Les Darcy
Les Darcy is Maitland’s most famous sporting hero. Born near Maitland in 1895, by 1915, aged nineteen, his name, boxing prowess and wide smile were recognised around the world.
Explore our image library and read about his legacy, or scroll to the Les Darcy Collection Cabinet to listen to the audio recording. This web resource was supported by The Dobell Exhibition Grant funded by the Sir William Dobell Art Foundation and managed by Museums & Galleries of NSW as part of the Shadow Boxer exhibition.
Explore the rest of the MRAG Darcy collection
Les Darcy’s story is one of determination, athleticism and strength, family and faith, money and fame, war and conscription, treachery and revenge and love, and ending with his tragic death in 1917 at only twenty-one years of age.
In his prime he was loved by the nation as a smiling, clean living young man, and an elite athlete with natural talents – elevated by his training and his work as a blacksmith’s apprentice. In his short but stellar career as a professional boxer, Les Darcy fought a staggering fifty bouts, winning all but four – and he never lost by knockout.
Les Darcy, c. 1915, Milton Kent Sydney Studio Silver gelatin print, 17.5 x 24.5cm, Purchased by Maitland Regional Art Gallery, 2010. Acc no 2012.223<
Maitland Regional Art Gallery is the custodian of an extensive collection of Les Darcy material, including Darcy’s personal belongings and handwritten letters, numerous photographs, century old newspapers and magazines and historic and contemporary ephemera relating to the man and the sport of boxing. This collection of items has enabled MRAG to tell the story, not only of Les Darcy, the ‘Maitland Wonder’, but also the Golden Age of Australian boxing in the early 20th century, and stories of our town and nation during the turbulent times of the First World War. This collection has also inspired artists and writers in the creation of new work for new audiences to engage with this historical collection in a contemporary context.
![The Darcy Family [outside 'LesLeigh', Emerald Street. East Maitland], c.1916, Photograph on paper (reproduction), 9.7 x 14.5cm. Acc no.2021.047](https://mrag.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/image002.jpg)
Les Darcy was born into a poor Irish Catholic family, the second eldest of ten children, and from a very young age he took on the responsibility to support his struggling family.
![Les Darcy [at the blacksmiths shop door],c.1915 Silver gelatin print, 28.6 x 20cm, Purchased by Maitland Regional Art Gallery, 2013. Acc no 2014.045](https://mrag.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/image006.jpg)
His earnings as a blacksmith helped, but it was his much larger earnings as a professional boxer that Darcy hoped would settle his family for the rest of their lives. In the big competitions he could earn more in one night than the average Australian worker was making in one year. With his winnings he was able to purchase land and build a large brick home for his family in Emerald Street, East Maitland – seen in the photo in the previous slide, in which the family are posed on the front verandah.
![Untitled [young Les Darcy], c.1911, Silver gelatin print, 29.2 x 23.7cm, Purchased by Maitland Regional Art Gallery, 2010. Acc No. 2012.299](https://mrag.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Les-Darcy-Shadow-Boxer-090-488x675.jpg)
Les Darcy’s first professional bout was in Maitland in 1911 when he was only fifteen. This photograph is one of the earliest taken of the young boxer. Since then he became so popular that there were hundreds of photographs taken of the handsome young boxer.
Of his many bouts, Les Darcy’s win against American Eddie McGoorty at Baker’s Stadium, Rushcutters Bay Sydney, was one of the highlights of his career. The match was billed as a World Championship bout and more than 15000 spectators (including thousands who had travelled from Newcastle and Maitland on special trains) crammed into the stadium to witness the event. It was an intense fifteen rounds in which Darcy deflected – with a grin – McGoorty’s famous ‘corkscrew’ punch and ended with McGoorty unable to defend himself against the nineteen year old Maitlander’s powerful barrage.
Les Darcy’s trainer and fellow Australian boxer, Dave Smith, was so proud of Darcy’s win over McGoorty that he presented Darcy with this gold fob watch. The outer case of the watch is engraved with Darcy’s initials and inside are the words: “From Dave Smith as a memento of Les Darcy’s brilliant victory over Eddie McGoorty, July 31, 1915.” This watch was donated to the MRAG Collection in 2016 by the late Iris Darcy, widow of Les Darcy’s youngest brother Joe Darcy
After the McGoorty fight, in July 1915, thousands of small round lapel badges featuring Darcy’s smiling face were distributed for sale and by donation – with proceeds going to the Red Cross. The badges were worn proudly by Australian fans and many were posted to the boys fighting on the fronts of World War One. Les Darcy had become one of Australia’s most famous sportsmen.
