Benny Lynch exhibition at Central Station for one day

Boxing legend Benny Lynch, Scotland’s first-ever World champion boxer, is the focus of a Glasgow Museums travelling exhibition.

Article Source: Glasgow Museums
Last Updated: 7 September 2016 19:44

It showcases the World and European Championship trophies he won in 1937. To celebrate the 81st anniversary of the day he won the World Championship, and returned home triumphant arriving into Central Station Glasgow to the cheers of some 100,000 people, the exhibition will go on display for one day at Central Station.

Friday 9 September is the date “the wee man from the Gorbals” Benny Lynch won the historic fight against fancied champion, Jacki Brown. After the match in Manchester, Benny travelled back to Glasgow by train to be greeted by an enormous crowd lining the streets and packing into the station to celebrate his achievement.

The campaign group Remembering Benny Lynch hope to have a statue of the man many consider to be the greatest fighter Scotland has ever produced erected in his home city. They are returning to Central Station, Glasgow 81 years after the historic win with a small, dedicated exhibition created in partnership with the Open Museum. The train station is very much part of Benny’s story, with visitor tours of talking about that famous day in Glasgow’s history. It's also the first choice location for the Benny Lynch statue.

Bryan Turnbull, a member of the group Remembering Benny Lynch, said: “By bringing Benny’s trophies, gloves and memorabilia to Central Station, we hope to highlight the campaign to get him the recognition he deserves, a statue in his home city. Please come along and join us. See these rare trophies reunited for the first time in over 70 years and watch or take part in boxing displays from the famous, Kelvin ABC gym in Glasgow.”

The Open Museum travelling exhibition features Benny Lynch’s World Championship trophy, from his 1937 victory over highly rated English fighter Peter Kane at Shawfield in 1937. For the first-time in over 70 years it will sit alongside his European Championship trophy from the same year, courtesy of a loan from Glasgow businessman Willie Haughey, who purchased it at a charity auction. Benny Lynch’s boxing gloves sit beside magazine and newspaper articles detailing his career and striking images of the world champion in action, which complete the display.

Open Museum outreach assistant Kevin Kerrigan saw the Benny Lynch campaign on social media. As his grandfather had sparred with the legend he was intrigued. He looked on Glasgow Museum’s database and discovered the city had Benny Lynch world championship trophy in its collection. He was pleased to discover the trophy that was presented to Benny in 1937 and got in touch with the group. Together Kevin and the group curated the exhibition, deciding what it would feature, the stories it would tell and where and when it would be located.

Open Museum outreach assistant Kevin Kerrigan added: “Benny Lynch is Scotland's greatest ever sporting legend. He was our first World boxing champion and he inspired thousands since his memorable win 81 years ago. It is important that future generations are aware of his legacy. I am delighted to have assisted the group in creating a travelling exhibition and to be able to bring it to an even bigger audience at Central Station on Friday. I hope it will help the group realise their ultimate ambition of having a statue of the world champion erected in his home city.”

Like many of the Open Museum travelling exhibitions it was designed through direct engagement with community groups based in the city, who, through the Open Museum, are encouraged to tell their own stories and to mark their own histories. It is one of a range of small free-standing exhibitions that can be displayed in community venues such as libraries, shopping centres and community centres. On average they measure around 1.5m x 1 m.

The Open Museum is Glasgow Museums’ outreach service. It operates out of Glasgow Museums Resource Centre and takes Glasgow's museum collections beyond the museum walls and out into the community. There are object handling kits, displays and exhibitions available for loan.

The travelling exhibition will then move to Glasgow Museums Resource Centre where it will be on public display, before moving to Bridgeton Library on 5th October. For more information please visit www.glasgowmuseums.com