[42] “And now, my slender pen, whether cunningly cut, or unskilfully shaped, it boots not much; here, from this rack, wire-suspended, shalt thou enjoy repose to future ages, if no presumptuous and wicked hand shall take thee down, and profane thee by compiling false and idle histories.”—​“The Achievements of the Sage and Valiant Don Quixote de la Mancha,” book iii., ch. XXII. Smollet’s translation.

[43] A reference to the memoirs in these volumes will fully show, that in each of the instances of early death, marked with an asterisk (*), extraneous causes account for the comparative shortening of life.—​Ed.

INDEX TO VOLUME III.

PAGE
B
BENDIGO. See [THOMPSON, WILLIAM.]
BENJAMIN, BILL, or BAINGE[399], [406]
BRASSEY, of Bradford (JOHN LEECHMAN).
Fight with Young Langan[340]
Fight with Tass Parker[344]
His death[351]
BRETTLE, BOB.
His pugilistic career[414]
His battle with Tom Sayers[416]
Defeats Jem Mace[451]
Is beaten by Tom Sayers[452]
Is challenged by Jem Mace[457]
Adjourned fight[458]
Is beaten by Mace[459]
BROOME, HARRY (Champion). 1851.
Younger brother to the renowned “Johnny”[308]
Born at Birmingham[308]
Early glove displays[308]
Rivalry of East and West. The Broomes[309]
Fred Mason (the “Bulldog”)[309]
Harry matched against Mason for £50[309]
A prepossessing “first appearance”[310]
Harry beats the “Bulldog”[311]
A twelvemonths’ rest. Joe Rowe[314]
A trip down the river[315]
Harry defeats Joe Rowe[316]
Tom Spring resigns his post as referee[319]
Second battle of Broome and Joe Rowe[321]
Matched with Ben Terry[323]
A suspicious affair and a “draw”[324]
“The Great Unknown,” Harry and the Tipton Slasher[325]
Broome’s remarkable increase in weight and stature[325]
His fight with the Tipton, and Peter Crawley’s decision,[327]
Negotiations with Harry Orme[330]
Matched for £250 a side[330]
Defeats Harry Orme[333]
The old “Tipton” again[336]
Broome forfeits to the “Tipton”[338]
And to Tom Paddock[338]
Is beaten by Paddock[338]
Retires from the Ring[339]
Becomes a publican at Portsmouth[339]
His death in 1865, aged 39[339]
Joe Rowe’s “Sultan Stores” (note)[339]
BURKE, JAMES (“the Deaf’un”).
His birth and parentage[94]
Strand Lane Stairs. “Jack-in-the-water”[95]
The Thames in the first quarter of the century[95]
The old “fighting days”[96]
Joe Parish. “the Waterman.” “The Spotted Dog”[96]
Eminent watermen pugilists[96]
The Deaf’un’s first fight[97]
The butchers of Clare Market[98]
An Impromptu mill. Defeats Tom Hands[98]
Defeats a “New Black” for “a purse”[99]
Enrolled in the corps pugilistique[99]
Beats Berridge at Leicester[99]
Matched with Fitzmaurice[99]
Beats Fitzmaurice at Harpenden[100]
Spars with Young Dutch Sam[100]
Is ruptured by an accident[101]
Defeated by Cousens of Chichester[101]
Defeats Girdler at North Chapel, Sussex[102]
“Whiteheaded Bob” and the Duke of Cumberland[102]
High prizes prohibitory of prize-fights[104]
A stratagem. Grabbing the wrong man[104]
Beats Gow at Temple Mills[104]
Bob Hampson’s challenge and defeat[105]
Three battles within six weeks[105]
Beats Tim Crawley[108]
Tommy Roundhead and Frosty-faced Fogo[109]
A Homeric battle; the muses appeased[110]
“The Deaf’un’s” merits as a sparrer[110]
Matched with Birmingham Davis[111]
A disappointment[111]
Defeats Birmingham Davis[112]
Matched with Blissett[113]
Beats Blissett[114]
A dinner at Tom Cribb’s; and a match[115]
Beats old Jack Carter[115]
A “little go.” Lazarus and Jem Brown[116]
An interval and a sparring tour[116]
Beats Yorkshire Macone[117]
Challenges from Cousens and Josh Hudson[117], [118]
Bill Charles, “the Welsh Champion”[118]
Claims the Championship[118]
“Too heavy” for Young Dutch Sam[118]