This booklet, holds particular poignancy in Les Darcy’s story. It promotes the fight between Les Darcy and Australian boxer, Harold Hardwick, in February 1916. This fight was billed as a contest for the Heavyweight Championship of Australia, which Darcy won, however it was during this fight that Hardwick knocked out Darcy’s front teeth. The teeth were reinstated by a dentist straight after the match, but it is believed that this incident was the cause of Les Darcy falling ill and dying of blood poisoning in America just over a year later.
In 1914 Australia had pledged to support Britain in the First World War. By April 1915 young Australian men were losing their lives at Gallipoli. As he was not yet 21, Les Darcy was too young to enlist without parental permission, which his mother refused to give. He played his part by completing compulsory militia training, giving boxing exhibitions for war charities and volunteering support for the war effort.
In October 1916, on the eve of his 21st birthday and the referendum calling for compulsory conscription, Les Darcy illegally stowed away on a ship from Stockton to travel to America. His intent was to avoid conscription and compete in America against the best boxers in the world to secure a financially safe future for himself and his family, before voluntarily enlisting.
He arrived in New York in December 1916. During his time in America he wrote many letters and cards back home to his friends, supporters and family. There are three postcards in the Collection from Les addressed to his Dearest Mum.
“23/1/17, Dearest Mum, Just a view from Pittsburgh its not a very nice place its just like Newcastle only a bit bigger here and a lot of factories here and the town is always smoky with love to all at home love Les.”
In the five months Les Darcy was in the US he never faced a formal fight. He was attacked in the media and labelled a shirker and deserter in headlines fed by the Sydney promoters that Darcy had abandoned. There was also a complex web of political pressure which led to US government authorities banning him from competing in any match proposed. News of Les Darcy’s trials during this period shared front page coverage with the growing losses of young lives on the fronts of World War One. In May 1917 Les Darcy’s death, at age 21, was the headline.
On the 24th of May 1917 Les Darcy died in a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, with his closest friend Mick Hawkins and Darcy’s sweetheart, Winnie O’Sullivan, at his bedside. It was in death that Les Darcy was once again shown an outpouring of love and respect. Thousands attended the funerals and memorial processions that were held for him in Memphis, San Francisco, Sydney and Maitland.
There was an extravagant funeral procession in San Francisco in which Darcy was farewelled from the country. This engraved Memoriam plate was given to Mick Hawkins from the Sportsmen of San Francisco to accompany Les Darcy’s coffin home to Australia.
This photograph shows the crowds of onlookers that lined the streets of Maitland as the hearse made its way to the East Maitland cemetery where hundreds of thousands crowded for the graveside ceremony.
After his death numerous books and articles about Les Darcy’s life and boxing career have been published. A Song of Remembrance was composed in 1917, and his image has been reproduced on commemorative coins and stamps, in sporting magazines and even chewing gum and cigarette collector cards.
This painting on canvas of Les Darcy decorated one of the tent walls for Blum’s Boxing Troupe, alongside canvases featuring other famous boxers such as Dave Sands, Micky Miller and Vic Patrick. Blum’s Boxing Troupe toured Western Australian mining towns in the 1950s.
Nigel Milsom used MRAG’s Les Darcy collection material as a reference for his 2021 series of paintings, Judo-House Pt 9 (birdland). These paintings featured in MRAG’s 2021 exhibition Shadow Boxer. MRAG purchased one painting (pictured on the right) for the Collection in the same year.
Les Darcy Collection Cabinet
This cabinet highlights some of Maitland Regional Art Gallery’s Collection of Les Darcy’s personal belongings, photographs, historical newspapers and fan ephemera that tell the story of the boxer and the man, Les Darcy.
For each drawer you can read the text or listen to the text as an audio recording.
The cabinet was first exhibited as part of the Shadow Boxer exhibition in 2021.
Cabinet viewing is available by appointment.
