Round 1.—The Sailor Boy was in prime twig; in fact, he never was, in any of his preceding mills, anything like in such good condition. His arms were peculiarly fine, and attracted the general notice of the spectators. Raines did not appear so muscular a man as his opponent, but nevertheless his frame was manly, and he exhibited great strength. The Sailor Boy was in no hurry to commence the attack, and some minutes elapsed before any attempt at hitting was made. Jones made play, but Raines stopped well. A pause. The Sailor Boy, rather furious, was going to work, but was again well parried by Raines. It was observed by the London amateurs that Raines had evidently improved in his knowledge of the science. In setting-to with the gloves the Sailor Boy had always had the best of it. Several minutes passed, and the stopping system was adopted by Raines, until the Sailor Boy went in, and slashed away like a new one. In closing fibbing was attempted on both sides. Jones broke away cleverly, and milled his opponent down. “First blood!” from the friends of Jones. Raines was piping a little, and the Sailor Boy received shouts of applause from his “larned” friends belonging to the “Univarsity.”
2.—The claret appeared slightly on Jones’s lips when he arrived at the scratch. The Sailor Boy fought well—that is to say, cautiously. Raines he looked upon as an ugly customer, although a tolerably good-looking fellow in person. The latter made several good parries, but did not try to plant any hits. Jones put in a heavy bodier with his left hand. A pause, “Go to work,” was the cry, and “Why don’t you, Mr. Poet Laureate (Fogo), put them together?” Jones planted a facer. (“Bravo!”) Raines made a blow, but the Sailor Boy was on the alert, and nothing was the matter. Exchange of blows passed between them, and the fighting was rather sharp, until they closed. In struggling for the throw Jones got his man down, but Raines threw him over, and the Sailor Boy rolled out of the ring. The Sailor Boy was decidedly the favourite with the Euclids, the Virgils, and the Homers. But the “drag and tumbler” sort of folk rather fancied Raines, and the odds were offered upon him by a few of them.
3.—The lads were just now upon their mettle, and the fight had become interesting to the whole assembly of Greeks, Latins, and yokels; in fact, all classes of society were in high glee. Raines got away from mischief, but not out of trouble. At this instant a gent stepped into the ring and made his way up to Peter, saying: “If you are the director of this sort of thing, I must insist that you desist. It is a breach of the peace!” Peter, mild as a lamb and polite as a Chesterfield, observed, touching his tile to the man in authority, “I hope, sir, you do not mean to stop the sport? You do not intend to be so cruel? But if it is your wish, why, why, ——. The second degree is now made out,” said Peter; “this interruption, after the fight has commenced, is harder than the first baulk! Such an occurrence has not happened for the last twenty years.” A noble lord, upon a fine prad, in the shape of a beak, in an agitated tone of voice, added: “Do not come into Essex; I will not permit it. You will therefore do it at your peril!” In this dilemma the Greeks, the Roman-y’s, the mathematical admirers of the angle hitting of Harry, put forth all their lexicon of gammon to the unrelenting beaks, not to make three or four thousand gentlemen look like fools; but it was all U-P. “The Fancy,” exclaimed the hero of the Brasen-nose, “have now acquired the third degree,” on hearing the member of the Upper House say, “Beware of pitching your tents in Essex.” “It is the hardest thing I ever heard, in my whole history of prose and poetry, not to let the mill be finished anywhere to-day. I shall remember him in my next epic.” Singing psalms to a dead neddy would have been of the same service! The gents belonging to the Bench retired outside of the crowd, and a ring court-martial was held for twelve minutes, upon the propriety of “to mill or not to mill,” when it was unanimously determined “that the fight between Harry Jones and Raines was no go.” Thus, after the “bubble, bubble, toil and trouble,” in the words of Shakespeare, it proved to be “Much Ado about Nothing”—the spectators out of humour and ill-natured, the nags tired, “Home, Sweet Home,” a long way off, and the rain coming down nicely.
The ground was cleared in a few minutes. The stakes were drawn on the part of Raines, but his backer offered to increase the sum to £25 a side, so satisfied was he that Raines would have proved the conqueror.