Sign articles with Simon Byrne[119]
“The Deaf’un’s” courage and humanity[119]
The “Irish Champion” and “the talent”[119]
The day before the battle[120]
The fight and fatal result[121]–[125]
Verdict of “manslaughter” against Burke and others[126]
Subscription for the Widow Byrne[126]
Trial and acquittal of Burke[127]
Presentation of a service of plate to the Editor of Bell’s Life in London[128]
Challenged by O’Rourke[128]
And by Young Dutch Sam for £500 (!)[128]
And by Jem Ward for £500, but not less than £100 a side,[128]
O’Rourke’s challenge and departure for America[129]
The Deaf’un’s “ancient statues”[129]
Harry Preston and “the Deaf’un”[130]
Plays at Sheffield in “Valentine and Orson”[131]
Burke’s “farewell,” and high stakes for prize battles[131]
A maximum stake of £200 voted[131]
Sails for America[132]
His welcome in the New World[132]
Sails South to meet O’Rourke[133]
Riots in New Orleans, and escape of “the Deaf’un”[133]
Returns to New York[134]
Battle with and defeat of O’Connell[135]
The New York Herald and the P.R.[135]
Burke’s arrival in Liverpool[138]
The “big ones” of 1838[138]
A general challenge from “the Deaf’un”[138]
The school of “Tom and Jerry;” a trip to France[139]
Returns, and is beaten by Bendigo[139]
“The Lament of Deaf Burke”[140]
The Deaf’un again in the field, and matched with Nick Ward[141]
Beaten by Nick Ward[141]
The Deaf’un’s oratory[142]
Indicted with Owen Swift, Ned Adams, Dick Cain, Lord Chetwynd, and others[143]
The “Battle of Bedford” and Parson Cautley[143]
Address of Deaf Burke to the Grand Jury of Bedford[144]
The trial and its result[148]
Receives forfeit of £15 from the Tipton Slasher[148]
Night-houses in the Haymarket[149]
Bob Castles and “the Deaf’un”[149]
A match between Old Ones[149]
The voyage to Rainham Ferry[150]
The fight. Burke the conqueror[151]
“Triumphant epistle of Deaf Burke to Bob Castles”[155]
Dissipation, disease, and death[156]
C
CASTLES, BOB[149]
CAUNT, BENJAMIN (Champion) 1841.
A native of Nottinghamshire[47]
Hucknall Torkard and Lord Byron[47]
His first defeat by Bendigo[47]
Beats William Butler[47]
Beats Boneford[48]
Second match with Bendigo[48]
A mail-coach Journey to Doncaster in 1838[48]
The road to the fight[52]
The combatants “interviewed”[53]
Incidents and mishaps[54]
The fight; a magisterial interference[56]
The fight won by a “foul”[58]
Remarks on the battle[59]
Caunt receives the stakes[60]
A new match for £100 a side and a forfeit[60]
Challenges by Brassey and Caunt[60]
“An heroic epistle from Brassey to Caunt”[61]
Estimates of the men[62]
Newmarket and its neighbourhood[64]
A battle of “big ’uns”[66]
Caunt the victor[69]
Claims the Championship[69]
Challenged by Nick Ward[69]
Loses with Ward by a “foul blow”[70]
A second match made[70]
Stratford-on-Avon the rendezvous[71]
The field of battle, Long Marsden[72]
The Champion’s new belt[73]
Caunt defeats Nick Ward[74]
Caunt “Champion,” sails for America with the “Belt”[77]
A “buncombe” challenge[77]
Charles Freeman, “the Giant”[78]
“The Michigan Giant” and “New York Baby”[78]
Returns to England, March, 1842[79]
Caunt’s “Champion Cup”[79]
Challenges Bendigo, Tass Parker, and the Tipton Slasher, in six months, each for £200[79]
Bendigo again in the field[80]
Caunt loses his third battle with Bendigo[80]
A dreadful domestic calamity[80]
Caunt and Nat Langham; a silly feud[81]
Matched for £200 a side[81]
Ben’s challenge to Tom Sayers[83]
Misgivings as to Caunt and Langham’s encounter[84]
The battle[86]
A “draw” and a “dispute”[88]
The “dropping” system[92]
Caunt in retirement[93]
His death, Sept. 10, 1861[93]
H
HURST, SAM (“the Staleybridge Infant”).
