Cuthbert Taylor – The Melting Pot

Merthyr Historian Volume 34

The Merthyr Tydfil & District Historical Society is pleased to announce the publication of Volume 34 of the Merthyr Historian.

The cost is £12, and volumes will initially be for sale at the Society’s next lecture at Canolfan Soar on Monday 4 November. They can also be ordered (for £12 plus p&p) via this blog at merthyr.history@gmail.com.

CONTENTS

VOLUME 33 (2024) ISBN 978-1-7391627-1-9

1. Remembering Brian Davies

2. The Welsh Heritage School’s Initiative. The winner of the 2024 prize from our Historical Society

3. ‘Carlton Working Men’s Hotel. “A great boon to Merthyr”’ (1911). Transcription by Carl Llewellyn

4. DENIED! Welshman Cuthbert Taylor and the abolition of boxing’s colour bar by Bill Williams

5. A Railway walk from Pantysgallog (High Level) Halt to Torpantau station (1961) by Alistair V. Phillips

6. The History of Merthyr Newspapers (and some of their Printers and Publishers) by D. Rhys Davies and Carl Llewellyn

7. Harris Schwartz: family, furniture and Merthyr’s Jewish community recalled by Rita (Schwartz) Silverman

8. Apprenticing a chemist in Dowlais, 1880, and all those concerned by Christine Trevett

9. The Almanack and Year Book 1897 Merthyr Tydfil. A Victorian Townsman’s Pride in the Press and in his home-town, the Best Shopping Centre in North Glamorgan by Mary Owen

10. A history of the education movement in the parish of Merthyr Tydfil (to 1896) by H. W. Southey from The Almanack and Year Book transcribed by Caroline Owen

11. The Quakers’ Yard Truant School: some glimpses of its history by Stephen Brewer, Carolyn Jacob and Christine Trevett

12. A school from the ashes. The British Tip and some reflections on the final years of Abermorlais School by Clive Thomas

13. A Little Gay History of Merthyr by Daryl Leeworthy

14. From Troedyrhiw to California. Welsh Immigrants in the Mount Diabolo Coalfield by David Collier

15. A History of Nonconformity in Dowlais by Stephen Brewer

16. ‘The Mighty Morlais’: A study in the history of Morlais Castle and its significant figures by Benedict Bray

17. Out and About with Cerddwyson by T. Fred Holley and John D. Holley

18. Our Excursion to Swansea transcription by Stephen Brewer

BIOGRAPHIES OF CONTRIBUTORS

William Cuthbert Taylor – 1909-1977

WILLIAM CUTHBERT TAYLOR – 1909 – 1977
A matter of black and white.
A Merthyr Tydfil story of racial exclusion.

by Irene Janes

Now there’s a name to conjure and in a way it was as his first name of William was dropped, and he was known as Cuthbert Taylor. He was born to Cuthbert Taylor and his wife Margaret Anne in 16 John Street, Georgetown, in 1909. By 1920 the family had moved to Mary Street, Twynyrodyn.

Merthyr boxing enthusiast may recognise his name others for racial discrimination. During his career, Cuthbert fought two hundred professional bouts. He won one hundred and fifty one. Lost sixty-nine and drew twenty two times and only knocked out once, a worthy opponent for anyone.

He was selected to represent Britain in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam but was defeated in the quarterfinals of the flyweight class to the potential silver medallist Armand Apell. At this time, the Olympic Games competitors were strictly amateur status.

Cuthbert may not have won a medal but was and still is celebrated as the first black boxer to compete for Great Britain in an Olympics. He was only the third black British Olympian. The others were Harry Francis Vincent Edward and Jack London, both athletes.

After the Olympics Cuthbert returned home and turned to the professional side of the sport. On 29 December 1929, his first professional match was in Merthyr, the contest was a draw. Nevertheless, his next fight was a win over Armand Apell. By the middle of this year, he moved up a weight division to Bantamweight. He went on to defeat defeated Dan Dando to gain the Welsh Bantamweight Championship.

Although being recognised as one of the best in Britain there was one hurdle that his perfection at his craft could not overcome. He could not fight for the British title, and why? The colour of his skin.

