Round 1.—Much sparring. Wasdell extremely awkward, hit short twice; in recovering his position, O’Donnell caught him in the body and knocked him down cleverly. (Three to one on O’Donnell.)
2.—Wasdell made play pluckily, but O’Donnell met him and dropped him again.
3.—Wasdell already was marked about the head. He made a plunging hit, but O’Donnell parried it, feinted, followed him, and hit him completely off his legs, when he set very quietly on his nether end on the grass for a few seconds, till taken to his corner.
4.—Wasdell tried to catch hold of his opponent with his right hand. O’Donnell dropped in two sharp hits, the left at the head, the right at the body, which brought him to grief again.
5.—The men closed. O’Donnell hit up in Wasdell’s face, and he was down again. (Any odds on O’Donnell.)
6.—Wasdell, game, rushed in furiously, receiving a severe hit in the face, through his guard. The round ended by O’Donnell hitting him off his legs.
7.—O’Donnell well on the body. The men closed, but broke away. Wasdell made another attempt to seize his opponent’s hand, but O’Donnell frustrated his endeavour by a severe blow.
8.—Wasdell was quite done over. O’Donnell fought him as he liked, showing great good humour. He forbore hitting him hard, and pushed him down.
9.—Wasdell would not be denied; he rushed in, when O’Donnell hit him severely right and left in the face, and he fell stupefied. On coming to, he acknowledged O’Donnell to be the conqueror.
In weight and length of arm Wasdell had the advantage, but in science he was the merest novice, totally ignorant of the art of boxing, and scarcely as clever as may often be seen in a street fight.
On the 5th of June, only two days after the above battle, there was a grand field day at Padnall Corner, on Epping Forest, wherein Jack Warr and Quirk, for 100 guineas, and George Maddox and Coady having exhibited their skill, Smith and O’Donnell entered the ropes for forty guineas a-side. Of this the reporter simply says: “The third contest between Smith and O’Donnell was utterly unworthy of detail. O’Donnell proved the victor in five rounds.”
As upon principle throughout these biographies we have avoided the suggestio falsi so shall we eschew the suppressio veri. Jack O’Donnell is one of the warning examples of the effects of dishonest companions. He became connected with a gang of known “putters-up” of robberies; among them two men named Samuel Carter and John Jose. With these men he was apprehended for stealing from a public house kept by Jonathan Kendall, bank notes to the amount of £60. At the September Old Bailey Sessions, 1806, the three were found guilty of stealing, but “not in the dwelling house.” The offence, however, was then capital, the amount being above forty shillings, and they were sentenced to transportation for life. Berks and another of the gang, James Travers, who appears to have been Joe’s tempter, were convicted at the same sessions. (See Berks.)
BILL RYAN (SON OF MICHAEL RYAN, THE OPPONENT OF TOM JOHNSON)—1804–1806.
This boxer had a short career, for a reason that will fully develope itself in the next few paragraphs. He was the son of the “renowned first champion of the same name.” Pierce Egan also informs us that Bill was “a much superior fighter to his veteran sire,” which is an opinion worth as much as you please, recollecting that Pierce was then placing his legs under Tom Belcher’s mahogany, and Tom had been beaten by Young Ryan. As the “historian” dismisses him in half a page of large print, we will preserve what we find of him in contemporaries.
“On Friday, November 30, 1804, Tom Belcher, brother of the nonpareil Jem, met Bill Ryan, son of Michael Ryan who fought Johnson, at Wilsden Green, which has become a favourite spot for these encounters. By the articles, Monday was fixed, but a difficulty having arisen, it was postponed. At ten o’clock the combatants having arrived a ring was formed. Belcher first, in high spirits, threw his hat into the ropes in defiance. Ryan smiled at Tom’s style of bravado, and bowing to some bystanding patrons, got within the enclosure. Belcher was attended by George Maddox and Joe Norton, and Ryan seconded by Tom Jones and Dick Whale. In a few minutes they set-to. Odds six to four in favour of Belcher.”
Round 1.—No sparring. Several good hits put in and well stopped on both sides; they closed, and both fell.
3 and 4.—Both rounds greatly in favour of Ryan.
6.—This round was fought with determined courage. Belcher threw in a severe blow on his opponent’s temple, and brought him down. Ryan appeared a little distressed. (Seven to four on Belcher.)