His battle with Tom Paddock[307]
Matched with Jem Mace[459]
His battle with Jem Mace[460]
Defeat and retirement[463]
J
JONES, AARON.
His fights with Harry Orme[253], [262]
Ditto with Tom Paddock[283]
Beaten by Tom Sayers[237], [287]
Fight with Bob Wade[245]
Challenges Tom Sayers[419]
A renewed match with Sayers[431]
Surviving in 1881[358]
K
KING, TOM, (Champion) 1862.
His birthplace, Stepney[490]
Adopts a sailor’s life[490]
Voyages to Africa[490]
A foreman in the docks[490]
His inoffensive character and courage[491]
Disposes of a “’long-shore” bully[491]
Introduced to Jem Ward[491]
A challenge for a small stake[491]
A forfeit from Clamp[491]
Matched with Tommy Truckle, of Portsmouth[491]
Beats Tommy Truckle[492]
Arrival of Heenan[494]
Matched with Harry Poulson, of Nottingham[494]
Challenges Sam Hurst for Championship[494]
Matched with Evans (Young Broome)[495]
The Championship and Circus quackery[495]
Ring performances of Young Broome[495]
King defeats Young Broome in two Rings[496]
Large stakes for little fights[500]
Matched with Mace[500]
A tedious interval[501]
The approaching day—anxiety[501]
A clerical “tip”[501]
The journey to the fight[505]
King defeats Mace for the Championship[505]
King resigns the belt[509]
A telegraphic message corrected[510]
Heenan again in the field[510]
Agrees to meet Heenan[511]
Articles for £1,000 a side[511]
Heenan in training[512]
His pedestrian feats[512]
Difficulties as to the place for combat[513]
Three nights of watchfulness[513]
Scene at London Bridge[513]
The “roughs” at fault[513]
A morning ride[514]
Speculation; arrival at the ground[514]
The ring at Wadhurst[515]
The fight[516]
King defeats Heenan[516]
Remarks[517]
Conclusion[518]
L
LANGHAM, NAT.
His qualities and “unlucky” weight[234]
Born at Hinckley, Leicestershire[234]
His first fight[234]
Comes up to London[235]
An impromptu battle. Defeats Tom Lowe[235]
Challenges Joe Bostock[235]
Beats “Doctor” Campbell[236]
Challenges; matched with Gutteridge[236]
Defeats Gutteridge[237]
Nat receives forfeit from Angelo and Gutteridge[238]
Matched with Sparks the Australian[238]
A trip per steamer and a strategic movement[239]
Nat defeats Sparkes[240]
In want of a customer[242]
Matched with Harry Orme[242]
Beaten by Harry Orme[243]
Goes into business at Cambridge[243]
Alec Keene, Tom Sayers, Harry Brunton[243]
Nat matched with Tom Sayers[244]
A trip per Eastern Counties Railway[245]
A model mill; Nat defeats Tom Sayers[246]
Tom and Nat, rival pubs[251]
A ridiculous match. Langham and Ben Caunt[251]
“A draw.” Nat dies at the “Cambrian,” Sept. 1st., 1871[252]
L’ENVOY TO THE READER.
The extinction of the Ring[518]
Fabricated accounts of Prize Fights[519]
The Crusade against the Ring[519]
The noble supporters of Boxing[519]
Ages of the Champions from Broughton to Tom King[524]
Parliamentary discussions[524]
Railway directors and special trains[525]
Anecdote of Lord Palmerston[526]
Cant and cowardice versus manly courage[527]
Farewell to the reader. Finis[528]
M
MACE, JEM (Champion).
