history of norwich lads amateur boxing club
Back in the day there was a controversial copper, a man with a vision, revolutionary views and ideas.
In those days almost a century ago, when the birch and borstal were the order of the day, this man’s views had not been seen or heard before by the people Norwich.
This man went by the name of John Henry Dain, a tough practical copper with a waxed moustache who commanded respect.
Big John was born in December 1874 at Brigg police station in Lincolnshire; he was the son of a long-serving superintendent. He went on to join Bridlington police in Yorkshire and then served around the country being promoted through the ranks.
By 1908 he was a chief inspector in Devonport, where he was described by the chairman of the watch committee as “one of the smartest, most efficient and best educated young police officers in the country”
But he was also a kindly man, one with a dream, to take the boys off the streets and give them something to live and fight for. Big John as he was known had a basic belief that very few boys were bad, they wandered into trouble because they were curious and full of energy; Big John said they needed a purpose in life.
He wanted to set up a club in Norwich and he needed the support of the leading players in the city at the time. Big John gathered the likes of the then Lord Mayor Richard Jewson and got them on board for this revolutionary project.
He made Richard Jewson the Life President of the Lads Club , a tradition that is still in effect today and is handed down to all elected Mayor’s.
Big John sold it to them saying that this club would be different; it would help the boys and the police by bringing them together in a spirit of comradeship.
“Nothing” said Dain, “sets up a mood of antagonism more promptly in such lads than the suspicion that they are being got at for the purpose of moral improvement”
The result was that in the March of 1918, a motley group of about 30 Norwich boys stood outside an old building in St Georges Street waiting for the doors to open.
It turned out they were pioneers in a movement that within a few years would spread across the country and overseas, arousing interest in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa.
All these boys thought about, and all they wanted, was to see what the Norwich Lads Club had to offer on that opening night.
The two club rooms, behind the old middle school in St Georges Street, were warm, comfortable and house billiard and bagatelle tables along with other games.
For these lads it was a mini-paradise for boys aged between 14 and 18 brought up in poverty during the drab years of the First World War, and thanks to donations and help from Norwich firms and individuals, it was free.
Within months of the club opening more than 1000 boys had joined. John set up boxing, gymnastics and wrestling classes, the place was bursting at the seams.
In the summer of 1919 another of his ideas became a reality, a seaside home on the cliffs of Gorleston for the Norwich Lads to go, a place to holiday. It came rent free thanks to F H Cooper and A V George and comprised of three cottages and an old barn.
Volunteer policeman soon had the place up and running and ready to house 24 boys at a time.
The Dain principle of “utter freedom allied to good behaviour” was applied. In the first year alone more than 300 boys visited what was known as Warren Farm, for most it was the first time they had left the city or seen the sea.
The biggest teams to visit were made up of boxers and gymnasts. Big John noticed that there was no shortage of boys but there was a desperate shortage of space.
Then on September 29th, 1924, Big John announced new premises had been found and they were off to King Street in Norwich.
This was were the boxing side of the club really took off and we have moved homes a few times since those days to the Old Lakenham Cricket Ground to our present home in the Hewett School.
Over the years we have produced some fantastic amateur boxers who have gone on to achieve professional honours from British and European champions to the heavyweight champion of the world.
In those days almost a century ago, when the birch and borstal were the order of the day, this man’s views had not been seen or heard before by the people Norwich.
This man went by the name of John Henry Dain, a tough practical copper with a waxed moustache who commanded respect.
Big John was born in December 1874 at Brigg police station in Lincolnshire; he was the son of a long-serving superintendent. He went on to join Bridlington police in Yorkshire and then served around the country being promoted through the ranks.
By 1908 he was a chief inspector in Devonport, where he was described by the chairman of the watch committee as “one of the smartest, most efficient and best educated young police officers in the country”
But he was also a kindly man, one with a dream, to take the boys off the streets and give them something to live and fight for. Big John as he was known had a basic belief that very few boys were bad, they wandered into trouble because they were curious and full of energy; Big John said they needed a purpose in life.
He wanted to set up a club in Norwich and he needed the support of the leading players in the city at the time. Big John gathered the likes of the then Lord Mayor Richard Jewson and got them on board for this revolutionary project.
He made Richard Jewson the Life President of the Lads Club , a tradition that is still in effect today and is handed down to all elected Mayor’s.
Big John sold it to them saying that this club would be different; it would help the boys and the police by bringing them together in a spirit of comradeship.
“Nothing” said Dain, “sets up a mood of antagonism more promptly in such lads than the suspicion that they are being got at for the purpose of moral improvement”
The result was that in the March of 1918, a motley group of about 30 Norwich boys stood outside an old building in St Georges Street waiting for the doors to open.
It turned out they were pioneers in a movement that within a few years would spread across the country and overseas, arousing interest in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and South Africa.
All these boys thought about, and all they wanted, was to see what the Norwich Lads Club had to offer on that opening night.
The two club rooms, behind the old middle school in St Georges Street, were warm, comfortable and house billiard and bagatelle tables along with other games.
For these lads it was a mini-paradise for boys aged between 14 and 18 brought up in poverty during the drab years of the First World War, and thanks to donations and help from Norwich firms and individuals, it was free.
Within months of the club opening more than 1000 boys had joined. John set up boxing, gymnastics and wrestling classes, the place was bursting at the seams.
In the summer of 1919 another of his ideas became a reality, a seaside home on the cliffs of Gorleston for the Norwich Lads to go, a place to holiday. It came rent free thanks to F H Cooper and A V George and comprised of three cottages and an old barn.
Volunteer policeman soon had the place up and running and ready to house 24 boys at a time.
The Dain principle of “utter freedom allied to good behaviour” was applied. In the first year alone more than 300 boys visited what was known as Warren Farm, for most it was the first time they had left the city or seen the sea.
The biggest teams to visit were made up of boxers and gymnasts. Big John noticed that there was no shortage of boys but there was a desperate shortage of space.
Then on September 29th, 1924, Big John announced new premises had been found and they were off to King Street in Norwich.
This was were the boxing side of the club really took off and we have moved homes a few times since those days to the Old Lakenham Cricket Ground to our present home in the Hewett School.
Over the years we have produced some fantastic amateur boxers who have gone on to achieve professional honours from British and European champions to the heavyweight champion of the world.