donkey in his garden. On mentioning this to Mick, he told me that he had seen a bloke beating the donkey with a stick. Mick did no more than take the stick off the guy and give him the same as he had given the donkey, he of course requisitioned the donkey.

 

Was it at Top Rank Suite where he fought Carl Gizzi for the Heavyweight Title in 1965? He lasted nearly 4 rounds against a very hard opponent.

 

Two guys have been missed off the 'hard man' list, Joe Durrant and Danny Shenton, the latter hailed from Doncaster, but did quite a bit of damage during his away days to Sheffield.

 

Sadly none of them would last 2 minutes againt guns and knives, but having said that, Mick Critch was never averse to using the odd chair leg.

 

i knew all these guys and the hardest man i ever met was danny shenton...

[ripon street]

yes i used to be a friend of alberts he went in prison all rough and tough and came out as bent as a 10 bob note lol

 

if albert was behind you when you saying this abuot you would be so knocked out mate...!!!

[ripon street]

So many people from that era seem to have died while relatively young.

Mick Critch/Mick Cowan/Roger Nutbrown/Mick Holdsworth/Martin Conneally/Hessian[Josh]and my old pal Carol Bishop.

All gone but caertainly not forgotten.

 

carol bishop was a good friend of mine she was areal stunner.

[ukdobby]

How pathetic all this is.

 

Its history and memories to talk about,much better than the gang and gun culture we now have.

[harestone]

How pathetic all this is.

 

Just had a flick through and i agree, just can't see the upside of glorifying violence in any form.

[neepsendlane]

If you consider discussions about people who hit each other with chair legs and make their "reputations" by violence in any way attractive I feel quite sorry for you.

 

Did the individuals mentioned in any way make a contribution to the society they infested? Other than bashing each other are they in any way notable?

 

I doubt it. Violence is the last resort of the sub normal mind, these men are pathetic individuals who, as they expire should be consigned to the rubbish bin of urban myths.

People have all sorts of heroes, Some thought that Churchill was a hero the same man that turned troops onto working class people,

or Thatcher who turned the police onto the miners and steelworkers.

To some the Taliban are heroes the same brave men who shoot little girls in the head for wanting an education .

We also had the I.R.A. blowing up shopping centres killing men women and children .

All these and many more are heroes to some .

Fortunately The Sheffield hard men only usually hurt each other but as far as subnormal is concerned they are not in the same league as the real pathetic individuals in this World.