His merits as a boxer[444]
Degeneracy of pugilists and Ring-patrons[444]
Birth of Mace[444]
His parentage[445]
His travelling propensities[445]
His first Ring fight[445]
Matched with Bill Thorpe[445]
Rapid increase in weight of some pugilists[445]
Mace beats Bill Thorpe[445]
Comes to London. Proposals for matches[448]
Returns to Norwich, and matched with Mike Madden[449]
A dispute and a disappointment[449]
Six months’ quibbling[450]
A new match and a “bolt”[450]
Reappears as “George Brown’s Novice”[450]
Matched with Bob Brettle[451]
Beaten (?) by Bob Brettle[451]
Appears as “Bob Brettle’s Novice”[452]
Matched with Posh Price of Birmingham[452]
Defeats Posh Price[453]
Becomes a publican[454]
Challenges; matched with Bob Travers (Black)[454]
Career of Bob Travers[454]
Beats Bob Travers (an adjourned fight)[456]
Quarrel with Bob Brettle[457]
Match for £200 with Brettle[458]
Beats Brettle in an adjourned fight[459]
Matched with Sam Hurst[459]
The “Staleybridge Infant”[459]
Defeats Sam Hurst[460]
Mace hailed as Champion[462]
Tom King challenges the title[462]
Mace defeats Tom King[465]
Heenan returns to England, 1861[468]
Mace in business as a publican[468]
Brettle backs “an Unknown” against Mace[469]
Brettle receives £25 from King’s backers to retire[469]
Mace defeated by Tom King[469]
Matched with Joe Goss, of Wolverhampton[469]
Mace stakes £600 to £400 on the part of Goss[469]
Match-making “considerably mixed”[469]
Fighting career of Joe Goss (note)[470]
Precautions against police interruption[471]
Riotous conduct of roughs at railway terminal[471]
An early journey into Wiltshire[472]
The “referee” difficulty again[472]
A police intervention[473]
A disappointment, and return to town[473]
An adjournment “down the river”[473]
The fight on Plumstead Marshes[474]
Mace defeats Joe Goss[474]
A “side-light” on “bogus” stakes[475]
The anti-pugilistic press[476]
The Morning Star and Dial[476]
The Saturday Review: reflections on the fight[476]
A “champion” from the New World[477]
Mace and Coburn matched for £1,000[477]
Cavilling negotiations[477]
A sketch of Joe Coburn[477]
Edwin James & Co.[478]
Contrast of olden Ring “patrons” and modern Ring “agents”[478]
Lord Shaftesbury an admirer of boxing (note)[478]
Provincial tours[479]
A journey to Dublin[479]
A public “secret” more Hibernico[479]
Press men in Dublin[480]
Irish arrangements[480]
A London celebrity[481]
A scene at the rendezvous[481]
Goold’s Cross, Limerick, named[481]
A shindy, and the match “off”[482]
A farce, and the a stakes claimed[482]
The stakes drawn[482]
Irish humour[483]
An archiepiscopal hoax[483]
Comments thereon[484]
Colours and “good faith”[485]
Mace offers to fight Coburn for £100[486]
Degeneracy of the Ring[486]
New “big ones” and the Championship[486]
“Train-swindles”[486]
Mace and Joe Goss’s second match[486]
A “no-fight”[487]
A new giant, O’Baldwin[487]
O’Baldwin claims the belt[487]
Mace’s “Unknown”[487]
O’Baldwin and Joe Wormald for £200[487]
O’Baldwin loses his way[487]
Forfeits £200 to Wormald[487]
Mace offers to fight O’Baldwin[487]
Mace arrested and held to bail[488]
Sam Hurst brought on the stage[488]
Flight of the Champions to America[488]
Their “doings” there[488]
Mace beats Tom Allen at New Orleans[488]
Returns to England[488]
A publican at Melbourne, 1881[488]
MASON, FRED (“the Bull-dog”)[309], [311]
O
ORME, HARRY.
His birth. Harry an “East-ender”[253]
His brief but brilliant career[253]
Aaron Jones of Shrewsbury[253]
Orme defeats Aaron Jones[254]
Is matched with Nat Langham[256]
Beats Nat Langham[257]
A second match with Aaron Jones[259]
The “ring,” at Newmarket[259]
Hazardous ground. A shift[260]
Fight No. 1[262]
Fight No. 2. A second interruption[263]
A misunderstanding. Jones refuses a third meeting. The victory awarded to Orme[266]
The stakes given to Orme. Legal proceedings[268]
Orme viewed as the “coming Champion”[269]
Matched with Harry Broome[269]
Defeated by Harry Broome[269]
Becomes landlord of the “Jane Shore,” Shoreditch[269]
His death, June 9, 1864[269]
P
PADDOCK, TOM.
