“Edward Painter agrees to fight Thomas Oliver for a purse of 100 guineas, on Monday, the 17th July, within twenty miles of the city of Norwich. To be a fair stand-up fight, in a twenty-four feet ring, half-minute time. An umpire to be chosen by each party, and a referee selected on the ground by the umpires. Ten pounds a-side are deposited in the hands of Mr. Soares, and the remaining ten pounds a-side to be made good at the Castle Tavern, on Monday, May 29, between the hours of seven and eleven o’clock. The forty pounds to be placed in the hands of Mr. Jackson. Either party declining the contest to forfeit the deposit money; but if a fight takes place, Oliver to draw the £40. The purse to be given by the Pugilistic Club at Norwich. The place of fighting to be left in writing for Oliver and his friends, at the house of Mr. Painter, on the Saturday previous to the battle. The gate-money to be divided between Oliver and Painter, and their respective seconds and bottle-holders. The purse to be placed in the hands of a banker previous to the day of fighting.

“Signed, in behalf of Painter, C. T.

“For Oliver, T. BELCHER.”

The betting was six to four on Painter. He was decidedly the favourite in the metropolis; but in Norwich, long odds were laid on him. So great was the interest that, for a week before the fight, numerous parties left London daily to be sure of witnessing the battle. The stage coaches, besides a variety of vehicles from London, were filled inside and out for some days previous to the appointed time; and small groups of persons mustered of an evening in the streets of Norwich to hail the arrivals. In short, the ancient city appeared as much alive upon the subject as on the eve of an election. This sensation was also felt for miles around Norwich. The spot selected for the combat was North Walsham, sixteen and a half miles from the above city; and so little apprehension was entertained of the fight being interfered with, that a stage was built upon the ground for the accommodation of the spectators. In short, this fistic tourney engrossed the conversation in Norwich.

On Monday, July 17, 1820, every vehicle in Norwich was engaged to go to the scene of action. People were in motion by four o’clock in the morning; and in the streets which tended towards the place of contest the doors and windows of the houses displayed groups, eager to witness the departure. The road to North Walsham, which is delightful and picturesque, was thronged with carriages, equestrians, and pedestrians. To give some idea of the appearance the route presented, it may be mentioned that at least twelve hundred vehicles, of various descriptions, are ascertained to have passed over Coltishall Bridge. By ten o’clock, North Walsham was literally crammed with strangers; and the arrival of persons, continued up to two o’clock, from all the roads leading to the fight, baffled description.

In the field, a stage of a hundred yards in length was erected for spectators; and a circle of about sixty wagons was formed round the outer roped ring, at about ten yards distance from it, which were also filled with spectators. In the space between the outer and inner ropes some few persons were likewise admitted. The ring was similar to that of the Pugilistic Club, and the stakes were also of the same colour. Upon the whole, it was better made, and the accommodation it afforded to the spectators, as well as to the combatants, was superior to the London ring. £50 were collected at the gate (the pedestrians being made to tip), and the stage produced £80. The greatest order prevailed; the decorum of the thing was kept up by Shelton, Randall, Turner, Scroggins, Eales, Josh. Hudson, Harmer, Purcell, Teasdale, etc. And the immense concourse of assembled faces above faces, rising in amphitheatric tiers, formed an extraordinary and an interesting sight.

About a quarter before one o’clock, Oliver, dressed in white trousers, a black waistcoat, and a green great coat, made his appearance, and threw up his hat, followed by the Champion of England (Cribb) and Belcher. A clapping of hands took place. Some little time elapsed, and Painter not making his appearance, Cribb asked one of the Norwich Committee where Painter was? The question had scarcely escaped the lips of Cribb when enthusiastic shouts announced the approach of Painter. Upon throwing up his hat the shouting was universal; the clapping of hands, and the noise of upwards of thirty thousand persons, was like a roar of artillery. Painter was without his coat, and on his entering the ring he immediately and cordially shook hands with Oliver. Spring and Paul attended upon Painter.

Some demur took place respecting the division of what is termed the gate-money,[[17]] Oliver claiming half the cash taken for admissions upon the stage, and also the money collected in the sixty wagons upon the ground. This claim was resisted by the Norwich Committee, who insisted that the stage and wagons were an entire gift to Painter. Here Cribb offered to bet a guinea that no fight would take place. The articles were now resorted to, and a gentleman from London, one of the umpires, decided that, according to the articles, Oliver was not entitled to the stage or the wagons, although the latter did offer to pay half of the expenses. This knotty point being settled, the scratch was made, and a toss-up took place between Cribb and Spring for the shady side of the ring, which was won by the latter. The combatants then stripped. The colours, yellow for Painter, and blue for Oliver, were tied to the stakes; the ceremony of all the parties shaking hands was not forgotten. The moment so long wished-for had now arrived, and the boxers prepared to set-to. Five-and-a-half to four were the real odds upon the ground.

THE FIGHT.

Round 1.—Oliver appeared in good condition. He fought in striped silk stockings; and the symmetry of his form was not only attractive to the amateur, but the lovers of anatomy had before them a capital subject in the action and development of his muscles. Painter was also in tip-top trim, and though he had been reduced in training nearly two stone, he was effective for every purpose. On the men placing themselves in fighting attitudes, caution was the order of the day. After eyeing each other for about a minute, Oliver made an offer to hit, when Painter got away; Oliver in turn now got away from a hit made by Painter. Oliver hit short. Painter endeavoured to put in a tremendous hit, which was stopped in first rate style by his opponent. Painter got away from another hit. Oliver stopped a heavy hit, and gave a loud “ahem.” The combatants seemed tired of holding up their arms, and stood still and looked at each other, and after a pause Painter put in a tremendous hit on Oliver’s neck. Painter ran in to follow up his success, but Oliver stopped him with the accuracy of a Randall. Some heavy hits were exchanged, and in closing Painter endeavoured to fib Oliver, when the latter in the first style of the pugilistic art, broke away from him. (Applause.) Both were piping a little, and Oliver gave Painter a slight tap on the body. Each in turn stopped scientifically. Painter put in two hits, and after severe exchanges the men again broke away. Oliver hit Painter on the nose, when the combatants fought into another close, and Painter again attempted the weaving system, when Oliver used Tom Owen’s stop for a short period, till Painter got away in gallant style. Each man now made himself up for tremendous hitting, and the stopping was admirable on both sides. Painter put in another severe hit on Oliver’s cheek. The men closed, and in a struggle for the throw, Oliver got Painter down. Rather better than ten minutes had elapsed.