18.—No great alteration up to this round, which was admirably contested on both sides. Belcher struck his opponent very cleverly over the mouth. Ryan rallied, and put in a knock-down blow; Belcher fell and evinced great weakness. From this to the
30th—Ryan supported his superiority, and the odds changed in his favour. Belcher’s friends now began greatly to despair of success, but still he displayed great science and steadiness.
31–34.—Every one of these rounds Ryan terminated by knocking down his opponent(?)
35.—James Belcher came and whispered to his brother, who seemed to profit by his advice, and contested the two following rounds with great skill and determination, but at the end of the
37th—He fell quite exhausted.
38.—Belcher was, however, brought up to stand another round, and Ryan immediately knocked him down. At this moment the ring was broken, and Belcher’s friends declared the last blow was foul. Bob Watson challenged to fight any man who should dare to say the blow was not foul, but his bluster soon evaporated on Joe Ward’s displaying buff. The affair was left to the gentleman who held the purse, and he decided that Ryan had won it, as Belcher was beaten full a quarter of an hour before. Many of the dons of the first class were there, as Berks, Mendoza, Joe Ward, Bill Warr, Jem Belcher, Holmes, etc.
Bill was next matched with Caleb Baldwin, and fought him at Blackheath, August 6, 1805. The interruption, the chances and changes of the fight, and the decision, “a draw,” will be found under Caleb Baldwin, Chapter VII., Period III.
Tom Belcher, smarting under the sense of defeat, invited Bill to a second trial, which took place at Laleham Burway, Surrey, June 4, 1806. Ryan, although so young a man, was so given to drinking ardent spirits, that he was already internally diseased. He was beaten in fifty minutes, twenty-nine rounds, but not without much difficulty. (See life of Tom Belcher, ante.)
Two months afterwards Bill made his last appearance in the ring, Tuesday, June 17, 1806, at Wilsden Green, where he gained by his superior skill a victory over Clark, a clumsy boxer, with not a single pretension beyond strength and pluck.
Ryan’s drunken habits now grew so rapidly upon him, that on June 23rd, six days afterwards, he was expelled from the Fives Court, on the occasion of the benefit of Gully and Elias Spray. Bill set-to with Richmond, and afterwards made himself so offensive as to be formally excluded. No dependence could be placed upon him for an hour, and training was out of the question. He died in obscurity and poverty in the winter of 1807, date not recorded.
ISAAC BITTOON—1801–1804.
Isaac Bittoon, a Jew of great strength, coolness, some skill in singlestick, fencing, and with the gloves, and well-known for more than thirty years to the ring-going world of the last generation, deserves a place in our Appendix for several reasons. In “Boxiana,” the error of his having beaten Paddington Jones, July 13, 1801, originated, and has been copied into all the chronologies.[125] His draw with Maddox and his great battle with Bill Wood, also deserve preservation, and for these reasons we have given the ponderous Isaac a niche in our history. The first-mentioned affair, the draw with George Maddox, will be found in the life of “the Veteran,” Chapter VI. of this Period. The second, his game fight with Bill Wood, the coachman, shall be given from the report of the day.
“A match having been for some time on the carpet, for fifty guineas, between Isaac Bittoon[126] (the Jew), and Bill Wood, the coachman, the officers were on the alert to find out the time and place of the contest, but the amateurs, always awake, kept these points secret until the night previous, when Wilsden Green, the spot where so much courage had been displayed by Tom Tough[127] and Jack Holmes, some few months ago, was settled as the Campus Martius; to prevent interruption it was agreed the fight should take place at ten o’clock in the morning. Accordingly on Monday, July 16, 1804, the admirers of pugilism were active, and the field was filled at an early hour; a ring being formed, at three quarters past ten the combatants entered. Wood immediately began to strip, and appeared in excellent condition. Bittoon followed in high spirits, and after the usual ceremonies they set-to, without any very sanguine opinion being entertained on either side.”
Round 1.—Wood beat down his antagonist’s guard, and put in two blows without any impression; Bittoon returned with his right hand, and some hard hitting followed by both. Wood had greatly the advantage in strength, beat Bittoon against the ropes, by which he became entangled. Here Wood put in some good blows, and Bittoon fell.
2.—Wood put in the first blow again. Bittoon struck several good straight-forward blows, rallied, and a second time fell.
3.—This round was very short. Wood fell, Bittoon gaining advantage.