His father was of Caribbean decent, his mother white welsh, the championship was closed to non whites regardless of their established good character, record and skill. As an amateur, he was good enough to represent Great Britain in the Olympics but not as a professional to claim the title of British Champion.

Later he passed on his boxing expertise onto another great Merthyr boxer Howard Winstone.

Cuthbert died on 15 November 1977 and still living in the town of his birth.

N.B in 1911 the then Home Secretary Winstone Churchill succumbed to pressure when Jack Johnson an American black boxer was billed to fight British white boxer ‘Bombardier’ Billy Wells in London. There was uproar that a black boxer and a white boxer would compete on British soil. At this time, there were anxieties over the future of the ‘white race’ and concerns over how a coloured fighter defeating a white opponent would affect the colonies. This rule of racial exclusion was not reversed until 1948. In June of that year boxer Dick Turpin defeated Vince Hawkins, in Birmingham, to win the British middleweight title. So not only did Dick win the title fight but is credited to be the first non- white man to win it since the ban was lifted.

The central library in Merthyr Tydfil holds a black file containing photocopies of many letters sent to Cuthbert Taylor him from agents.

A book has been written about our Champion think it is titled ‘Just a Little Bit of Brown’. I don’t know the author but would love to find a copy.

Pugilistic Poetry

by Peter Rogers

The following poem was written in tribute to Pat Maloney, former boxer and founder member of the Welsh Ex-Boxers Association.

Old Timer

He boxed from the twenties to the forties,
In the booths of Scarrot and Gess,
A pound a round no more no less,
Fought bare-knuckle on the mountainside,
With his friends by his side,
Never smoked never drunk,
Not even punch-drunk,
Over two hundred fights to his name,
One of the toughest in the game,
Sad to say he’s not with us today,
Perhaps we’ll meet again some day,
Up there with Cuthbert Taylor, Danny Dando and Ike Powell,
All the old timers have thrown in the towel,
A great-grandfather he was to be,
Yes, his name Pat Maloney.

Merthyr’s Boxers: Cuthbert Taylor

Cuthbert Taylor was born in John Street, Georgetown on 11 December 1909 to an English father of Caribbean heritage and a Welsh mother. After winning Amateur Boxing Association’s flyweight title in 1928, he was selected to represent Britain in the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. He became the first black boxer to compete for Great Britain, and only the 3rd black British Olympian (after Harry Edward and Jack London). He defeated Juan José Trillo of Argentina, but he was eliminated in the quarter-finals of the flyweight class after losing his fight to the potential silver medallist Armand Apell.

On returning to Wales he turned professional fighting Manchester’s Jackie Brown at Merthyr Tydfil on 29 December 1928. The contest ended in a draw, which was followed by his first professional win, over Lud Abella and a loss to Phineas John. By May 1929 Taylor was invited to fight at the National Sporting Club in London, losing by points in a 15 round match against Bert Kirby.

On 29 July 1929, Taylor had moved up a weight division, and challenged Dan Dando for the Welsh Bantamweight Championship, defeating Dando on points. His reign was short lived when he lost the title just over a month later to Phineas John. Taylor challenged twice more for the Welsh Bantamweight belt, failing on both occasions, both against Stanley Jehu, first for the vacant title in 1930 and then an unsuccessful challenge in 1931. Although having been Welsh bantamweight champion, and being recognised as one of the best in Britain in his weight category, Taylor was denied a chance to fight for the British title due to a rule that prohibited non-white fighters from challenging for the championship.

cuthbert-taylor-and-francois-machtens-1932 — Cuthbert Taylor and Francois Machtens in 1932

Cuthbert Taylor retired from boxing in 1944, but made a brief, unsuccessful comeback in 1947.

In a distinguished career, Taylor faced four world champions, including the great Freddie Miller who beat the Welshman on points after a 12-round battle in Liverpool. In total Taylor fought 247 professional bouts, with 151 wins, 69 losses and 22 draws. In all his fights he was knocked out only once, by Tommy Hyams at Selhurst Park in 1932. None of Taylor’s fights were conducted outside Britain. Including amateur fights he recorded over 250 victories.

In his later life, Taylor was a fan of Howard Winstone and he offered the youngster valuable advice. Cuthbert Taylor died on 15 November 1977.