The Championship at the appearance of Tom Paddock[271]
Tom fought the best men of the day[271]
Born at Redditch[272]
Beats Pearce, of Cheltenham[272]
Defeats Elijah Parsons[272]
Nobby Clarke[274]
Paddock backed against and beats Clarke[274]
Second match with Nobby Clarke[276]
Clarke loses by a “foul” blow[276]
Paddock as Johnny Broome’s Unknown[276]
Loses the fight with Bendigo by a “foul”[276]
Forfeit with the Tipton Slasher[276]
“Draw” with the Tipton Slasher[276]
Receives forfeit from Jack Grant[277]
And from Con. Parker[277]
Is beaten by Harry Poulson[277]
Beats Harry Poulson[277]
Convicted of “a riot,” and imprisoned ten months[278]
Letter from “Lydon” on the affair[279]
A third match with Poulson[279]
Beats Harry Poulson a second time[280]
Is a matched with Aaron Jones[283]
Beats Aaron Jones[283]
Aaron Jones’s qualifications[285]
Paddock challenges the Championship[287]
Receives £180 forfeit from Harry Broome, who is arrested[287]
The late Mr. Vincent Dowling[288]
Renewed match with Aaron Jones[288]
Beats Aaron Jones[290]
Harry Broome’s challenge[294]
Preliminary proceedings[294]
An excursion by the “Eastern Counties” rail[295]
The fight; defeat of Harry Broome[299]
Sympathy for the loser[302]
The Tipton Slasher again[304]
Tom forfeits to the “Tipton”[304]
Challenges Tom Sayers. Alec Keene’s letter[305]
Caunt challenges Sayers[305]
Paddock’s serious illness; kindness of Tom Sayers[306]
Paddock’s recovery. Match with Tom Sayers[306]
Beaten by Tom Sayers[306]
Beaten by Sam Hurst[307]
His death, June 30th, 1863[307]
PARKER, TASS.
His battles with the Tipton Slasher[191]
His fight with Brassey of Bradford[347]
Ditto with Harry Preston[351]
PERRY, WILLIAM (“the Tipton Slasher”).
His birth at Tipton[157]
The Slasher’s coup d’essai[157]
Beats Tim Dogherty, near Chelsea[158]
Returns to the “Black Country”[158]
Fights and beats Ben Spilsbury[158]
Matched with “the Gornel Champion”[159]
Beats Jem Scunner, and becomes “a lion”[159]
Tass Parker, Harry Preston, &c.[159]
Forfeits £15 to Deaf Burke[160]
Johnny Broome “manipulates” the “Tipton”[160]
Charles Freeman, “the American Giant”[161]
Theatres, the Circus, and the P.R.[161]
A challenge to Freeman by “an Unknown”[161]
William Perry is declared as “Broome’s Novice”[162]
Matched for £150 against Freeman[162]
The Giant “in training”[163]
Description of Charles Freeman[164]
Comparisons of bulk and strength of men[166]
The journey to the field[167]
A contrast[168]
The fight interrupted by darkness[170]
The return and its incidents[173]
The adjourned battle; magisterial interference[176]
Stanzas: “The unfinished fight of the American Giant and the Tipton Slasher”[177]
A trip down the river agreed upon[179]
Freeman’s benefit at the Westminster Baths[179]
The voyage to the fighting ground[180]
Aristocratic Ring-goers: “the Bishop of Bond Street”[180]
“A shave:” Joe Banks, “the Stunner,” Jem Burn, &c.[181]
The fight and defeat of the “Tipton”[182]
The return: Dick Curtis’s benefit[185]
A challenge to Caunt[185]
The stakes given over to Freeman[186]
Death of the American Giant, of consumption; infrequency of deaths from Ring encounters (note)[186]
Johnny Broome and the “Slasher”[187]
Tass Parker and the “Tipton” matched[187]
Unsatisfactory result; police interruption[189]
The adjourned battle[190]
A railway “excursion”[190]
A squabble about the referee[192]
The fight: the “tumble-down system”[194]
Johnny Hannan’s good conduct[195]
The stakes given to the “Tipton”[196]
Third battle with and defeat of Tass Parker[196]
Challenge to Caunt, who declines to fight under £500 a side[199]
Candidates for the Championship (note)[199]
Tom Paddock[200]
A forfeit, and a match with Paddock[200]
A trip per South Western Rail[200]
A day misspent: Wiltshire and Hampshire tabooed[201]
A mill by moonlight[201]
A “pig-shearing” excursion, and a “foul” blow[203]
The Tipton claims the belt[204]
Johnny Broome’s “Unknown” and the “Slasher”[204]
Harry Broome “the Veiled Prophet”[204]
Defeat of the “Slasher” by “Young Harry”[204]
Receives forfeit from Harry Broome[205]
Perry becomes a publican[205]
Rise of Tom Sayers and his challenge of the Championship[205]
Defeat of the “Slasher” by Tom Sayers[205]
Death of Perry, in January, 1881[205]
R
ROWE, JOE.
