It’s been quite a year since my last post. To great excitement and lots of media interest this week, streamer Disney+ announced A Thousand Blows (a working title) – an epic new 12-part series set in the perilous world of illegal boxing in 1880s Victorian London. With even greater excitement, I finally get to tell… Read More Where Did You Go, Hezekiah Moscow? (Part V: A Thousand Blows announced by Disney+)
My articles on Hezekiah Moscow, who was better known by his ‘ring name’ Ching Hook or Ghook, are by far the most shared and read pieces so far produced – apologies to Mr Wannop – and last year led to conversations with the National Archives. My research now appears in their school educational materials, part… Read More Where Did You Go, Hezekiah Moscow? (Part IV: Ching Ghook Found)
I was recently invited to Carthorse Orchestra, a charming online evening gathering of intimidatingly creative and literary types hosted by the author David Collard. Each week David organises an eclectic programme of short readings, discussion, film and performance to entertain and connect people during lockdown. The night was themed ‘wrestling with French literature or wrestling,… Read More The Most Popular Man in New Cross (Introducing Jack Wannop to Carthorse Orchestra)
In my first article on Ching Hook I wrote briefly on the murder of Hook’s close friend and trainer Alexander Hayes Munroe, known as Alec or Aleck Munroe, Munro or Monroe. Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1850 or ’51, he first appeared in east London boxing news in the late 1870s. He is listed on… Read More “Murdered in a thieves’ kitchen” – Finding Alexander Hayes Munroe
Grappling With History 