4.—Bittoon put in several good blows, but Wood rallied, and by superior strength drove him to one side of the ring, where he fell.
5.—Much sparring at setting-to; both exchanged some severe hits. Wood bled freely, but rallied Bittoon again against the rope, and threw him. (Odds were now six to four in favour of Bittoon, for, although he so often fell, his blows did not disappoint in execution.)
6.—The sun being troublesome to Bittoon, he manœuvred to change sides, and had somewhat succeeded, when Wood ran in and threw him.
7.—Wood still kept the shady side, and with great exertion put in several blows which Bittoon vainly attempted to stop, and driving him again to the ropes, Bittoon fell. (Odds remained, however, in favour of Bittoon, who was still in good strength, while Wood displayed signs of fatigue.)
8.—Wood immediately ran in, and closing, threw his opponent, who when down he patted on the head in triumph.
9.—Bittoon on rising appeared greatly exasperated, ran in upon Wood with much fury, who struck him with his left hand, and brought him down. Wood for this gained great applause.
10.—In this round Bittoon resumed his former temperance, rallied, and put in several good hits. Wood, while making a blow, slipped and turned round, during which his opponent took advantage of an opening, and threw in a severe body blow. Wood fell. (Odds still six to four on Bittoon.)
11.—Wood showed somewhat fearful of encountering Bittoon’s hits, but, conscious of his strength, ran in and threw his opponent.
15.—During the intermediate rounds there was some severe hitting, and Bittoon, by adopting the Mendoza style, stopping and returning with the same hand, was very successful. This round had nearly proved fatal to the Coachman; while rallying, Bittoon put in a most severe blow in the stomach, which brought him down, and he laid breathless for some time. A cry of “Time, time,” was vociferated, and he tried to conform to the rules of pugilism by returning in the half minute; this, however, he could not do, and the multitude considering the battle concluded, rushed in. This caused much confusion, and gave Wood opportunity for recovery, and the battle proceeded. (Odds were now ten to one on Bittoon.)[128]
17.—Wood exhibited symptoms of exhaustion, and hinted to his second he could not stand it much longer. Bittoon, on the contrary, was in full vigour, but did not exert his strength, as he found it unnecessary.
18.—In this round Wood, greatly to the surprise of every one, recovered, appeared re-invigorated, and undoubtedly had the best of the round. To the
25th.—Wood supported a superiority, and fought the whole of these rounds with astonishing resolution, but the impression on his opponent was very slight.
26.—During this round the conduct of the spectators seemed to indicate a determination that the Jew should lose the battle. They rushed in, broke the ropes, and pulled up the stakes. To settle this a body of horsemen rode up, driving the crowd before them, and after much mischief formed another ring.
32.—A general engagement having been the consequence of this intrusion, there was great confusion, and only an imperfect ring was kept up to this round; the advantage during this time was alternate. Bittoon fell at the end of every round, but invariably first cut his opponent by a severe blow in the face. About this time the bustle began to subside, and the battle went on again more regularly.
36.—Wood made a good stand-up fight, and many supposed that, by Bittoon’s frequently falling, Wood had the advantage; but he gained more by his well-aimed hits than his opponent did by the falls. This round, however, finished the fight, as Wood was quite worn out.
A number of Bow Street officers had by this time arrived, and the company retired homewards, a little disappointed as there were no bye-battles.
Isaac, who was always a sporting character among the Israelites of the East End, now retired from challenges, and became a licensed victualler in Whitechapel. For many years he kept a sparring school and saloon for fencing, singlestick, and broadsword, in Gulston Street, Whitechapel. His weight after his retirement so immensely increased, that although his activity was remarkable for his size (he drew at scale seventeen stone), his appearances at the Fives Court, Tennis Court, Jackson’s Rooms, etc., were a standing source of amusement to the visitors. In a song chanted by the celebrated Robert Emery, the Yorkshire comedian, of Covent Garden Theatre, we find a verse apropos of this “feature” of Bittoon’s person and of his “pluck,” then expressed by the word “bottom;” he is describing the “qualities of the millers,”—
At length, in the month of February, 1838, “Old Ikey,” after a few weeks’ illness, breathed his last at the age of sixty, in the eastern quarter, wherein he was so long known, and lies in the Jewish burial ground near Bethnal Green.
BILL CROPLEY—1807–1810.
