Market Harborough's British heavyweight champion Jack Gardner

Before Martin Johnson came along, the boxer Jack Gardner was Market Harborough's most famous sporting son. He beat Bruce Woodcock in 1950 to win the British and Empire heavyweight titles, and for most of 1951 held the European title too.

When Gardner retired from the ring in 1956, he took up farming locally. He died in 1978 aged only 52.

A second local British heavyweight champion is seen in the film: Reggie Meen, who grew up down the road in Desborough and held the title from November 1931 to July 1932.

And the Colonel Symington who presents Gardner with a watch is a member of the Market Harborough soup-making dynasty.

Thanks to the Leicester Evening Mail for the next day, I can tell you that this dinner was held on Thursday 7 December 1950 in "Symington's recreation room". This was in the corset factory in the centre of town owned by the other branch of the family.