On Saturday, the 14th of April, 1827, at Bulpham Fenn, Essex, about twenty-two miles from London, in an angle on the right of Brentwood and Romford, Harry Jones and Bob Simmonds, a well-known sporting “clergyman” (anglicè, a sweep), entered a twenty-four foot roped ring at one o’clock. Jones was attended by Peter Crawley and Fogo; Simmonds was seconded by Dav Hudson and Gybletts. Crawley won the toss. On setting-to, Simmonds, with great eagerness, attacked the Sailor Boy, but the steadiness of the latter soon gave him the advantage. Jones, cool and collected, waited for an opening, when he planted a rum one on the right eye of Mr. Simmonds, which not only produced confusion of vision, but floored the man of soot. Simmonds wished to appear cheerful on commencing the second round, but the spectators found out that he was of “no service” against a fine young man like Harry Jones. In the sixth round, the poor fellow received so severe a cross-buttock that he puffed like a pair of asthmatic bellows, after this shaking he fell down almost without a blow in every succeeding round. At the expiration of thirty-five minutes, and seventeen rounds, Simmonds acknowledged he was “up the flue.” Jones, he said, was too good for him, and that he could not get at the Sailor Boy. Jones won the battle without a scratch. Crawley and Fogo were extremely attentive to Harry. It was so hollow a thing on the side of Jones that not a sov. was sported upon the event. Upwards of a thousand persons were present.
In consequence of the interruption of the battle between Raines and Jones, a second match was made for £25 a-side, which was decided on Monday, the 4th of June, 1827. Watford, the rallying point, was gained without meeting with any particular objects worthy of note. At this place the office was given for Chipperfield Common, a distance of twenty-two miles from London; thither the disappointed Fancy repaired, but not without “lots of grumbling” at the long trot. However, the ride was delightful, and upon the whole it was pronounced a pleasant journey, and a tidy day’s sport. At ten minutes to two o’clock the Sailor Boy, habited as one of the true blue fraternity, threw his hat into the ring, accompanied by the Poet Laureate Fogo and Jack Clarke; Raines was not long behind him, attended by his seconds, Ned Stockman and a dragsman of the name of Woolley.
Round 1.—The Sailor Boy could not have been better as to condition, and Raines was also in good trim as to his training. It seemed as if the combatants were aware they had a long day before them, as neither Jones nor Raines were in a hurry to go to work. Ten minutes had elapsed in looking and dodging each other about, when Jones let fly with his left hand, whilst Raines cleverly put on the stopper. The latter boxer never commenced offensive operations, but always waited for the attack. Jones also well knew that great danger was to be apprehended by the countering of Raines, and therefore he was extremely cautious, and thus are we enabled to account for this precious long round. The seconds were at the four corners of the ring like hackney coachmen upon a stand waiting for a fare. Several of the spectators proposed to them to accept a cigar, smoke a pipe, take a hand of cards, &c. At length a slight rally, or rather exchanges, occurred, when stopping, dodging, offering, again took place. Jones let fly, but Raines would not have it at any price. Good stopping on both sides. “Go to work,” from all parts of the ring, had not the slightest effect. The Sailor Boy made a hit with his left hand, which was sharply returned by Raines; a little milling took place, and both of them cried out “First blood,” but it was a dead heat in this respect, a slight tinge of the claret appearing on both of their mugs at the same instant. It would be a waste of time to repeat all the stops, &c. The Sailor Boy at length went in like a jolly fellow, and the fibbing system was resorted to, hard and fast, on both sides, until they both went down, Raines undermost. Forty minutes had now passed in sparring.
2.—This round was altogether as short. Some little stopping occurred, until Jones went in as before, and finished the round by tipping it to Raines and placing him undermost.
3.—Little bumps were observed upon the foreheads of both combatants, but nothing like mischief had passed between them. The ear of Raines had napped a little pepper. The latter endeavoured to put in a right-handed blow, and, if it had told, summat might have been the matter. Raines stopped well; but he did not fight until he was compelled to defend himself. In closing, smart hitting on both sides was administered, and the Sailor Boy was thrown out of the ropes. (“Well done, Jem!” and lots of applause.)
4.—The nose of Raines looked red. For why? Jones’s left had given it a sharp tap; he was also a little on the piping suit. At the ropes Raines was fibbed by his opponent, and ultimately thrown.
5.—This was a tidy round, but the wind of Raines was rather troubled; and both cautious in the extreme. Jones planted cleverly a conker without any return, and repeated the dose. Parrying on both sides, until Raines received a slight hit in the body, when he staggered backwards and fell out of the ropes. (Two to one on Jones.)
