The memory of a man affectionately known as Dundee’s “Mr Boxing” is being kept alive by an exhibit of some of his valuable mementoes
The late George “Lucky” Grant organised hundreds of fights in his career and remains the only Dundonian to have promoted a world-title fight the 1946 Paterson-Curran match at Hampden Park.
However, despite this remarkable legacy and the contemporary recognition he enjoyed, Mr Grant has been largely forgotten in the city. Now, his daughter has donated a fascinating collection of items to the McManus so his story will remain in Dundee.
Dorothy Vannet handed over a wide variety of relics from her father’s life, including historic boxing gloves from his collection as well as promotional items from a number of fights.
Gallery: McManus mementoes on display
By the early 1950s he owned the Premierland stadium, off King Street, as well as half a dozen bookmakers, ran a wide range of high-profile events and managed a number of charitable causes.
“There were lots of good boxers from Dundee at that time,” Mrs Vannet explained.
“My brother found about six of these ancient boxing gloves in the attic. I’m not sure where they came from but they’re really quite old.”
It is thought that one pair may date from as far back as the 1920s, while the other pair is thought to be from a later decade.
Mrs Vannet gave the items to the gallery to accompany a family book, written about her father, by Norman Watson. Carly Cooper, social curator at the McManus, said: “It’s absolutely fantastic to have received these items.
“We have so little on sport at the moment especially sport in Dundee and the story of ‘Lucky’ George is so great. It really adds to the items,” she added.
Mr Grant was born at 21 Princes Street, on October 12 1905, as the youngest of three boys.
At the age of five, Mr Grant got a job with DC Thomson as a newspaper boy, selling copies of the Evening Telegraph and later The Courier.
From these humble beginnings, he left school at 14, working as a bookmaker’s assistant. By the 1930s Mr Grant had entered the world of boxing promotion, organising Wednesday evening fights at Premierland.
Not content with this, Mr Grant arranged bigger fights and by 1936 was selling 2,000-plus seats for fights in the Caird Hall.
At around this time he started to become known as “Lucky” Grant because, as Mrs Vannet explains, “he always took the good weather with him. Whenever he planned an open-air show, he took a risk and the sun seemed to shine.”
With this background and his increasing success as a promoter Mr Grant paid the modern-day equivalent of £150,000 to secure the Paterson-Curran match at Hampden Park.
Away from boxing, he paid for “Geordie’s Picnics”, a charitable event for disadvantaged east-end children.
As well as promoting others’ talents, Mr Grant nurtured those of his family, leading his two sons, George and Jack, as well as daughter Dorothy, to the quarter finals of the World Curling Championships.
In 1966, Mr Grant passed away, aged 61.