As the antagonist of Dutch Sam and Tom Belcher, with whom he made good fights, the name of Bill Cropley has been preserved. As a teacher of self-defence and an exhibitor at the Fives Court for more than a quarter of a century, he is also remembered. Cropley’s two defeats, where in both cases he had the misfortune to “catch a Tartar,” were balanced by other contests which were more satisfactory in result. He successively defeated “Jemmy from Town,” Tom Hazel, and George Cribb, brother of the champion.
The first of these we find thus recorded. “An obstinate battle was this day contested between Bill Cropley, well known at the ring side, and for years as a shining light among the stalwart brotherhood of coal-whippers, as ‘a good bit of stuff,’ and ‘Jemmy from Town,’ whose game qualities with Morgan and Rolfe have procured him so much patronage. The day on which this took place was memorable, the 7th of April, 1807, as that on which Tom Cribb (see post) beat Jem Belcher, and the roped ring was the same (twenty feet square), that had been just left by those renowned gladiators. Cropley quickly disposed of his antagonist, twenty-five minutes, eighteen rounds, polishing off the plucky Jemmy without giving him a chance of turning the tide of battle.”
Cropley’s next ring fight was with an aspirant named Tom Hazel (misprinted Lazel under Cropley, in “Fistiana”), on the 21st of August, 1807, at Crawley Common, after Dutch Sam had conquered Tom Belcher. A subscription purse of thirty guineas had been raised by Captain Barclay, Lord Say and Sele, Lord Archibald Hamilton, and other amateurs, for Hazel to try his capabilities, much being thought of his pretensions to the art. Cropley entered the ring, but Hazel proved a mere pretender in actual combat. Cropley took the lead and kept it, throwing all Hazel’s cleverness out, and in fifteen rounds proving the difference between smart and courageous boxing and clever tapping with “the mufflers.”
The year 1808 was unlucky for our hero. His first match was with Dutch Sam, on April 5, for fifty guineas, but was stopped by the authorities, as was that of Jem Belcher and Dogherty, calendared for the same day. It accordingly went off until the 10th of May, 1808, when Gully beat Gregson a second time at Markyate Street, Herts. The “big battle” over, Dutch Sam and Cropley mounted the stage at half past six o’clock in the evening. In the first round Cropley got in heavily, and nearly closed Sam’s right eye, but this was his only gleam of success. He tried “all he knew,” but never again effectively spotted the wily Israelite. Sam was too active, and in twenty-five minutes Cropley’s last chance was gone. Bill gave in at the general desire of the amateurs, though he wished to fight on: it was seven o’clock, and all were “homeward bound.”
On Saturday, June 11, after the fight of Dogherty and Pentikin, a talk about the merits of the recent battle between Bill Cropley and Dutch Sam led to some difference of opinion, and an amateur posted fifty guineas for Bill to fight Tom Belcher in the same ring as Gregson and Tom Cribb (October 28th, 1808). Accordingly, at Moulsey Hurst, the heroes met, when Cropley fell, but not discreditably, as may be seen in the life of Tom Belcher, ante, Chapter II., Period III.
Cropley’s last ring fight was with George Cribb, on Friday, August 9th, 1809, at Pope’s Head Watch House, Reinbow, near Margate, after Richmond the Black had beaten the veteran George Maddox. (See Life of Richmond, Period IV.)
George proved a clumsy and slow fighter, a mere receiver-general. He fought desperately and heavily for sixteen minutes, but at the end of that short time was completely “told out,” and taken away by his friends. “The match was extremely unequal,” says the report, “Cropley being equal to Dutch Sam in skill, and much quicker than Cribb.”
From this time we hear of Cropley as a second and a sparrer for a number of years. As late as May 1821, in a kind of supplementary summary of “Boxers who have retired,” Pierce Egan thus notices the subject of these lines. “Bill Cropley, in his day an excellent fighter. His contests with Dutch Sam and Tom Belcher will always preserve his name from obscurity; but, having no patron [he must have been going on for fifty], he follows his occupation as a coal-whipper, but also keeps a school for the minor amateurs. He seldom exhibits now.” “Boxiana,” second edition, vol. iii., p. 554.
We have not found the date of Cropley’s death.
TOM BLAKE (TOM TOUGH)—1804–1810.