6.—The Sailor Boy always commenced milling, although cautious. He gave Raines another nose-ender which sent him rather backwards; Jones then went in, and had the best of it until Raines was thrown.
7.—It was clear to the spectators that Jones was now taking the lead; he cleverly put in a jobber that made the nose of Raines not only swell, but spoilt the shape of it. In closing Raines endeavoured to be busy, but the Sailor Boy was the quicker; Raines received the most punishment, and in going down was undermost. (Jones for a trifle; in fact, the friends of Raines began to perceive something was the matter.)
8.—Raines put in a sharp blow on the ear of Jones. (“Well done, Jem!”) The Sailor Boy, however, returned the favour with interest—he nosed his opponent, ditto and ditto. (Laughing by the crowd, and “It is not fair to hit a man twice in one place.”) Raines in the struggle was again down.
9.—This round was decidedly in favour of Jones. All his blows told. The nose of Raines again caught it, and he was ultimately hit down. (The Jonesites had now booked it that the Sailor Boy could win without a scratch upon his face.)
10.—Not last; but interrupted. Jem made play, and slightly touched the cheek of Jones; but the Sailor Boy returned another noser. They closed, when some blows were exchanged; and the Sailor Boy broke away. A long pause—both on the look-out. Counter-hits. Jones was going to repeat the dose, when a gentleman on horseback rode up to the ropes, followed by a constable with a staff in his hand, and proclaimed, “In the same of the King I command you to desist.” The assemblage immediately bowed submission and the combatants instantly “cut their lucky.” The fight had lasted one hour and a quarter, but the yokels were sadly disappointed, and expressed their anger by loud hisses and groans. The motley group were soon in motion, and in less than ten minutes the ground was summat like the “baseless fabric of a vision;” not a cove was left behind. The nags soon felt the persuaders, and the toddlers, puffing and blowing, were compelled to put their best feet foremost in order to keep up with the drags. Watford was once more the rallying point; and after a few minutes’ conversation as to finishing the thing, a gentleman offered his meadow near Bushey Lodge, within a mile and a half of the town, which was gladly accepted. Here the Commissary-General and his pal knocked up the ring almost before you could say “Jack Robinson,” and at a quarter to six the men were again in attitude.
Round 1.—The Sailor Boy looked as fresh as a daisy, while Raines appeared none the better for the delay. He was rather stiff, and his right hand was a little swelled. Raines made some good stops; but Jones now seemed determined to finish the thing well, and went up to his man, fought with Raines, had the best of it, and downed him.
2.—The left eye of Raines had napped pepper in the last round; and Jones lost no time in polishing off his opponent. He closed, and fibbed Raines severely until he got him down; but the Sailor Boy held up his hand to show he would not do anything wrong. (“Bravo!” and Jones three to one.)
3.—Short; but all in favour of Jones. Raines down.
4.—The mug of Raines was covered with claret, and Jones again fibbed him off his pins.
5.—Jem was getting abroad, and he hit at random; however, it was a milling round on both sides, and Jones did not get off without some clumsy thumps. Both down, Raines undermost.
6.—Sharp work at the ropes. The Sailor Boy held his antagonist and tipped it him until he went down.
7.—This round decided the fight. Raines was punished all over the ring until he was down.
8–12.—It was as nice as ninepence to Jones. In the ninth round Raines was done, and time was called three times before he was brought to the scratch, and even then he was quite stupid; he, however, recovered, and fought the remaining rounds—or rather stood up to be punished—until Jones was declared the conqueror in twenty minutes.
Remarks.—Raines never attempted to fight—that is to say, he always waited for the attack. He countered at times well, but showed himself more of a sparrer than a milling cove. The Sailor Boy did everything in his power to win; he fought with capital science, and likewise bravely. By the above battle he has risen in the estimation of his friends. Jones will not stand still for backers; and no doubt the Sailor Boy will soon throw up his hat again in the P.R.
