Harry Broome

Henry Broome
Henry Broome
Born	1826; Birmingham, England
Died	November 2, 1865 (aged 38–39); Soho, London, England
Occupation(s)	Bare-knuckle boxer, publican
Years active	1842–1856
Known for	England's heavyweight boxing champion (1851–1856)

Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Harry Broome, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 11 August 2025

Henry Alfred Broome (1826 – 2 November 1865) was a bare-knuckle pugilist who claimed the title of England's heavyweight champion in September 1851 by overcoming William Perry in Mildenhall. He relinquished the championship in May 1856 after being defeated by Tom Paddock in Suffolk.

Early life

Born in Birmingham in 1826, Harry Broome was the younger sibling of Johnny Broome, an undefeated English boxer who played a significant role in shaping his boxing path.

Boxing career

At the age of 17, Broome participated in two London contests during 1842—an exhibition match and a victory over Byng Stocks and Hal Mitchell—likely glove fights at an amateur level.

Under the mentorship of his brother Johnny, Broome embarked on his professional journey on 11 October 1843, securing a win against Fred Mason at Northfleet, Kent, for a £100 prize. Weighing approximately 136 pounds (light welterweight) and just shy of eighteen years old, he engaged in a grueling battle lasting eighty-one minutes across thirty-nine rounds, ultimately emerging victorious.

In 1844, he faced Joe Rowe twice for stakes of £50 per side at Greenhithe, Kent. The initial bout was halted after 90 minutes and 81 rounds due to a crowd disturbance; the rematch on 13 May 1845 concluded with Broome's triumph. Both encounters were welterweight contests and reportedly contested for the English welterweight crown.

Broome then met Ben Terry from Birmingham on 3 February 1846 at Shrivenham. Weighing near 144 pounds, their fight ended as a draw after an hour when disagreement over an alleged foul led the referee to abandon the match. Broome earned merely £5 from this engagement.

Heavyweight champion of England, 1851

Broome reached the pinnacle of his career in 1851 by defeating William Perry, known as the "Tipton Slasher", despite competing above his usual weight class. The contest took place at Mildenhall on 29 September 1851 with a £400 purse at stake. Perry suffered a heavy fall in the third round and was thrown multiple times under London Prize Ring Rules. After Perry committed a foul in the fifteenth round—striking Broome while he was down—the victory was awarded to Broome. This success earned him the title of England's heavyweight champion along with the championship belt.

Defences of English championship, 1853

Broome made one successful defense of his English heavyweight title against Henry Orme on 18 April 1853 at Brandon, Suffolk. The fight extended over thirty-one rounds lasting two hours and eighteen minutes, with a £500 purse and thousands watching. Although Broome appeared heavier and less fit—possibly due to time spent managing a pub—his performance was convincing. His fighting weight likely remained under 175 pounds, indicating competition as a light heavyweight. This bout is regarded as one of his finest displays.

In August 1853, Broome declared his retirement from boxing through Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle, withdrawing from a scheduled rematch with William Perry.

Two fights with Tom Paddock were arranged for early 1855; however, Paddock failed to appear for either event.

Loss of English championship

During his second defense of the English heavyweight title, Broome was defeated by Paddock after fifty-one rounds at Bentley, Sussex on 19 May 1856. The match took place in a secluded field to evade police interference and attracted less attention than previous bouts. The purse had decreased to £200 per side from earlier championship fights. Broome had shed considerable weight for this contest and appeared less muscular than before. Despite his resolve, his endurance proved insufficient against Paddock’s power. By round forty-eight, Broome’s left eye was nearly swollen shut. He was knocked down multiple times toward the end and finally lost when his second threw in the towel during the fifty-first round. Once favored by bettors, Broome finished "completely disabled" and retired immediately afterward.

After retirement

Upon concluding his boxing career, Broome managed several public houses, initially in Portsmouth and subsequently the "Crown and Cushion" located on Little Russell Street in London. In his later years, he was known to frequently place bets at horse racing events, an activity that likely played a role in his eventual financial hardships.

Toward the end of his life, Broome was afflicted with lung disease and edema (then referred to as dropsy). After receiving treatment in a hospital, he passed away in destitution on 2 November 1865 at his residence in Soho, 30 Frith Street. He left behind a wife and two children. Broome was interred at Norwood Cemetery alongside his brother Johnny Broome; the burial expenses totaled £4.

Career record

References