Tom Paddock

Who was Tom Paddock?

Tom Paddock, born Thomas Paddock also known as the Redditch Needlepointer was a champion English bare-knuckle boxer in the early Victorian era.

Tom was baptised on 25 August 1822 in Redditch, Worcestershire, England, the son of George Paddock and Elizabeth. Brought up on a farm, he was noted to have developed a size and endurance that lasted him well in his career as a boxer.

His professional career in boxing started in 1844; at the time he was just under six feet tall and weighed twelve stone. Between then and 1850 he was largely undefeated in the boxing ring, and gained a reputation not only for his courage but for his foul tactics and uncontrollable temper. It was William Thompson of Nottingham who spoilt his clean record in 1850 in Mildenhall, Suffolk.

In 1851 a fight against Harry Poulson in Belper ended in a riot when both men were jailed. Both served ten months hard labour.

Three years later Paddock challenged both Harry Broome and Bill Perry to a Heavyweight Championship of England bout but both turned it down.