After Reuben Martin had defeated “the Gas,” on Tuesday, October 16th, 1827, at Westbourn Common, Sussex, Harry Jones and Ike Dodd entered the ring. To detail the rounds of this fight would be not only a waste of time but of paper. Dodd stood like a chopping-block, and was completely at the service of the Sailor Boy during thirty-four minutes and eighteen rounds. Jones took the lead, kept it, and finished off Dodd with the utmost ease. He won the battle without a scratch upon his face; while, on the contrary, the mug of Dodd exhibited divers blows in sundry places. Jones was seconded by Curtis and Stockman, and Ike Dodd by Joe Fishwick and Lewellin. The above battle was for only £10 a-side and a trifling subscription purse.
After considerable chaffing, letter-writing, and even blows upon the subject, a match for £25 a-side was made with Bill Savage and Harry Jones. The latter went into training at Shirley’s, New Inn, Staines, and conducted himself like a man desirous to do credit to himself, and likewise to satisfy his backers. This match was decided on Tuesday, March 20th, 1828, in the same field, near Chertsey, in which Barney Aaron and Redmond were to have fought. A few minutes before one o’clock Jones entered the ring, attended by Young Sam and Ned Stockman. Some trifling delay occurred before Savage put in an appearance, during which time Dick Curtis, owing to some misunderstanding with the backer of Jones, turned round and took five to four for a good stake. This circumstance rather alarmed the betting men, it being previously understood that Curtis was to have acted as second to Jones. Savage threw his castor into the ropes, and Curtis and Alec Reid entered as his seconds.
Round 1.—Jones was in tip-top condition, and armed at all points for his antagonist. The appearance of Savage did not indicate so much muscle and strength; nevertheless, he was considered up to the mark. He had also the advantage of a stone in weight and two inches in height. Some little time occurred in sparring, when Jones endeavoured to plant a facer with his left hand, but Savage stopped it skilfully, and got away. The latter retreated to a corner of the ring, and hit out; but it was “no go,” Harry being too cunning. The science on both sides was admired, and the parries were excellent. Jones, eager to go to work, touched Mr. Savage’s os frontis rather “nasty,” when a close took place, and both combatants endeavoured to serve it out, until both were down.
2.—The Sailor Boy was too fast for Savage; the latter retreated, but napped two nobbers. In closing, Savage was bored to the ropes, and Jones tried on the fibbing system with success, until both went down.
3.—The Sailor Boy made good use of his science, but Savage stopped several hits like a pugilist. Jones went in, pelting away, and caught hold of Savage by the neck with one hand, and made some blows tell with the other. Savage was not idle in returning upon the body of Jones. Savage was thrown, and “First blood” called out by Young Sam, which was discovered upon the lip of Savage.
4.—Jones seemed quite confident that he had nothing to fear from his opponent, and commenced milling without delay, but Savage made several good parries. The Sailor Boy slipped down, but jumped up with so much gaiety as to floor his opponent, (“Harry, go it; that’s the time of day—it is winning, and nothing else.”)
5.—Jones, without ceremony, planted two nobbers; he also caught hold of his adversary and gave him a severe cross-buttock, shaking Savage, his nob coming on the grass and his pins in the air. (“There’s a burster!” said the Lively Kid; and the friends of Jones were loud in their marks of approbation. Seven to four.)
6.—Savage showed game to the backbone, and rallying was the result; in closing, both were down.
7.—Jones’s left hand was exceedingly troublesome, but Savage several times made skilful stops. In fact, this was a well-fought round on both sides, until the combatants were upon the ground.
8–10.—The gameness of Savage was the admiration of the ring in all these rounds; and he also satisfied the spectators that he was not deficient in science. Savage’s left eye was in mourning and otherwise damaged, and his face exhibited severe marks of punishment. Jones took the lead, kept it like a master, and finished all the rounds in his favour. The mug of the Sailor Boy was as clear from blows as when he commenced the battle. (Two to one and higher odds on Jones.)
11–13.—All these rounds were decidedly in favour of Jones; and the latter showed himself also the best man in obtaining the falls. Savage was floored by a tremendous hit on his left peeper; and his pimple shook again from the violent effects of the blow.
14.—Savage was under good instruction, having the Pet of the Fancy at his elbow, and Bill endeavoured to profit by his advice; nevertheless, the Sailor Boy could not be reduced, and he, in general, finished the round in his favour.