Drawer 1: Career highlights
Les Darcy’s first professional bout was in Maitland in 1911 when he was only 15. The photograph, top left, is one of the earliest taken of the young boxer. Since then he became so popular that there were hundreds of photographs taken of the handsome young man.
Of his many bouts Les Darcy’s win against American Eddie McGoorty was one of the highlights of his career.
In the centre are items that tell the story of this fight. Coloured boxing postcards and photographs of Darcy and McGoorty promoted the fight to be held in July 1915 at Bakers Stadium in Sydney. The match was billed as a World Championship bout and more than 15000 spectators (including thousands who had travelled from Newcastle and Maitland on special trains) crammed into the stadium to witness the event. It was an intense fifteen rounds in which Darcy deflected – with a grin – McGoorty’s famous ‘corkscrew’ punch and ended with McGoorty unable to defend himself against the nineteen year old Maitlander’s powerful barrage.
After the fight Darcy received the small brick-shaped pendant from a fan. The brick is engraved with the words ‘MCGOORTY KNOCKOUT’ on the front, and ‘EJ CARD TO LES DARCY ONE BRICK TO ANOTHER’ on the back.
Les Darcy’s trainer and fellow Australian boxer, Dave Smith, was so proud of Darcy’s win over McGoorty that he presented Darcy with the gold fob watch. The outer case of the watch is engraved with Darcy’s initials and inside are the words: “From Dave Smith as a memento of Les Darcy’s brilliant victory over Eddie McGoorty, July 31, 1915.”
Dave Smith is depicted on the boxing card on the left. He came out of retirement in 1916 to face his young protégé and improve his bank balance. The red booklet promotes one of his fights against Darcy, the large photo of a victorious Darcy in the ring tells the story of Dave Smith’s defeat.
After the McGoorty fight thousands of small round lapel badges featuring Darcy’s smiling face were distributed for sale and by donation – with proceeds going to the Red Cross. The badges were worn proudly by Australian fans and many were posted to the boys fighting on the fronts of World War One. Les Darcy had become one of Australia’s most famous sportsmen.
The booklet, top right, holds particular poignancy in Les Darcy’s story. It promotes the fight between Les Darcy and Australian boxer, Harold Hardwick, in February 1916. This fight was billed as a contest for the Heavyweight Championship of Australia, which Darcy won, however it was during this fight that Hardwick knocked out Darcy’s front teeth. The teeth were reinstated by a dentist straight after the match, but it is believed that this incident was the cause of Les Darcy falling ill and dying of blood poisoning in America just over a year later.
Drawer 2: More than a boxer
Les Darcy is best known as a world-class boxer of his day – but there was more to the young Maitland man than just boxing. He was born into a poor family, the second eldest of ten children, and from a very young age he took on the responsibility to support his struggling family. His earnings as a blacksmith helped, but it was his much larger earnings as a professional boxer that Darcy hoped would settle his family for the rest of their lives. In the big matches he could earn more in one night than the average worker was making in one year. With his winnings he was able to purchase land and build a large brick home for his family in East Maitland – seen in the photos in which the family are posed on the front verandah. He also had enough money to buy fine clothes and a Buick motor car.
He was well mannered and clean living and prided himself as a non-drinker and non-smoker. The prayerbook, which belonged to Darcy, is a symbol of his devout Catholic faith. He made every effort to regularly attend mass and would catch the overnight train from Sydney to Newcastle after a fight to be in Maitland in time for the 6am mass. The curate at the East Maitland church was Father Joseph Coady a mentor and confidant, however closest to Darcy was Mick Hawkins who is pictured in the double portrait with Darcy’s hand on his shoulder. Hawkins was a lifelong, loyal friend and protector and was beside Les Darcy from the early days right up to Darcy’s dying moments.
Although his schooling was brief Darcy wrote expansive and descriptive letters and he played violin quite well – despite his large boxer’s hands.
In 1914 Australia had pledged to support Britain in the First World War. By April 1915 young Australian men were losing their lives at Gallipoli. As he was not yet 21, Les Darcy was too young to enlist without parental permission, which his mother refused to give. He played his part by completing compulsory militia training, giving boxing exhibitions for war charities and volunteering support for the war effort. In the photo, lower left, Les can be spotted in the front row of a large group of men (most from the boxing fraternity) all of whom were clearing land in French’s Forest for the building of homes for returned wounded soldiers.
