Jim Gilmour

The name of Gilmour was connected with Scottish boxing for more than 100 years. It started with the 1920 Olympic lightweight boxer Jim Gilmour, and the family name continued when his son Tommy became one of the leading boxing managers in Scotland. He helped rebuild Scottish boxing after World War II, and with one of the biggest boxing stables in the country, produced some great champions like Chic Calderwood. The next generation, Tommy’s son (also Tommy), went on to become one of Scotland’s leading boxing promoters.

Jim Gilmour won the Scottish lightweight title in 1920 and then went to London for the ABA Championships, but was eliminated in the semi-final by the three-times winner, and defending champion, Fred Grace. Gilmour had a brief professional career starting with an uninspiring 15-round points decision win over Alick Cumming in January 1921. Gilmour later became a boxing manager and promoter and in 1929, when the Scottish Boxing Board of Control was inaugurated, Gilmour and another ex-professional, Tancy Lee, became the Board’s two approved managers.