We now welcome Dougie Whitehead, a man known to many people in the locality mainly in the domain of boxing, so Dougie where were you born?
Born in Rushden, 1930 lived here for the rest of my life, I've been here ever since.
A real local man?
Yes, a real local man.
And how on earth did you get into boxing?
All accidentally. A friend and I we were in a snooker hall we were, let's see, sixteen, we were in the snooker hall enjoying a game and a fellow came in, Geoff Banhams a local boxer.
Whereabouts was the snooker hall?
Where the shop is round the corner there, the Waverley used to be the Waverley Hotel and the snooker hall round the back. This fellow came in, Geoff Banhams a local boxer, came over, knew me, knew the other fellows said, “Excuse me you boys, you can do me a good turn on Saturday.” I said, “What's that?” “Well I've got, I'm arranging a boxing thing between Carlton Reform School and the Police.” So he said, “You two would just fit the bill.” I said, “Wait a minute, wait a minute.” He said, “It's all right”, he said. “It's all right, you'll be all right, it's only three rounds.” “OK, we'll come.”
You'd never done it before?
We'd never done it before so we went with a football kit and slippers, I gets when it's my turn, three rounds, only three two minute rounds. I gets in and the fellow gets in the other side, this policeman got a red dressing gown on and red shorts; he looked the part, I'd got my football shorts and my plimsolls.
Only sixteen?
Oh, yes sixteen. So, it was only three rounds, now this is true - I came back from the first round and sat down. I said, “What round's this?” They said, “It's just the first.” Obviously I got beat.
He leathered you then?
He didn't leather me but he beat me, lost on points so did my friend. So we goes back to get cleaned up and changed and Geoff Banhams came back and said, “I've got you a return fight Dougie.” “Well thank you very much,” I said, and he said, “Now you come and train with me now and the boys.” So I went to the Wheatsheaf where there were three, four professionals training and trained with them OK for this return fight.
At the Wheatsheaf pub?
That's right upstairs at the Wheatsheaf.
Really?
Yes, that was the place and they were all pros as well so I had some good, I went round there and did six weeks training with them, had a return fight with this fellow and did him properly and it started off from there.
It must have given you a good sense of satisfaction.
Absolutely and it all started from there. Then obviously I fought all around for about five years, I used to fight top of the bill.
And you were about twenty years old?
Yes, twenty two when I retired, when I stopped boxing I was twenty two so it was quite a bit of time.
What weight did you box at?
Welterweight. The first fight I weighed nine stone four and towards the end I weighed ten stone seven.
They'd want a long reach to be able to get to you?
To get to me - yes. Fought in the fairground, in the fairground yes.
And you never know what you 're going to get there do you?
No, it was a twist, it was a twist I can expose that now it's all finished. They have two fights in the fairground, now the first fight is two young lads and they fight three rounds they have to, it has to be a fight but the big fight it's got to be a twist because it could be over in one minute couldn't it? So, it's a set up thing, the promoter he has a couple of pros down and then he gets two locals to go in with them who are also boxers see. So the very first time they decide who's going to fight who, when they ask for volunteers to fight this man - all the lads who put their hands up outside it doesn't matter - they pick me see, so then we go in and work it just like the wrestling on the tele, a twist.
Really.
But it was hard work and good fun but in those days I earned fourteen shillings, that was my wage at work fourteen shillings and for that I used to get three pounds in my hand and half the nobbins which is half the hat going round. So after the fight he'd say, “It's been a good fight, eight or ten rounds, the boys are going to take the hat round.” So he'd come out of his corner and I'd come out of my corner, borrow a hat, walk round past each other so we'd collect twice, go in the caravan, share it out, half each. It would be worth about fifteen quid a night see which was a lot of money wasn't it?
It certainly was, worth doing, it was worth getting your nose punched for that.
Didn't get punched about very much, did I?
No, you didn 't.
No, I didn't, now there you go.
You were obviously good at moving.
Seventy two yes, I can still move around. Not bad is it, I still work out just exercise and things. Not that long ago I was down at the Semilong boxing, down in Northampton where you got young lads, still enthusiastic and coming through and people stand there still enthusiastic, still involved in training and go down there five nights a week so it's a sport which is not ????????? It's good that it gives them somewhere to go and it's good for the youngsters and it teaches you all sorts of things you know, control. Yes, believe it or not but the police actually sponsor that club.
I can well believe it.
Because there are a lot of lads in Northampton getting into trouble and they give them two choices. They say you can either go down to the ??? club or ???????? and they chose the boxing club. A good thing too. I had many a fight in Northampton, Efford? the promoter.
That's in the ring not in the street.
Oh, no in the ring not fighting in the street, that's a mugs game. The only time you fight in the street is if you have to.
Have you had to defend yourself?
Not really, no. I obviously fought as a little one when you fall out with people, that's silly. You're a fool to fight, you don't fight unless you have to and I'd be afraid of hurting my hands anyway.
Well, thank you very much indeed, it's nice to share you memories and there are some fascinating stories there.
You're welcome.