DIGITALISING a collection of historical sporting regalia from boxing legend Charles Tennant Jardine will soon begin, after his granddaughter donated the collection to Inverell Shire Public Library.
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Inverell Mayor Paul Harmon received the Jardine Boxing Collection from Ann-Maree Dyer in front of about 30 guests and dignitaries at a special ceremony on Friday, October 2.
Jardine's Olympic blazer, two Australian boxing medals, a passport and pair of Parisian opera glasses were among items donated to the library.
They will be on show for about a month, before the process of digitally recording and preserving them begins.
"It was a fabulous morning," library services manager Sonya Lange said.
"Guests enjoyed the opportunity to see these historical items up close. We are very appreciative to the Jardine family for donating the collection to the library.
"Everything will be preserved and catalogued, and a printed and digital version of the collection will be made available to the public."
At the ceremony held at the library, guests were serenaded by Jardine's great granddaughter Madison Jardine Dyer, a violinist who played tunes from the early 20th century.
Then 2023 Australian Amateur Boxing League champion Ricky Peter Sandral introduced proceedings and demonstrated warm-up boxing exercises for the guests.
Mayor Harmon officially received the collection from Ms Dyer in front of guests including Jardine's daughter Margaret, deputy mayor Kate Dight and Cr Stewart Berryman.
"It's terrific for the Jardine Boxing Collection to return home to Inverell," Mayor Harmon said.
"We are now the custodians of the collection and will preserve and look after it."
Jardine grew up in and around Inverell and Moree and represented Australia as a heavyweight boxer at the Paris Olympic Games in 1924. He was eliminated in the first round of the heavyweight class by Norwegian Otto von Porat.
Described as a "fine, genial young giant from up-back around Inverell", Jardine started boxing aged 24 in 1915.
The collection donated to the library includes a scrapbook with various newspaper clippings of Jardine's rise to prominence in boxing circles in the northwest of NSW and Sydney, plus telegrams, poetry, handbills and some transcripts of articles.
The exhibition is free and Ms Lange hopes it will attract more visitors to the library, in Campbell Street.
