Tom Spring.
basil | 11/18/2005 | 8:07 am
Tom Spring, champion of England.
I would support the nomination of “Tom Spring” my great great grandfather as a remarkable Herefordshire man but his correct name is Tom Winter. He had to fight under an alias as bare knuckle boxing was illegal. He won a series of gruelling fights and became Champion of England when he beat Langan in front of a crowd of 40,000 spectators on Pitchcroft.
He was a Fownhope Butcher and Publican and at some stage or other owned virtually every Herefordshire public house. The only one he could not purchase was the Green Dragon in Hereford so he used to go and stay there at weekends to meet his patrons and supporters. He eventually bought a hotel in London and is buried in Upper Norwood Cemetery. His Granddaughter, Minnie Burnett, married my Grandfather, Harry Harvey, who lived at the Commandary and was a Grocer in Sidbury.
Toms Grandfather clock, probably made in Herefordshire, still keeps perfect time. He was nicknamed “The Miller” as when he was going flat out he resembled a Windmill. Hence the Millstone Memorial on the Fownhope to Woolhope road on the site of his cottage. Max.
The Tom Spring Memorial mill stones on the Fownhope to Woolhope Road on the site of the cottage where he was born. Max
Commemorative jug Spring and Langan Championship.
