HEAVYWEIGHT division
BOMBARDIER BILLY WELLS
RetiredBorn WILLIAM THOMAS WELLS
Born 1887-08-31, STEPNEY, LONDON (died aged 79)· Died 1967-06-11, EALING, LONDON· GBR
Residence: EALING, LONDON· Stance: orthodox· Height: 191 cm (6'3")· aka BOMBARDIER, GUNNER WELLS
Debut: 1909-06-01· Career: 1909–1925 (17 years)
Wins
50
Losses
11
Draws
0
NC
6
Rated Fights
60
We have 7 records for this boxer that are unconfirmed — excluded from the record and rating while we research them.
This record contains 2 amateur bouts — they do not form part of the boxer's professional record or rankings.
EARLY LIFE
William Thomas Wells was born on 31 August 1889 in Stepney, in London's East End, into a working-class family of limited means. His father, William Thomas Wells Sr., worked as a musician, while his mother, Emily Rhoda Farrier, labored as a laundress to support the household. Wells was the eldest of five brothers among nine children
MILITARY CAREER
Wells enlisted in the British Army on 5 April 1906 at the age of 16, joining the Royal Artillery (6th Mountain Battery Royal Garrison Artillery) as a gunner. Shortly thereafter, he was posted to Rawalpindi in British India (modern-day Pakistan), where he demonstrated aptitude as a soldier and received rapid promotions, eventually attaining the non-commissioned rank of bombardier, from which his lifelong nickname derived.
FAMILY LIFE
On 7 September 1912, he married Ellen Kilroy in Wandsworth, London; her father owned a pub. The couple had four children, including one son named William Thomas and three daughters. Their first child was born by November 1913. Wells and Kilroy later separated, though they did not divorce.
His home was The Studio, 1b Florence Road, Ealing
DEATH
Wells died on 11th June 1967 in Ealing at the age of 77. He was cremated at Breakspear Crematorium in Ruislip. His ashes were interred in the crypt of St. Mary's Church in Ealing, some sources say St Mary's cemetery.
LEGACY
Wells was also famous for being on the people to fill the role of the "gongman" - the figure seen striking the gong in the introduction to J. Arthur Rank films.
Head-to-Head Comparison
Compare BOMBARDIER BILLY WELLS's career against any other fighter on record — records, ratings, common opponents, and any direct bouts.
Title Reigns — 4
1912-12-06 → 1919-02-27 · 6y 2m · 2 defences
Lost to JOE BECKETT · KO
1911-04-24 → 1912-01-12 · 8m 19d · 1 defence
Lost to FRED STORBECK · DQ
1911-04-24 → 1918-02-25 · 6y 10m · 12 defences
Vacated · Vacated
1910-09-15 → 1975-08-16 · 64y 11m · 0 defences
Lost to LARRY HOLMES · KO
Lonsdale Belt — won outright
- HEAVYWEIGHT — 1913· 3 British title wins
- HEAVYWEIGHT — 1914· 3 British title wins
- HEAVYWEIGHT — 1915· 3 British title wins
- HEAVYWEIGHT — 1916· 3 British title wins
- HEAVYWEIGHT — 1913· awarded outrightWon the Lonsdale Belt outright
Complete Record — 67 Bouts
| Date | Result | Opponent | Rds | Div. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🔒 30 APR 1925 | LOSS | JACK STANLEY | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 30 JAN 1925 | DQ | SOLDIER HORACE JONES | 6 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 15 DEC 1924 | TKO | GUNNER MICK BENNETT | 9 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 24 NOV 1924 | KO | CHARLIE PENWILL | 2 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 12 OCT 1922 | LOSS | JACK BLOOMFIELD | 6 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 27 MAY 1922 | LOSS | FRANK GODDARD | 6 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 24 APR 1922 | KO | ALBERT KID LLOYD | 10 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 07 SEP 1920 | KO | PAUL JOURNÉE | 6 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 10 MAY 1920 | LOSS | JOE BECKETT | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 08 APR 1920 | KO | EDDIE MCGOORTY | 16 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 17 MAR 1920 | KO | PAUL JOURNÉE | 13 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 27 JAN 1920 | KO | HARRY REEVE | 4 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 20 NOV 1919 | TKO | ARTHUR TOWNLEY | 9 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 17 OCT 1919 | KO | JACK CURPHEY | 2 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 27 FEB 1919 | LOSS | JOE BECKETT | 5 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 12 DEC 1918 | DEC | JOE BECKETTFinal · competition | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 11 DEC 1918 | DEC | EDDIE MCGOORTYSemi-final · competition | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 11 DEC 1918 | DEC | SEAMAN POWELL1st Series · competition | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 18 DEC 1916 | KO | DAN VOYLES | 2 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 26 AUG 1916 | KO | DICK SMITH | 9 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 31 MAR 1916 | KO | MATTHEW CURRAN | 5 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 21 FEB 1916 | KO | DICK SMITH | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 27 DEC 1915 | KO | BANDSMAN DICK RICE | 1 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 20 DEC 1915 | NC | E.V CHANDLER | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 11 SEP 1915 | NC | E ORMERED | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 31 MAY 1915 | KO | DICK SMITH | 9 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 29 MAR 1915 | LOSS | FRANK MORAN | 10 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 24 FEB 1915 | KO | BANDSMAN DICK RICE | 6 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 12 FEB 1915 | TKO | DAN MCGOLDRICK | 7 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 21 SEP 1914 | NC | FRANK HAGNEY | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 07 SEP 1914 | NC | PAT O'KEEFFE | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 30 JUN 1914 | KO | COLIN BELL | 2 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 30 APR 1914 | DEC | BANDSMAN DICK RICE | 20 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 02 APR 1914 | KO | ALBERT LURIE | 7 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 03 MAR 1914 | KO | BANDSMAN JACK BLAKE | 4 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 24 JAN 1914 | KO | GASTON PIGOT | 1 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 14 JAN 1914 | TKO | GUS GUNNER RAWLES | 10 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 08 DEC 1913 | LOSS | GEORGES CARPENTIER | 1 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 10 SEP 1913 | KO | GUNNER MOIR | 5 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 04 AUG 1913 | KO | PAT O'KEEFFE | 15 | MIDDLEWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 30 JUN 1913 | KO | PACKEY MAHONEY | 13 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 01 JUN 1913 | LOSS | GEORGES CARPENTIER | 4 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 14 MAR 1913 | LOSS | ED GUNBOAT SMITH | 2 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 06 DEC 1912 | KO | GEORGE RODEL | 2 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 03 OCT 1912 | NC | JIM SULLIVAN | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 18 JUL 1912 | KO | TOM KENNEDY | 8 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 28 JUN 1912 | LOSS | AL PALZER | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 18 DEC 1911 | KO | FRED STORBECK | 11 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 24 APR 1911 | KO | WILLIAM IRON HAGUE | 6 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 23 MAR 1911 | NC | JIM MALONEY | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 08 MAR 1911 | DEC | PORKY DAN FLYNN | 20 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 11 JAN 1911 | LOSS | GUNNER MOIR | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 16 NOV 1910 | KO | SEAMAN FRED PARSONS | 1 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 19 OCT 1910 | KO | DAN VOYLES | 10 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 15 SEP 1910 | KO | SERGEANT SUNSHINE | 5 | HEAVYWEIGHT | TITLE |
| 🔒 23 JUL 1910 | KO | CORPORAL BROWN | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 22 JUN 1910 | TKO | GUNNER J MCMURRAY | 1 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 08 JUN 1910 | DEC | GUNNER JOE MILLS | 6 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 13 FEB 1910 | TKO | PRIVATE CLOHESSYUNCONFIRMEDAMATEUR | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 05 FEB 1910 | DEC | DRUMMER NESSAMATEURFinal · competition | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 14 OCT 1909 | DEC | PRIVATE CLOHESSYUNCONFIRMEDAMATEUR | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 29 SEP 1909 | KO | SERGEANT GALEUNCONFIRMEDAMATEUR | 2 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 28 SEP 1909 | KO | CORPORAL GOULDBURNUNCONFIRMEDAMATEUR | 1 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 14 JUL 1909 | KO | PRIVATE TANSELLUNCONFIRMEDAMATEUR | 2 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 29 JUN 1909 | KO | PRIVATE JARVISUNCONFIRMEDAMATEUR | 1 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 15 JUN 1909 | KO | GUNNER TURNERUNCONFIRMEDAMATEUR | 1 | HEAVYWEIGHT | |
| 🔒 01 JUN 1909 | DEC | PRIVATE CLOHESSYAMATEURFinal · competition | 3 | HEAVYWEIGHT |
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Competitions Won
Final Resting Place
Breakspear Crematorium
RUISLIP, LONDON
