Repton Boxing Club has been called Britain’s oldest boxing gym and is currently housed in a corner of a former Victorian Bath House on Cheshire Street, Bethnal Green. It's just a mile away from my home in East London and I recently had the opportunity to photograph some of the boxers training.
The Club was established by Repton School in 1884 and operated as part youth club, part boxing club. Repton School ceased its involvement in 1971 and the club became solely dedicated to boxing. Ronald and Reginald Kray, the notorious gangster twins, trained at the club and made donations to it.
The boxing gym has played host as a setting for music videos and films. The music video for Take That’s first top ten single, “It only takes a minute” was filmed in the club in 1992.
Take That - It takes a minute
Director Guy Ritchie has also shot scenes for two of his films inside Repton Boxing Club. Ritchie’s 1998 film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels features scenes shot inside of the club as well as his 2019 film The Gentlemen.
The club’s motto is ‘Non Viscara…Non Gloria’ (No Guts...No Glory)
Some of my images from the day
Events like this are organised by the team at 36 Exposure Photo School led by Andrew Mason. They are a great way of exploring photography beyond the everyday. And you don't need expensive camera gear, all of these images were taken with smartphones.
