Looking for info about boxer Gus Platts

My grandfather was Gus Platts a well known Sheffield boxer whose career stretched from around 1912 to 1922. He was European Middleweight Champion in 1922. He also fought in the US and made two films there. He died just before I was born so I never met him. I'd be grateful for any information about him, especially from anyone still alive who might remember him. Paula G, Sydney, Australia

If I were you I would send a request for info to starletters@sheffieldnewspapers.co.uk and they should have some info in their files.

his wife was Grace Gite her family were hauliers, Gus kept a pub in Petre St and may have had the Barleycorn on Cambridge St he is mentioned in the Sheffield Gang Wars book when he witnesses a conversation with one of the gang leaders. Either Gus passed away or they divorced but Grace married Horace Baldock a well known local butcher and game dealer. Nice lady. I never met Gus though.

I remember my dad talking about Gus Platts. A bit of googling brought up this photo:

http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-13159482790260_2026_26120427

Thanks very much to everyone who replied to this - I'll email starletters.Redfyre. Xenia, your reply was intriguing. He did keep the Barleycorn, but his wife, my grandmother, was Annie Platts (nee Boden). However his sister, my great aunt, was called Grace and she used to work behind the bar at some of the pubs he had and I recall her telling me that she'd served gangsters. Thanks for the link to the great photo, hillsbro. I do have many photos of him but hadn't seen that one before. Paula G

Hiya Paula could I recommend to you the book (Boxing In South Yorkshire) by Ronnie Wharton this features your grandfather pages 30/36 also a nice photo. Printed by.

Wharncliffe Books

47 Church Street

Barnsley

South Yorkshire S70 2 BR

Pleased to see that everyone has been so helpful, Paula, and I am sure that if you keep going you will compile quite an invaluable dossier. Gus Platts was a legend in his time, locally at least, and it would be good to see his story recorded as fully as possible. In a sense it is as much a piece of social history as sporting history. You might find it useful to pop into the Local Studies dept at the Central Library to see what material they have on Gus in their files. Another thought, it might be time consuming, but if you build up a list of his fights, you could always look some of them up in the Sheffield newspapers of that era. A final point: someone like Peter Markie, who used to work at The Star and was very keen on boxing, might have some suggestions --you should be able to reach him via the paper.

Thanks, redfyre - I can't do much locally as I'm living in Sydney, Australia, but I can try contacting Peter Markie. Gus died just before I was born but I grew up on stories about him and have an oil painting of him in the boxing ring that used to hang in one of the pubs he had - the White Hart in Nottingham - where I lived as a child. It's been passed on to me and I'm just having it reframed. I think I'm trying to get more of a sense of who he really was. Thanks again - I appreciate it. Best wishes, Paula

Thanks, Sweatshopboy - I'll try and track it down. Paula

The book is evidently available from "Pen & Sword Books" - see http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/images/jackets/397.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/%3Fproduct_id%3D415&usg=__FMWWSI59xuRoYFS85NN5hCnYCvw=&h=200&w=138&sz=17&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=q3B5L9ogK1giJM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=72&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522boxing%2Bin%2Bsouth%2Byorkshire%2522%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

(scroll down to "More books by Ronnie Wharton" and click on the picture of the book).

Paula. You will reach Peter Markie by sending a note to the Star e-mail address mentioned earlier. He is retired now, but in contact with the sports desk.

I have a niece presently living and working in Sydney, and I think a Sheffield Veterans' cricket team is also on tour in that area at present!

If you come across a journalist in S by the name of Tony Stephens, and he's around 60-65, he could be the guy who was at the Sheffield Telegraph in the early 1960s.

Paula my neighbour is the ex-boxers association president and hes come up with the following info on your grandad.

Augustus T Platts (Gus Platts 1891-1943) Born Heavygate Rd, Walkley, Upperthorpe. Wrestled over 200 bouts, British European Champion, toured USA a couple of times, had a film part in The Referee. Became manager and promoter, known as Mr Sheffield Boxing. All info in the book, Boxing in South Yorkshire by Ronnie Wharton. Whilst on tour in usa gus attended the first million dollar fight between Jack Dempsey vs George Carpentier at Bayles 30 acres arena, New Jersey where over 126,000 people attended. Dempsy winning by KO 4th round. My neighbour still has the the program of that event which gus family gave to him in 1958. He also has a collection of photos of your grandad and boxing bills from shows he promoted in the 1930s in sheffield. Hope this is of help, and if you want anymore info ill be only be too pleased to pass your address on.