15.—Counter-hits, but Savage had the worst of the punishment. (“Long bowls,” said Curtis to Savage, “will not answer; you must yard-arm it with your adversary.”) Savage endeavoured to do as Curtis wished him, and he resolutely went in to work; the Sailor Boy hit him right away, enough to floor an ox, but the Welshman was too game to go down. Savage continued the round in the highest style of courage, until he was thrown cleverly. (“Any odds,” and “Jones, it is all your own.”)
Any further detail of the rounds would be useless; enough has been stated to show that the Sailor Boy was completely the hero of the tale, and reduced conquest almost to a certainty. Jones had never lost the lead for a moment, but he now took it most decidedly. If Savage stood out he was jobbed—if he went in he was weaved and thrown. The fine fighting of Jones was the admiration of the whole ring, and the delight of all who had not risked their money against him. But Savage fully supported his character as one of the gamest of the game; though he had not the slightest chance of winning he refused to give in, and continued to obey the call of time, in spite of reiterated cries of “Take him away!” In the twenty-first round Harry planted a left-hander on Bill’s nose, and also threw him heavily. In the thirty-second round Savage fought with amazing spirit, and put in two or three good right-handed bodiers, but Jones finished the round by giving him a tremendous cross-buttock. In the thirty-fifth round Harry was winded and was troubled with sickness, no uncommon occurrence with him in a long fight. Savage, cheered on by Curtis, endeavoured to take advantage of this circumstance and some little alarm was in fact felt by those who were not well acquainted with Harry; but the efforts of Savage were entirely vain. Sick as he was, Harry had the best of the round, and in the half-minute’s respite that followed Jones brought up the troublesome matter, and was soon “all right” again. In the forty-ninth round Jones threw Savage and fell on him, but under the able management of his seconds he recovered sufficiently to obey the call of “Time.” It was clear, however, that Savage could not see his man. Ned Savage entered the ring in the fifty-fourth round and threw up his hat, declaring that his brother should fight no more. Harry capered about the ring for victory, but to the surprise of all present Bill declared he would not give in. He fought or rather groped his way through a couple more rounds, when his seconds, seeing that he had not the “shadow of a shade” of chance took him away, and Harry Jones was declared the victor, after a most gallant fight of fifty-six rounds, in one hour and thirty-five minutes.
Remarks.—Savage showed himself as brave a man as ever pulled off a shirt, and as being able to stop with considerable skill. His blows did not tell in out-fighting, his distances were incorrect, and when he closed he could not punish. He had hitherto been considered a good wrestler, but Harry almost always threw him. Indeed, poor Bill received more than twenty, perhaps we might say thirty, cross-buttocks, each of which was terribly effective. Harry Jones showed tactics of the very highest order. It is difficult to say which we had most occasion to admire—his out-fighting or in-fighting. He was evidently notwithstanding the disparity in size, much stronger than Savage, and, in fact, so fine was his science that he quitted the ring with hardly a mark on his face, and returned to Staines to dine so little “the worse for wear” that a stranger could not have discovered from his appearance that he had been fighting. His brave but unfortunate antagonist, on the contrary, was borne off the ground to the “Cricketers” public-house, where he was put to bed. The fight would have been brought to a conclusion much sooner had not Jones, in the early part of the action, sprained his left arm in one of the falls. The injury prevented the use of his left hand throughout the rest of the fight. Not the slightest dispute took place during the whole of the fight. Jones was often deservedly applauded for his forbearance in releasing Savage when he was entirely at his mercy, and, upon the whole, it was as fair, clever, and manly a battle as the best well-wishers to honest pugilism would desire to witness.
Jones had now given undeniable proofs of more than ordinary boxing qualifications. In fact by many fanciers he was declared to be the best ten stone man on the list. Ned Stockman, however, “the Lively Kid,” at that time a first favourite in sporting circles, strenuously denied this at all times and places, pointing to his early defeats of Harry, twice for purses (of course impromptu affairs), and later for £25 in the regular P.R., at Epping, in 1824. Mr. Stockman, however, had forgotten that Harry had been improving in bone and stamina (he was only twenty-one), while “the Lively Kid” had been “going the pace” in very fast company. Ned soon got on a match for £25 a-side, and, all going smoothly, articles were signed, and he met Harry Jones at Shere Mere, on the 16th September, 1828. A clever fight on the part of Stockman, not without occasional game rallies, almost uniformly to the advantage of the Sailor Boy, in the forty-third round ended in Stockman’s defeat, his chances being quite out some time before the finale.
