Suez Canal Bar sign in Largs recalls boxer Jackie Paterson

The venue closed in April and has been part of the town's bar scene for more than 80 years, having served as The Clachan - a popular haunt in the 70s and 80s run by Charlie Lyle.

But before that it was a well known watering hole called The Suez Canal Bar and the framework of the original signage can currently be seen at the Bath Street premises.

The Suez Canal Bar even had its bar area shaped like a cruise liner in times gone by, however, its biggest claim to fame is that world champion boxer Jackie Paterson worked at the bar.

The world flyweight boxing champion used to be a barman and was pictured at the helm of the old style bar, which was presented like the bow of the ship in the 1940s.

Jackie Paterson at the Suez Canal Bar in Largs (Image: Submitted)

Despite becoming a corporal in the Royal Air Force, Jackie Paterson was continuing to fight one match per month and notched up 13 out of 14 victories, with his only loss coming as a result of a technicality after he broke his hand.

His relentless winning run led to Paterson putting himself in position for a shot at Englishman Peter Kane's world flyweight title.

Both met in a Hampden Park showdown in 1943.

From the opening bell, Paterson's accurate punching was to prove the difference and he caught Kane with his right, sending him down to the canvas quickly, and triumphed in 61 seconds to take his crown.

Later that year he beat Jim Brady to win the Commonwealth bantamweight crown.

The outline of The Suez Canal Bar sign can currently be seen above the former Waterside premises which closed in April (Image: Newsquest)

The following year he disposed of Frenchman Theo Medina in London to become world, British and Commonwealth flyweight champion, as well as Commonwealth and European bantamweight champion.

Paterson returned to Hampden in 1946 to successfully defend his flyweight title against Liverpool’s Joe Curran in front of 45,000 people, and enjoyed further bantamweight success the following year. After struggles with his weight, he lost his title to Rinty Monaghan in Belfast in 1948.

By the time he hung up his gloves in 1951, the Scot had won 64 of his 92 fights, 41 by KO.

After his boxing career was over, Paterson left the UK to work in South Africa, and met a gruesome fate when he was killed by a stab to the neck with a broken bottle in a street fight outside a pub in Natal.

Packing a punch: The Suez Canal Bar as it looked in its heyday, with a manager who became the first ever female boxing promoter in the UK (Image: Donald White)

In our March edition of the Largs and Millport Weekly News of 1956, an article was printed which recalled the memory of Mrs Helen Boyd, who was the first official female boxing promoter in the UK.

‘Nellie’ Boyd, former owner of the Suez Canal Bar in Largs, was praised for her fund-raising efforts during the Second World War, organising functions and raising money for wartime causes.

The News reported: “Nellie, as she was known to us all, was the first woman to receive a licence as a boxing promoter from the British Board of Boxing Control and she has always taken a real and active participation in the sport.

"Well-known Scottish boxer Jackie Paterson was employed at the bar for a long time. There was a number of good causes Mrs Boyd has assisted in her time."

She was also of great assistance to Largs Thistle Football Club and was presented with a silver cup in recognition.

There was a function held in the Grosvenor Restaurant in Glasgow at which she was the recipient of a silver memento gifted by celebrities in the boxing world in recognition of the many contests she had staged in aid of charity.

The Waterside Bar closed in April, with the ex-owner Brian Purdie saying that it has been sold for a new Thai restaurant.