Tom Blake, a civil and ready fellow, whose boyish days had been passed in the navy, deserves a corner in these records of the ring. We shall pass Tom’s “outside” affairs, which were numerous, to come at once to his battle with Jack Holmes, the Coachman, long remembered as one of the most remarkable of the time.
A great company of the patrons of the fistic art having been drawn together by the great battle of Pearce, the Game Chicken, and Berks, January 23rd, 1804, a proposition was made, and a purse of 20 guineas raised, as a prize to be contested for in a few days by two pugilistic heroes, to be approved as a fair match by the contributors to the stake.
“The candidates, principally second-rate, were very numerous, and from them were selected two boxers, both well-known in the fighting world, and possessed of true bottom. These were Tom Blake, better known by the appellation of ‘Tom Tough,’ and Jack Holmes, a son of Jehu, who in the year 1794 contested a desperate battle in Harley Fields.[129]
“The cash being properly fixed and arranged, St. George’s-row, near the Paddington Canal, the spot where Belcher and Berks first contested, was determined for the battle. Early on the Monday morning, a great crowd having assembled, the owner of the field sent to give information at Bow Street. This the combatants heard, and immediately resolved to start for Wilsden Green, about four miles from town. On their arrival a ring was formed, and at half past twelve the combatants entered, stripped and set-to. Odds six to four in favour of Tom Tough.”
Round 1.—Holmes put in the first blow on his opponent’s left side; this rather staggered him, and following him up, put in a bit with his left hand and brought him down. (Odds immediately changed six to four in favour of the coachman.)
2 to 11.—During the whole of the ten rounds neither of the combatants tried by any manœuvre to evade the blow of his opponent. At the commencement of each round there was no shifting, no attempts at closing, or endeavours to throw each other down, but immediately on setting to one put in a blow, which was returned and manfully supported both right and left, until a hit brought one or other down. This having been the coachman’s bad luck for the last three rounds, odds changed much against him, as high as four to one.
12 to 17.—Tom for the two first of these rounds displayed great advantage. In both he brought down his opponent by the first blow. The four following rounds were, however, more fairly contested; neither showed any signs of distress, and neither could claim any advantage.
19.—This round was contested with as much spirit as though the battle was really depending on the issue. Tom, however, had the advantage. Great applause.
20 to 26.—Both fought with unabated desperation. The odds incessantly varied, being, during these rounds, six to four in favour of one or other of the combatants. Every round brought down great applause, from their astonishing exertions. Tom’s side by this time exhibited marks of many well planted blows, being perfectly raw. (Odds were, however, three to one in his favour.)
28.—This round had nearly proved fatal to Tom Tough, as the coachman nearly carried away his bowsprit. He twisted round, but did not fall, and tacking about put in a severe blow on the coachman’s larboard side, but fell from his own blow. (Odds were now three to one in favour of the coachman.)
29.—Tom came up quite lame; he had sprained his knee in the fall, and could only with great pain point his foot to the earth. His seconds and friends wished him to give up, but Tom insisted on another broadside. Tom being lame, waited for his opponent’s coming up, and throwing out his left hand, struck him and brought him down. This, however, was considered as only chance, or that perhaps Holmes slipped, and odds of ten to four were offered against Tom. From this to the
34th.—Tom every round stood firmly, waiting for the attack of his adversary.
35.—In this round Tom greatly recovered of his lameness, and got in better spirits. During the round he patted Holmes on the cheek, and said, “Thou’rt a good fellow, but must be beat.” (Odds in Tom’s favour again.)
41.—Holmes rallied, knocked down Tom, and evidently had the best of the round. The combatants continued the contest up to the
48th.—Both hitting as hard as at first. Holmes’ face was now even worse beat than Joe Berks’ during any of his battles, and Tom’s side was sad to behold. Tom, however, was now the favourite.
49 to 51.—The first of these rounds Holmes had the advantage, brought down his opponent in style. Tom, however, perceiving Holmes showed signs of being faint, fought more sprightly, and having put in a tolerably successful blow, any odds were offered that “coachee” would not touch collar again; but greatly to the astonishment of all, the coachman rallied, and in the last round made a wonderful effort to beat down his opponent, and succeeded. This round the one upon which the coachman depended for the success of the battle, for though he struggled hard for the superiority up to the sixtieth round, he failed in the attempt, and yielded.
