This week, one-time resident and former footballer and referee Pat Gwynne recalls the achievements of those who lived in the pugilistic street.

He said: “The photographs on this page are all of boxers who lived in Wathen Road, Warwick, in the 1950s. There were other fighters in Warwick, but I doubt there were as many in one street as there were in Wathen Road.

“The story of the Turpin family boxers has been well documented. Dick Turpin was the first coloured boxer to win a British title and also became a Commonwealth middleweight champion, middle brother Jackie won the Midland featherweight title and Randy became the world middleweight champion as well as winning other titles.

“But it was boxers such as Maurice ‘Mosh’ Mancini and Reggie Makepeace that epitomised the sport in both codes, with Mosh as a professional and Reggie as an amateur.

“Without ever reaching the heights of being a champion, Mosh Mancini did well enough to become a leading contender for the lightweight title.

“In later years, he and Jackie Turpin both gave their time to help coach the amateurs at Leamington Boys Club, and Jackie was also instrumental in getting Racing Club Warwick’s boxing club up and running.

“Reggie Makepeace stayed an amateur throughout his career and was actually a member of Leamington Boys Club at the same time as Randolph Turpin.

“I know because I lived next door to Reg in Wathen Road, but to meet Reggie in the street you would never have guessed that he was a boxer at all. He was such a mild and well-mannered person and just did not seem to be that type. Yet the love of the sport was there, and he took the opportunity to box even if he was never going to be a big star.

“My brother Ken Gwynne became a schoolboy international when selected to box for England against Wales when he was a pupil at Coten End Secondary Modern. Following his call-up for national service he joined the King’s Dragoon Guards and boxed for the regiment even when posted abroad to Malaya. He continued to fight as an amateur after being demobilised, before retiring from the sport shortly before getting married.

“My own contribution to the sport was outside the square ring as a judge with Warwickshire Amateur Boxing Association, and also as a fitness trainer with the lads at Leamington Boys Club.

“Oddly enough, although my own career in sport was very much in football I always felt more comfortable in the company of boxers.

“At present there is a ‘respect’ campaign going on in football, but respect is something there has always been in boxing.”

Thanks to Claire Makepeace for the photograph of Reggie Makepeace, and Adrian Bush for pictures of the other fighters.