Glimpse into the ‘Whirlwind’s’ Gympie childhood

He knocked the Gold City into the record books in the 1920s.

Gympie’s famous boxer Archie Bradley knocked the Gold City into the record books in the 1920s but he was raised by a strong woman.

The Gympie Family History Society Facebook Page reports, the death of his father John aged 46 in 1906 left Archie’s mother Wilhelmina Louisa (known as Minnie) nee Gierke and 10 children ranging in age from 21 to 12 months.

Gympie boxer Archie Bradley known as the “Gympie Whirlwind” or “Gympie Tornado” put the Gold City into the record books in the 1920s.

The Gympie Whirlwind was the seventh child.

Minnie may not have been left as badly off as many widows of her time.

John had been a sharebroker and she received the benefits of a life insurance policy he had taken out.

Archie Bradley's family home on Rowe St, Gympie. Photo: Gympie Family History Society INC.

Nevertheless, even today, the raising of 10 children alone is a mammoth task.

Early in their marriage John and Minnie had lived in Wickham St until they moved into this one in Rowe St.

They probably needed a larger home to accommodate their growing family.

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After John’s death, Minnie stayed in Rowe St until about 1925.

According to the electoral rolls after 1925 she lived in Young St in this large, impressive building which she ran as a boarding house.

Archie Bradley's family house on Rowe St, Gympie today. Photo: Gympie Family History Society INC.

There is some anecdotal evidence that Archie purchased the house for his mother and the dates coincide with the time when he was at the top of his boxing career.

Minnie continued to live here until her death in 1949.

Like so many women of her time, little was ever recorded about Minnie except in relation to her famous son but there can be little doubt as to her strength and devotion to her family.

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