Person    | Male  Born 10/3/1862  Died 24/12/1926

Arthur 'Peggy' Bettinson

Categories: Sport / Games

Co-founder National Sporting Club. Born Arthur Frederick Bettinson at 8 Edward (now Aquila) Street, Marylebone. Brought up in Hampstead. Keen sportsman. 1882 became the British Amateur Boxing Association's lightweight champion. 1891 using his own funds he joined with Fleming to open the National Sporting Club. On Fleming's death in 1897 Bettinson took over as Managing Director. One of his sons, Lionel, succeed his father in this role. Bettinson published a number of books on boxing. Died at home, Fairfax Road, south Hampstead.

He got his nick-name through an attempt at gender shaming by his mother. She tried to break him of his left-handedness by saying that only a girl would eat like that, and so they called him Peggy. He clearly embraced the name but we can't discover if he showed equal perverseness in retaining his southpawness.

See National Sporting Club for more information.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Arthur 'Peggy' Bettinson

Commemorated ati

National Sporting Club

This building was once known as the National Sporting Club, March 1891 - Octo...

Read More

Other Subjects

Jack Beresford

Jack Beresford

Rower. Born as Jack Beresford-Wisniewski. He won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta in 1920, and went on to win gold or silver medals in every summer Olympic Games from 1920 to 19...

Person, Sport / Games

1 memorial
Pickwick Bicycle Club

Pickwick Bicycle Club

The oldest surviving cycling club in the world was founded at Downs Hotel, during the craze for the newly evolving bicycle, just 2 weeks after Charles Dickens died. The founding members honoured hi...

Group, Community / Clubs, Sport / Games

1 memorial
Hugh Cecil Lowther, fifth Earl of Lonsdale

Hugh Cecil Lowther, fifth Earl of Lonsdale

Sportsman and profligate bon vivant, a life-style enabled through his vast inherited wealth. President of the National Sporting Club. Initiated the boxing prize, the Lonsdale Belt. Founder and firs...

Person, Politics & Administration, Sport / Games

1 memorial
Harry Vardon

Harry Vardon

Golfer. Born Henry William Vardon in Grouville, Jersey, Channel Islands. He won the British Open championship six times, the U.S. Open in 1900 and the German Open in 1911. He is remembered for his ...

Person, Sport / Games, Channel Islands, Germany, USA

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Mrs Knott's Dame School

Mrs Knott's Dame School

School in Bromley, attended by the young H.G. Wells. Dame Schools were an early form of private elementary school, often found in areas of poverty. They were usually run by women and were often loc...

Place, Education

1 memorial
St John's House

St John's House

From the National Archives : "St John House was founded in 1848 as a 'Training Institution for Nurses for Hospitals, Families and the Poor'. It was a religious community run by a Master, who was a ...

Group, Education, Medicine, Religion

1 memorial
World War 1

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came along at which point it was renamed as World War One or the First World War. But the term was first used in print in 1920...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

403 memorials
British Comedy Society / Dead Comics Society

British Comedy Society / Dead Comics Society

Originated in the front room of John Gatenbys' family home in Highgate, during a discussion concerning Peter Seller's nearby childhood home. Out of this the 'Dead Comics Society' was born and their...

Group, Community / Clubs, History, Humour

14 memorials
Lindsey House

Lindsey House

A grade II listed villa, thought to be the oldest building in Kensington and Chelsea. Built in 1674 by Robert Bertie, 3rd Earl of Lindsey on the site of Thomas More's garden. Extensively remodelle...

Building, Property

1 memorial