Holmes’ defeat was considered so much more to his credit than several of his “outside” victories, that the amateurs made a liberal collection on his behalf before leaving the ground.
Blake certainly vindicated his popular cognomen, of “Tom Tough,” in this encounter. His name is “familiar as a household word,” through the ring combats of Cribb, Maddox, Richmond, etc., etc.
After Tom Cribb, “the novice,” had beaten old Maddox, January 7th, 1805, Tom Blake seems to have thought himself clever enough to try it on with the rising “young ’un,” for a purse of 40 guineas, at Blackheath, February 15, 1806. This proved a sad miscalculation. The embryo champion had height, reach, weight, and youth on his side, and poor Tom was finished by a cross-buttock in the last round but one, after an hour’s gallant but hopeless struggle. “Belcher, Ward, Mendoza, Bittoon, Berks, Maddox, and Jack Holmes were present, and a leading amateur offered to back Cribb against any pugilist living, but no one accepted the challenge.” (See life of Tom Cribb, Period IV., Chapter 1.)
Five years afterwards, when forty years old, Tom, rough, tough, and ready, offered himself as a “trial-horse” for the much talked of “young black,” Tom Molineaux. There is no mistaking the pluck of this offer, whatever we may think of its discretion. But as Blake is said to have expressed it, “If he’s ever so good it’ll only be one hiding more, and at any rate I’ll find out what stuff’s in him,” the match went on. The battle took place on the coast, a few miles from Margate. Tom Cribb, by a curious coincidence, seconded Tom Blake, and Richmond—under whose patronage Molineaux then was—seconded his brother black. The resolution of Blake upheld his established fame; he was hit completely out of time by the fresh and powerful young American. The report will be found under Molineaux, Chapter II., Period IV.
From this period Tom confined himself to the functions of a second or bottle-holder. In November, 1814, poor Tom, despite his toughness, caught his death-cold; he was laid up with rheumatic fever, and finally died of an attack of paralysis, early in 1815. Tom’s battles were always courageous, and in his earlier day remarkably dexterous and skilful. His gameness rendered him formidable, and his endurance, teste his battle with Holmes, and later with Tom Cribb, fully evidenced that his alias, “Tom Tough,” was a well-bestowed title.
BOB GREGSON—1807–1809.[130]
Few men were more widely known in the sporting circles of London, for the few years that he made the metropolis his home, than the burly, bigboned, gigantic landlord of “Bob’s Chophouse,” better known as the Castle, Holborn; the head-quarters of pugilism in the great days of the Belchers, Cribbs, and Tom Spring; the first and last, for a long series of years, being bonifaces of this well-known hostelry.
Gregson was born July 21st, 1778, at Heskin, three miles from Chorley, and ten from Preston, Lancashire; and we have Pierce Egan’s word for it, who doubtless had it from Bob’s own lips, that he commanded the Liverpool and Wigan Packet, for several years with credit and respect. What follows is somewhat strange. “For the period of seven years, all the pugilistic heroes of Lancashire, as well as those from other parts, that met him in combat, surrendered to his conquering arm, and the name of Gregson was resounded from one end to the other as the proud champion of that most populous county. His pitched battles were numerous; but the skirmishes of Bob were by far too frequent for us to treat upon, and we have, therefore, slightly touched on those achievements which claim a prominency of feature.”