In October 1916, on the eve of his 21st birthday and the referendum calling for compulsory conscription, Les Darcy illegally stowed away on a ship from Stockton to travel to America. His intent was to avoid conscription and compete in America against the best boxers in the world to secure a financially safe future for himself and his family, before voluntarily enlisting.
He arrived in New York in December 1916. During his time in America he wrote many letters and cards back home to his friends, supporters and family. The three postcards in the cabinet are addressed to his Dearest Mum.
Drawer 3: The Competition
Between 1911 and 1917 Les Darcy competed in fifty professional fights. His opponents were Australian and international champions and he defeated most – losing only four matches out of fifty. His success was put down to his natural physique, strength and stamina, the training, his boxing intelligence and even temperament.
Each of the photographs and coloured boxing cards feature some of Les Darcy’s opponents. The boxing cards were promotional material to advertise upcoming bouts at Baker’s Stadium, Rushcutters Bay, with a photo of the competitor on the front and details of the fight and the boxer’s statistics and boxing record on the reverse.
Les Darcy was respected by almost all his opponents for his ability and good nature.
American Dave Depena – pictured upper left – said: ‘He had three arms, possibly four. He hit you with one jawbreaker, had another waiting four inches behind it and a third on the way.’
American Eddie McGoorty – posing with King, Darcy and Clabby in the large photo at top said: ‘He had great teeth, and that smile of his was there all the time. It was pretty unnerving in the ring, to see this happy smile as if he was enjoying every moment of trying to knock your head off.’
Australian Mick King- pictured upper right – said: ‘I never thought it possible for a man to possess such strength, endurance and speed.’
Jimmy Clabby – lower right – said ‘Darcy is a wonderful fighter, and he is as strong as a bull.’[1]
American Fritz Holland – standing with Darcy with towels around their necks said: “You’d walk a million miles and never see the like again of Darcy. He was the finest natural boxer I ever saw”.[2]
Holland can also be seen in the group photo on the left. He is next to the tall Harold Hardwick who was the boxer that knocked out Darcy’s teeth in 1916.
There is one boxing card in the lower right corner – who was not a competitor of Les Darcy – it is Frank Darcy – Les Darcy’s brother. Frank was four years younger than Les and he began a professional career aged sixteen, while Les was alive. He was a promising boxer but sadly he died just two years after Les, succumbing to the Spanish Flu pandemic in May 1919.
[1] https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/102912715?searchTerm=the%20referee%20clabby%20darcy
[2] Home before Dark p.9
Drawer 4: His Legacy
In the five months Les Darcy was in the US he never faced a formal fight. He was attacked in the media and labelled a shirker and deserter in headlines fed by the Sydney promoters that Darcy had abandoned. There was also a complex web of political pressure which led to US government authorities banning him from competing in any match proposed. News of Les Darcy’s trials during this period shared front page coverage with the growing losses of young lives on the fronts of World War One. In May 1917 Les Darcy’s death, at age 21, was the headline.
On the 24th of May 1917 Les Darcy fell ill and died in Memphis, Tennessee. It was in death that Les Darcy was once again shown an outpouring of love and respect. Thousands attended the memorial processions and funerals that were held for him in Memphis, San Francisco, Sydney and Maitland.
Eight scenes of the extravagant funeral procession in San Francisco can be seen beside the engraved Memoriam plate which was given to Darcy’s closest friend Mick Hawkins in San Francisco to accompany Darcy’s coffin home to Australia. The large photograph shows the crowds of onlookers that lined the streets of Maitland as the hearse made its way to the East Maitland cemetery where hundreds of thousands crowded for the graveside ceremony.
After his death numerous of books and articles about Les Darcy’s life and boxing career have been published. A Song of Remembrance was composed in 1917, and his image reproduced on commemorative coins and stamps, and even chewing gum and cigarette collector cards. Maitland Regional Art Gallery is custodian to many such objects, some of the most precious are personal items that belonged to Les Darcy that were donated to the gallery’s collection by Les Darcy’s family. These items had been collected by Les Darcy’s youngest brother – Joe – the babe in arms seen in the family photo on the verandah of their East Maitland home.
