Ambrose Palmer the early days

[agpat55]

My Father recently wrote a book about growing up in Sydney in the 20's and 30's. He made mention of two people who influenced him in his development, one being Ambrose Palmer, our countries great heavy weight boxing champion of that period and the other, a referee by the name of Joe Wallace.

When my father was a student at Hurlstone Agricultural College in about 1936/37, he said the students, including him, were given boxing lessons from time to time by the above named. A good freind has said he must have got the nanes wrong because Ambrose was Melbourne based and never lived in Sydney.

Ambrose had several fights in Sydney though. I am wondering if my Father's memory is correct and he is not getting names mixed up with someone else. He remembers clearly a young Ambrose Palmer and another older, larger man by the name of Joe Wallace who was a boxing referee.

Is there anyone in the boxing fraternity that may have any knowledge of this or know of Ambrose Palmers life around this time. Ambrose's Father trained him and I was wondering if the referee and Ambroses Father may have been a more likely combination.

If there is anyone that can throw light on to this I would be ever grateful. My Dad is ninety this year and still sharp as tack if not physically well. It would be icing on the cake if this bit of history can be confirmed true to Dad's memory.

agpat55

[Brute]

I have seen films of Joe Wallis (not Wallace) refereeing fights. He was massive.

Dad reckoned that the wags at Sydney Stadium would call out "Hey Joe! Get out of the way so we can see the fight!"

Ambrose Palmer was a middleweight who fought light heavyweights and heavyweights. He was Australian middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight champion and beat legendary Australian fighters such as Ron Richards and Fred Henneberry. In Ambrose's last fight in 1938 he went the distance in a 15 round fight with great American fighter Gus Lesnevich, who went on to be world Light Heavyweight champion.

If your folks give you a name like Ambrose you've got to be tough!

[bollox]

Best of luck with confirming the info although I've never heard or read of Ambrose Palmer having spent much time in Sydney and I'm confident in saying he never lived there

[Tinnie]

Arnold Thomas briefly mentions in his book that Palmer lived his whole life in Footscray,Melbourne. But its certainly not inconceivable that he spent extended weeks or months in Sydney between bouts at the stadium. I know he use to train at Jack Dunleavy's gym preparing for some of his bouts in Sydney.

To echo Bollox, good luck mate. If your dad's book is being published be sure to post it up, wouldnt mind giving it a crack.

[agpat55]

Thanks for the replies, Dad will be very happy with the result. Thanks for the spelling correction for Joe Wallis. I was thinking that myself, that maybe Joe Wallis was a Sydney sider and Ambrose went round the schools when he wasn't training. Things were a little more sociable and hands on in the 30's I am guessing. For the 34 bouts that he had in Sydney and winning 30 of them, he must have spent some time there and people would remember, like my Father. I try and do a search for that book.

My Dad's book will be published again by Ginederra Press and circulated in Sydney some time soon not sure which bookshops yet. It's called "Hey-Four Eyes!" Growing up in Sydney in the 30's, on account he had glasses because of an unfortunate squint, so learning to fight was pretty essential for him.

It's a bloody good read but of course these are stories I've heard all my life. Thanks again for the info'. If any thing further develops or you hear of any thing I would be very grateful for a reply.

All the best Agpat55