The captain of “the Liverpool and Wigan Packet,” must have had his hands pretty full, for besides “all the pugilistic heroes of Lancashire, as well as those from other parts,” Bob Gregson is related to have beaten a rival for the hand and affections of Mrs. G., of the name of Harry Mandersley; after which one “Ned Waller, a sort of second champion of the county,” had to be disposed of, which he of course was. James Ayschire, Ned Prescot, James Benton, “one Tom Dawber,” Robert Fance, Tom Wright, Bill Hallrop, and other real or phantom boxers, all fall in succession before Gregson’s “conquering arm,” each under circumstances minutely manufactured with a detail and diffuseness that may well excite the envy of the most prolix penny-a-liner that ever stuffed out emptiness with verbose nothings. Finally Pierce brings down the “tremendous Joe Berks,” introducing him in the following choice rhodomontade:—
“The tremendous Joe Berks now made his appearance in Manchester, threatening destruction to all the pugilists in the county, who should have the temerity to enter the lists with him, when Gregson was once more called upon to avenge the honour of his native soil, and to expel, if possible, this daring invader. It was a truly brave contest, and the gluttony of this pugilistic cormorant was never more completely satisfied, and who publicly declared a short time afterwards, that his appetite had never been good since that period. The battle took place at Higher Hardwicke, when after forty minutes had elapsed Berks acknowledged Gregson to be his master.” Need we say, after a perusal of Berks’ memoir, that the whole of this is pure invention. Gregson and Berks never met. The historian proceeds, “Soon after this circumstance,” the imaginary encounter with Joe Berks, “Bob’s prospects in life experienced a material change, owing to a severe domestic calamity, in the loss of an amiable and affectionate partner; and he now not only bid [bade] adieu to Lancashire, but in all probability to pugilism in future, in being presented with a commission in the army, which regiment, named after the county, was quartered at Plymouth, to which place Gregson repaired, to join the standard; but finding that his finances were not able to support the character of an officer with that respectability which such a situation required, he relinquished the project, and entered, rather imprudently, into the gay pursuits of fashion at that place, that when he arrived in the metropolis, to use a sporting phrase, he was nearly cleaned out. Bob now experienced some vicissitudes—facts are stubborn things—and it was from the necessity of the moment only, that Gregson was induced to enter the ring again as a pugilist.” Of this we may believe as much or as little as we please. The Lancashire hero’s first interview with John Gully, seems, however, somewhat inconsistent with “behaviour becoming an officer and a gentleman,” as the phrase runs. His eulogist shall tell it in his own words: “Upon Bob’s first meeting with Gully, at a public house, some harsh epithets passed between them, when Gregson, to show his strength took Gully up under his arm, and threw him down on the ground; upon which a match was the consequence between those heroes.” This is pretty good. We will not, however, pursue this branch of the subject further.[131]
BOB GREGSON.
Gregson, who stood six feet one inch and a half in height, and weighed fifteen stone six pounds, was a Lancashire rough, of undaunted courage, immense endurance, trusting to brute strength for victory, and falling before skilful practitioners of the art of self-defence. His battles with Gully at Newmarket, October 14, 1807; and at Markyate Street, Herts., May 10, 1808 (for which see life of John Gully); with Tom Cribb, at Moulsey, October 25, 1808 (see life of Tom Cribb), sufficiently illustrate his strength and courage. As to Gregson’s poetical merits, whereon Pierce Egan expatiates in several pages of his own marvellous prose, we may pass them safely to the limbo of lost reputations; lest, however, we should be thought invidious, we will give the best stanza we can find among the specimens preserved in “Boxiana,” vol. i., p. 358, in the Appendix of “Prime Chaunts for the Fancy.”
With this specimen of crambo the reader will be satisfied. Some really clever poetical effusions from the pens of Mr. Hunter, of Southampton, Mr. Vincent Dowling and others, which from time to time adorned the columns of Bell’s Life in London, will occur among the records of passing ring events, and these we shall gladly transfer to the enlivening of the pages of our history.
From 1808 to 1814, when Tom Belcher succeeded him as landlord of the Castle, “Bob’s Chop-house,” as it was called, was the head quarters of ring patrons and pugilists. As a business speculation, however, Gregson did not make it pay. The celebrated Yorkshire actor, Robert Emery, of Covent Garden, appears to have been a staunch patron of Bob’s, taking the chair at his opening dinner, and contributing his great vocal and conversational talents to his service on festive occasions. On one of these we find a song containing a stanza laudatory of Bob, in which his early position as the commander of a packet is clearly mentioned:—
After enumerating his four defeats the singer concludes:
After an attempt at establishing a sparring school in London, Gregson left the metropolis for Dublin, where his peculiar merits were more likely to be appreciated. He opened the rooms once occupied by the “Royal Irish Academy,” as a “School for teaching the art of self-defence,” and is said to have been “well supported by the first class of amateurs in Dublin.” In April, 1819, Gregson was in London, and took a benefit at the theatre in Catherine Street, Strand, at which Donnelly, “the Irish champion,” showed, with an arm lamed by an accident. In August, 1819, Donnelly, George Cooper and Gregson, were on a sparring tour in Ireland, and later we find Bob figuring as the landlord of “the Punch House,” Moor Street, Dublin. In 1824, Gregson, whose health had been for some time failing, died at Liverpool, in the month of November, and lies buried in St. Nicholas’ churchyard.