Barney Aaron, whose victorious career we have just given, was the Sailor Boy’s next opponent. In weight the men were about equal, but the fame of the “Star of the East” shone so brightly that the £100 staked were already “as good as won,” and so discounted by the denizens of Duke’s Place. But the soundness of Mark Twain’s advice, “never to prophesy unless you know,” received here another illustration. On the 11th of November, 1828, at the Barge House, Woolwich Marshes, the renowned Barney struck his colours to the gallant Sailor Boy, after eighteen sharp fighting rounds, lasting fifteen minutes only.
Tom Reidie, “the Colonel,” conceiting himself upon his shifty performance among the cabbages at Battersea, already noticed, having spoken disparagingly of Harry’s victory as “a fluke,” followed it up by expressing a wish that “somebody” would back him for “half a hundred,” and let him “stand in a tenner of his own.” A patron of the “silver” or “copper hell,” whereof the Colonel was for the time being “groom-porter,” volunteered “the needful,” and, in the short period of seven weeks from his victory over Aaron, the Sailor Boy was face to face with Reidie at Hurley Bottom, Berks, on the 30th of December, 1828, for £15 a-side. This time the Colonel’s “strategic movements to the rear” entirely failed him. The stakes and ropes enclosed him in the limits of twenty-four feet, and in less than that number of minutes (the fight lasted twenty-two, minutes) down went Tom Reidie for the last time, at the close of the sixteenth round, perfectly satisfied that he had quite another “boy” to deal with than the lad he had tired out in Battersea Fields.
Frank Redmond, whose game battles with Barney Aaron we have already chronicled in these pages, proposed to try conclusions with the Sailor Boy for a stake of £100 a-side, which Jones had now little difficulty in getting together. It was a game and, for a few rounds, a tremendous struggle, but Harry had “a little more left in him” in the last three rounds (there were only ten in all), and in thirty-six minutes he was hailed the victor of a well-fought field.
We should unduly extend the bulk of our volumes did we attempt to give the detailed rounds of all the fights of the minor celebrities to whom we have given niches in our gallery of pugilistic pen-portraits. We shall therefore summarise Harry’s other battles by merely enumerating them.
On the 19th May, 1829, at Harpenden Common, he fought and beat George Watson for a stake of £50 a-side. Time, thirty-nine minutes; rounds, thirty.
June 7th, 1831, beat Dick Hill (the Nottingham Champion), for £100 a-side, at Bagthorpe Common, Notts, in sixty-nine rounds, eighty minutes.
Harry next met “the Oxford Pet,” Perkins, whose victory over Dick Curtis had placed him on a pinnacle above his real merits as a boxer. On January 17th, 1832, Harry Jones disposed of “the Pet’s” lofty pretensions in twenty-two rounds, occupying forty-six minutes only. The battle was fought at Hurley Bottom.
On April 2nd, 1833, Jones, who had just recovered from a long illness, fought Gipsy Jack Cooper for £25 a-side, at Chertsey. It was a long and tedious battle, with heavy punishment on both sides, for two hours and ten minutes, twenty-six long rounds, when Jones was hailed as conqueror.
For some time Harry, who was suffering from a chronic disease of the lungs, caused by exposure, earned money by sitting at Somerset House as an artists’ model; and we can well say a finer bust and arms for an athlete, or an exemplar of muscular development and symmetry, could rarely be met with. As poor Harry, too, was a civil-spoken and good-looking fellow, he had a numerous clientèle.
Another “Sailor Boy,” with the prefix of the words “The East End,” hight Tom Smith, was now in the field. He was ten stone four pounds; and having disposed of the nine stone lad, Owen Swift, and also Jack Adams and Aaron, he challenged Harry. The match was made for £50 a-side, and the two “Sailor Boys” met at Shrubs Hill, Bucks, on the 17th June, 1834. Harry was no longer the “Gay Sailor Boy.” His heart was sound, but his breathing apparatus was rapidly going out of repair, and in five rounds, occupying only fourteen minutes, down went poor Harry for the last time, and his colours and the £50 were the prize of “the East End Sailor Boy.”
Soon afterwards Jones became an inmate of the Westminster Hospital, where he died on the 14th April, 1835, at the early age of twenty-eight years.