His fight with Harry Broome[314]–[321]
In business, 1881 [(note)][339]
S
SAYERS, TOM (Champion).
His birthplace disputed[359]
An Irish pedigree[359]
Born at Pimlico, near Brighton[359]
A bricklayer on the Preston Viaduct, at Brighton[360]
Comes to London. First fight with Aby Couch[360]
Matched with Dan Collins[360]
First fight interrupted by darkness[361]
Tom beats Dan Collins[361]
Various challenges. Matched with Jack Grant[361]
Beats Jack Grant[362]
Matched with Jack Martin[365]
Beats Jack Martin[366]
Matched with Nat Langham[368]
Tom’s first and last defeat[369]
Langham declines a second encounter[369]
Match with George Sims; £50 to £25[369]
Beats George Sims[370]
Proposes to go to Australia[370]
Harry Poulson of Nottingham[371]
Jem Burn, his backer, and Bendigo his trainer[371]
Sayers defeats Poulson[373]
The Championship in sight[379]
A new belt and its claimants[380]
The Championship in suspense[380]
Sayers and Aaron Jones for £200[380]
A change of route[381]
A voyage down the river[381]
Sayers fights Aaron Jones[383]
A “draw” and darkness[386]
Renewed battle with Jones[387]
Sayers beats Aaron Jones[387]
Challenges the Tipton Slasher[392]
Excitement in the sporting world[393]
Preliminaries of the battle[393]
Sayers defeats the Tipton Slasher[395]
Challenged by Tom Paddock[399]
Paddock’s illness[399]
Matched with an “Unknown” for £200[399]
Bill Bainge, or Benjamin[399]
First battle with Benjamin[400]
Recovery of Paddock and his challenge accepted[401]
The “Three Toms”[401]
Anecdote of Alec Keene[402]
Sayers defeats Tom Paddock[403]
Tom Sayers against “the field”[404]
Second match with “The Unknown” for £100 and the belt[406]
Bill Benjamin once again[407]
Sayers announces his intended retirement after his battle with Benjamin[408]
Extraordinary rumours[409]
The second defeat of Benjamin[410]
Bob Brettle, of Birmingham[412]
Sayers fights Brettle £400 to £200[412]
£200 to £20 that Brettle was beat in ten minutes[412]
Mr. John Gideon’s “arrangements”[413]
A “monster” train[414]
Bob Brettle’s career[414]
Sayers defeats Brettle[416]
Silly imputations on defeated pugilists[419]
Aaron Jones returns to England[419]
Defeat of Heenan by Morrissey[419]
A challenge from America[420]
Negotiations for an international contest for the belt[420]
Aaron Jones in the field. He retires[420]
A match proposed for Heenan and Sayers[420]
Correspondence between New York and London[421]
Arrival of Mr. Falkland. Preliminary arrangements[423]
Heenan and Morrissey. Heenan lands at Liverpool[423]
The day fixed, April 17th, 1860[423]
A rush for “tickets”[423]
Two monster trains[424]
The journey down[424]
A distinguished company[425]
Appearance of the men[426]
Pictorial representations of the battle (note)[426]
The fight[427]–[432]
Conflicting reports of the result[432]
Departure of the referee[433]
Return to town[433]
Condition of the men[433]
Humane decision[434]
Two belts ordered[434]
Circus buncombe[434]
Subscription for Sayers at Stock Exchange, Lloyd’s, Mark Lane, &c.[435]
Sayers a partner in a circus[435]
Free living and its results[435]
Sayers’s last appearance in the Ring[435]
The needs of consumption[436]
Last illness[436]
His death[437]
£1,000 invested for his children[437]
Tom Sayers’s personal appearance[437]
His grave and monument in Highgate Cemetery[438]
The Combat of Sayerius and Heenanus—“A Lay of Ancient London”[439]
T
THOMPSON, WILLIAM, of Nottingham (“Bendigo”).
