Oldest photo of people boxing.
This incredible image from 1855, taken by Oscar Gustav Rejlander, is believed to be the oldest surviving photograph of people boxing. Captured in Ocker Hill, near Tipton in the West Midlands, it shows two bare-knuckle fighters squaring off, surrounded by a crowd of intrigued spectators — waistcoats, top hats, and all.
Boxing in mid-19th century Britain was a rough-and-tumble spectacle, often fought under London Prize Ring Rules, with rounds ending only when one fighter hit the ground. Legalised and regulated boxing was still decades away, making this moment a raw and rare glimpse into the sport’s wild early days.
1855 also saw the end of the Crimean War’s most brutal year and the birth of The Daily Telegraph, signs of a Britain hurtling toward modernity — while still clinging to its rough traditions.
🥊 Got vintage sports photos or stories in your family archive? Upload them to Oldpik.com and help us document the evolution of play, passion, and community across the centuries.
Boxing in mid-19th century Britain was a rough-and-tumble spectacle, often fought under London Prize Ring Rules, with rounds ending only when one fighter hit the ground. Legalised and regulated boxing was still decades away, making this moment a raw and rare glimpse into the sport’s wild early days.
1855 also saw the end of the Crimean War’s most brutal year and the birth of The Daily Telegraph, signs of a Britain hurtling toward modernity — while still clinging to its rough traditions.
🥊 Got vintage sports photos or stories in your family archive? Upload them to Oldpik.com and help us document the evolution of play, passion, and community across the centuries.
Contributed by OldPik on January 7, 2024
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