June 29th – I find myself running errands to Tipton a lot lately, which I don’t mind at all – it’s a decent ride from Darlaston, and there appear to be plenty of curiosities to investigate when I get there.
In Coronation Gardens, for instance, there’s a statue to a prizefighter who holds legendary status. Wiliam ‘Tipton Slasher’ Perry was one of the greatest local pugilists of all time, and held the title of English Champion from 1850-57; he was a noted character and the pub he used to hang out at – the nearby Fountain – was centre of his empire and is still a shrine to the fighter today.
William is regarded now as one of the greatest sons of the town, despite dying an alcoholic.
Today, his statue stands in classic fighting pose, his familiars pigeons. I wonder how many pass by and not know who the statue is remembering?
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