MEMORABILIA from a famous Wee County boxer has found a new home thanks to an archive charting the history of the sport in Scotland.

Items which will help future generations learn about the Tommy Speirs story have been given to the University of Stirling Archives by his family to bolster the Tales from the Ring project.

And on Sunday afternoon, daughters of the local legend Jean and Isobel attended the launch of a small exhibition at the university's library, where Tommy's shield of accolades featured alongside items like the robe of Dick McTaggart.

Jean and older sister Isobel had been wondering what they could do with all the items relating to their father's career, fearing that some of the Tommy Speirs legacy could be lost to the cogs of time.

Isobel told the Advertiser: "There's really not anybody to pass it on to in the family, because they are all elderly cousins that have never been interested in the past, I'm talking about ones that are in England and that.

"Who were we going to give it to?"

It would appear the boxing archive launched just at the right time to preserve the Speirs legacy with project officer Ian Mackintosh reaching out to the famous boxer's family through the Advertiser at the end of last year.

The record books will show that Tommy won the Scottish Amateur Lightweight Championship in 1929 and the Scottish Lightweight Championship in 1933 after going pro.

However, it was his later work with local disadvantaged children that, perhaps, meant the most to many in the local area at the time.

After hanging up the gloves, Tommy opened a club on Park Lane in Alloa, looking to take young people off the streets by offering training in boxing, gymnastics and wrestling – free of charge, if necessary.

Despite all that, Tommy was always a humble man, according to many sources.

Indeed, his daughters say he hardly spoke of the wins and titles under his belt at home.

Isobel said: "He was modest and he took on bringing in all these young kids that really had nothing and no place to play other than the streets and maybe ending up in trouble.

"He took them into Park Lane and helped them learn.

"And he wasn't one to go: 'Oh, it was me who did this, it was me that did that' – it was not anything like that in his life."

Jean still recalls attending gymnastics training at Park Lane herself.

With the running of the club and other commitments, life was busy for Tommy and he would be out at least every other night.

Tommy never boasted about his career or achievements and still today, Jean and Isobel are learning new things, in part thanks to the recent collaboration with the boxing archive project.

They were keen to get involved, "thank goodness somebody else is taking an interest, it's not going to be stuck in a dustbin and forgotten about", Isobel explained.

The exhibition at the weekend was officially opened by the university's vice-chancellor and principal Professor Gerry McCormac.

He said the small showcase was "only the beginning" and it is hoped the archive on Scottish boxing will be a vital resource for sports historians and the likes.

That sentiment was echoed by project officer Ian Mackintosh, who said: "I'm absolutely delighted with the turnout and the reception the exhibition has received from people.

"Even today, the Tommy Speirs family have contributed more to the collection."

The day was an opportunity to show what can be achieved in a proper archives, which could benefit researchers and those interested in the Scottish history of the sport.

And the exhibition is open to anyone to view at the university's library for a few weeks to come.

Ian added: "This will hopefully help us provide opportunities for research for sports historians and, actually, social historians as well."

"It's all connected", he explained as he highlighted that while many boxers had long careers, even more had very short ones.

Ian went on: "Sport has impacts on people's lives and also, their family life as well."

Information from the archives will be made available online as well, but Ian insists: "Although it's brilliant to see pictures of artefacts, there is nothing better than to actually have the opportunity to view them physically."