The two periods comprised in these pages embrace the lives of several of the most skilful and courageous boxers who have illustrated the art of attack and defence. In the first, we have the battles of Spring (Thos. Winter), John Langan, Ned Painter, Oliver, Neat of Bristol, Thomas Hickman, Dan Donnelly, and Carter, with minor stars in an Appendix. In the second, Jem Ward, Peter Crawley, Tom Cannon, Josh. Hudson, Ned Neale, Ned Baldwin, Young Dutch Sam, Alec Reid, Tom Gaynor, Bishop Sharpe, Brown of Bridgnorth, and Sampson of Birmingham. Dick Curtis, Barney Aaron, Harry Jones, and light-weights forming the Appendix.
The third and concluding volume, commencing with Bendigo (William Thompson), will include the Decline and Fall of the P.R., with occasional flickerings of its olden fire, till its final expiry in the doings of Tom Sayers, John Camel Heenan, and Tom King.
Wood Green, August, 1880.
THOMAS WINTER (SPRING), Champion.
From a Drawing by George Sharples in 1822.
PUGILISTICA:
THE HISTORY OF BRITISH BOXING.
PERIOD V.—1814 TO 1824.
FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIP OF TOM SPRING TO THAT OF JEM WARD.
CHAPTER I.
TOM SPRING (CHAMPION)—1814–1824.
A new era in boxing arose about the period of Spring’s appearance and Tom Cribb’s later battles, of which Thomas Winter (Spring) was the exponent, and of which school Jem Ward (in the next Period), Peter Crawley, Ned Neale, Jem Burn, Baldwin, Young Dutch Sam, and others, with numerous light weights, carried out the exemplification and practice. This we shall have ample occasion to notice in the coming chapters; for the present we will address ourselves to the milling career of Thomas Spring.