JACK PERKINS (“THE OXFORD PET”). 1827–1830.
Among the ten stone boxers who ran a bright but brief career we note Jack Perkins, “the Oxford Pet,” renowned chiefly for his victory over the theretofore unconquered Dick Curtis.
Perkins’s first recorded battle, at the age of nineteen, with Bailey Wakelin, an Oxonian pugilist nearly a stone his superior in weight, spread his fame among the “gownsmen.” The affair came off at Radley Common, on the 30th January, 1827, for £25 a-side, “the Pet” polishing off his opponent in twenty-three active rounds, occupying thirty-two minutes only.
His next appearance in buff was with Godfrey, an Oxford waterman, at Henson, near the University City, on the 3rd of July, 1827. In the seventh round, after twenty-eight minutes’ fighting, the referee awarded the fight to Godfrey (against whom two and three to one was current), on the ground that Perkins had got down without a blow. Godfrey refused a second trial.
Perkins’s next match was with a well-known London man, Jem Raines.[57] The battle was for £25 a-side, and came off at Penton Hook, near Staines, on the 21st August, 1828. The Londoner’s skill was completely outshone by the provincial professor, who out-fought and in-fought, rallied, and sent down poor Jem for about a dozen of the twenty-five rounds which comprised the battle, lasting forty-four minutes.
Perkins was now voted a don in the “University of Fives,” and was soon matched by some of his “undergrad” admirers with Dick Price, of whose qualifications a slight instance is given in the sketch of Harry Jones, in a previous page of this Appendix. Perkins’s fight with Dick Price, at Wantage, Berks, on October 15th, 1828, in which Price had for seconds Peter Crawley and Dick Curtis, from London, was a one-sided affair, the Oxford Pet knocking down the eleven stone butcher in the second and third rounds, and administering punishment ad lib. until the sixteenth and last, when the fight was over. Time sixty-two minutes.
On this occasion some chaffing between Curtis and Perkins produced all ill feeling, and in the very next issue of Bell’s Life we find “a friend from Oxford” was commissioned to stake for a match with Curtis for £100 a side, and articles were signed for a meeting between the two “Pets.” Curtis forfeited on the second deposit, being matched to fight Edwards for £200 a-side in the ensuing February. This match also ending this time in a forfeit to Curtis, the affair with Perkins was resumed. We may here note that Curtis was at this period suffering from an attack of rheumatic gout, and that he stated this fact in reply to a challenge of one Joseph Hudson Gardener to fight for £300, in April, 1829. A “short-notice” battle was eventually agreed upon for £100 a-side, and the day fixed for the 30th December, 1828.
In London and its vicinity, Curtis, who had pursued a long career of glory, and who, in all his battles, had never been beaten, was considered almost invincible; and few, in the first instance, were disposed to lay against him, although seven to four and two to one were repeatedly offered. As the time of fighting approached, however, more minute inquiries were made respecting the merits of his opponent, and those who had had opportunities of judging described him as a customer of no ordinary stamp. He had been, like Dick, successful in all his contests, and was described by those who knew him best as a scientific pugilist—active on his legs, a straight and severe hitter with his left, a good getter away, and distinguished for sound bottom. Independent of this, it was known that he was at least a stone heavier than Curtis, weighing when stripped ten stone four pounds, while Dick was booked at nine stone at most. He was also five years younger than Curtis, being scarcely twenty, while Dick was twenty-five; and those who knew the habits of the latter were perfectly aware that they were not such—since he had been in the habit of “seeing the gas turned off”—as to improve his stamina or increase his muscular powers.
Both men went immediately into active training—Curtis to Hartley Row, and Perkins, first in Oxfordshire, and latterly to Mr. Shirley’s, the New Inn, at Staines, whose system of training and unremitting care of the men entrusted to his charge placed him deservedly high in the estimation of the best judges. It was observed that both men were uncommonly attentive to their exercise, and both were acknowledged to be in excellent condition. These were points to which particular attention was paid as the period of the last deposit approached, and the friends of Perkins exhibited an increasing confidence, many boldly asserting that Curtis would find himself mistaken in his estimate of the talent of his opponent, and others boldly asserting that they thought he was overmatched—a stone being far too much for any man to give away, where it was accompanied by a corresponding proportion of science and game. Still, such was the deep-rooted prejudice in favour of Curtis, and such the confidence in his generalship and cutting severity of punishment, that the great majority of the Metropolitans considered it next to treason to harbour a thought of his defeat. There were those, however, who were not quite so bigoted in their opinions, and who, viewing the merits of the men dispassionately, were disposed to think that Curtis, as well as many of his gallant contemporaries, might find an equal, if not a superior, in the art which he professed. Among this class were found ready takers of the long odds of two to one, and subsequently of seven to four—but on the night of the last deposits the odds were taken to a large amount at six to four.