His birth: one of three sons[5]
Nottingham Lambs. Puritanism and Pugilism[5]
Early battles, and first fight with Caunt[6]
Challenged by Brassey (John Leechman), of Bradford, and others[7]
Beats Brassey[8]
Receives forfeit from Jem Bailey[8]
Comes to London[8]
Proposed match with Molyneaux, and forfeit from Flint of Coventry[9]
Defeats Langan of Liverpool[9]
Challenges any 12 stone man in England[9]
Looney’s challenge replied to by Jem Ward[10]
Looney declines Ward and is beaten by Bendigo[10]
Challenges from Tom Britton, Fisher, Molyneaux, &c.[12]
Matched a second time with Caunt[13]
Beaten by Caunt[13]
Caunt forfeits in a new match[14]
Deaf Burke returns from America, his challenge accepted[14]
Burke goes to France and the match falls through[14]
Stanzas from Bendigo to Deaf Burke[15]
Burke returns and articles are signed[16]
Narrow escape of Bendigo[17]
Shrove Tuesday at Ashby-de-la-Zouch[17]
The road to Appleby[18]
Bendigo beats Deaf Burke[18]
Challenges from and to Caunt. Benefit humbugs[22], [24]
Bendigo in London. A serious accident[24]
“The fine old English Pugilist;” a fancy chaunt[25]
Bendigo redivivus appears at Jem Burn’s[26]
Matched with Tass Parker[26]
Arrested at the instance of his brother and held to bail[27]
Caunt returns from his American tour[27]
Renewed negotiations and “A Valentine from Bendigo to Brassey”[27]
Third match with Caunt[28]
Preliminaries of the fight[29]
Bendigo defeats Caunt[30]
Disputed result and decision of “the Old Squire” (Osbaldiston), the referee[36]
Caunt and Bendigo shake hands[37]
Pretenders to the Championship[37]
Bendigo accepts Tom Paddock’s challenge[38]
Defeats Paddock[39]
Receives the battle-money and retires from the Ring[45]
Bendigo’s eccentricities. Takes “the pledge” and becomes a preacher[45]
Beelzebub and Ben Caunt; an anecdote[45]
True etymon of the nickname “Bendigo”[46]
Dies from the effects of an accident, aged sixty-nine[46]
TRAVERS, BOB (Langham’s Black).
His Ring career[454]
Beaten by Brettle[454]
Beaten by Jem Mace[455]
W
WARD, NICHOLAS.
His claims to a place in this “History”[206]
His birth in East London[206]
His maiden battle with Jack Lockyer[206]
Matched with Jem Wharton (Young Molyneaux)[206]
Arrested and held to bail[207]
A journey to Moulsey and a disappointment[208]
A black job: Sambo Sutton[209]
“Nick” is defeated ignominiously[210]
“Brother Jem” backs Nick for a second trial[210]
Misgivings: a “Beak” at Bicester[210]
The Philistines out[211]
Drawing a badger[212]
A fight and a fiasco[212]
Matched with Jem Bailey[212]
A trip to Woking: an interrupted fight[213]
A second match; Nick forfeits to Bailey[214]
A match with Brassey “no go”[214]
Articled to fight the “Deaf’un”[214]
A trip to Stony Stratford[219]
Adventures[220]
Nick defeats “the Deaf’un;” a wrangle[221]
Challenges Ben Caunt[223]
The stakes awarded to Nick Ward[224]
Matched with Ben Caunt[225]
A long journey and its vicissitudes[226]
Hostility of the “beaks”[227]
The fight: a bloodless victory for Ward[229]
A chaunt of the Ring: “Nick Ward and Caunt”[231]
The stakes given to “Nick”[232]
Second fight with Caunt, and defeat[232]
Death of Nick Ward, Feb. 17, 1850[233]

Transcriber Notes

Footnotes were renumbered sequentially and were moved to the end of the chapter in which related anchors occur. Inconsistent hyphenation, dialect, obsolete words and misspellings were left unchanged. Obvious printing errors, such as backwards, upside down, or partially printed letters, were corrected. Spacing was adjusted between paragraphs for consistency. Transliteration of one phrase in Greek is provided as an insert; scroll cursor over the Greek and the transliteration will appear.

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