Darkie Ellis
Darkie Ellis | |
---|---|
Born | Cyril Hills 15 December 1914 |
Died | 14 December 1946 | (aged 31)
Boxing record | |
Total fights | 91 |
Darkie Ellis (born Cyril Hills; 15 December 1914 – 14 December 1946) was a British professional boxer, from 1931 to 1940.[1] He was the son of William Hills and Elizabeth Farnsworth. His birth was registered in the December quarter of 1914.[2]
He was at various times a welterweight; middleweight and light-heavyweight, and fought in 91 professional bouts.[1] He was promoted as "middleweight champion of England".[3] He represented England at a tournament in Antwerp, Belgium on 21 March 1939.[3]
He served in the military in the Second World War.
Ellis, who was black, married a white woman from Bridlington, East Riding of Yorkshire, Joyce, and retired there.[3][4] They had two daughters. He died in his early thirties.[5][4] His wife later remarried.[4]
A collection of Ellis memorabilia, owned by his granddaughter, was shown on the BBC programme Antiques Roadshow in December 2008.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Darkie Ellis (Manchester)". Retrieved 20 May 2016.
- ^ Atsulamui, Joyce (28 December 2011). "Re: Cyril (Darkie) Ellis". Ancestry. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Bridlington". Antiques Roadshow. Series 31. Episode 16. BBC. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
- ^ a b c "Former pub landlady dies". Bridlington Free Press. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
- ^ More than just a name, p. 146