On the Monday evening the road to Maidenhead, which was appointed headquarters, was crowded with vehicles of all descriptions, and every house which would receive such visitors was crowded to excess. Curtis and his backers cast anchor at the “Sun,” and Perkins, under the auspices of the Oxford Dragsman, brought to at the “Dumb Bell,” on the London side of Maidenhead Bridge. Curtis was accompanied by Tom Reidie, who had trained with him, and Perkins by Harry Jones.
Tuesday morning produced a numerous accession to the multitude, and countless vehicles continued to pour in as the day advanced, embracing some of the most distinguished patrons of the Ring, and giving ample occupation to the postmasters.
At an early hour Tom Oliver and his assistant, Frosty-faced Fogo, proceeded to form the milling arena in the Parish Meadow, at Hurley Bottom, Berks, thirty-four miles from London, and close to the banks of the Thames—in summer no doubt a very desirable spot, but in the winter season, from the marshy state of the soil, anything but eligible, especially for those who had to travel in heavy vehicles. Several of these stuck fast in the yielding soil, and the casualties which followed were of the most ludicrous description—many of the inmates, who till then had escaped the miseries of damp feet, being obliged to alight, and, ankle deep in mud, to scramble to that portion of the turf which was still capable of bearing their weight. Having encountered these dangers “by flood and field,” they reached the ring, which was admirably constructed, and surrounded by an ample supply of wagons, flanked by an immense number of carriages of every denomination. As a proof of the interest excited we may state that the crowd assembled was estimated at more than 5,000 persons.
At one o’clock the men had arrived on the ground, sporting their respective colours—Curtis a bright orange, Perkins a crimson. The bustle of preparation was soon visible. The whips were distributed to the men appointed by the Fair Play Club, and the stragglers were driven back to the outer ring of rope which had been constructed near to the wagons. Shortly after Dick Curtis approached the scene of action, accompanied by Josh Hudson and Young Dutch Sam, and was soon followed by Perkins, under the guidance of Tom Spring and Harry Holt. On meeting within the ring they shook hands, and immediately commenced stripping. Both looked well in health; but it was impossible not to observe that there was a rustic hardiness in the appearance of Perkins, very different from that of Curtis, who, nevertheless, had that sleekness and delicacy in his aspect which one is apt to ascribe to superior breed or higher blood. On stripping this contrast was still more apparent; for while Curtis showed that beautiful symmetry of person for which he was so distinguished, and which would have formed a perfect model for the sculptor, Perkins was rough, square, and muscular in appearance. His head, too, being stripped in patches of its hair, from the effect of ringworm in early life, gave him rather the cut of a ragged colt just caught upon the mountain wilds than the well-groomed nag coming from the stud of an indulgent master. Overcoming first impression, however, on seeing both men stripped, it was impossible not to discover at a glance the great disparity in point of size between the men. Perkins appeared to us to be at least two inches taller than Curtis, and every way larger in proportion. He was well pinned, with substantial thighs, and his shoulders and arms showed powerful muscle, though his loins were thin. His phiz, too, exhibited various scars, which were convincing proofs that he had been engaged in encounters of no trifling character. He evinced a great coolness in his manner, and, as throughout his training, booked victory as certain. Curtis looked to us light, but, nevertheless, in high favour with himself. Many old followers of the stakes did not hesitate on seeing the men for the first time stripped in fair comparison to exclaim, “Dick is overmatched,” an opinion which had often been expressed before, but met with little attention. Everything being in readiness the men were conducted to the scratch and commenced.
Round 1.—The positions of both men were good. Curtis, his head a little advanced, his arms well up, and his eye measuring his man with the piercing look of the eagle. Perkins, his head rather on one side, and thrown a little back, his right hand well up, to stop Dick’s left, and his left ready for a fling. Each manœuvred and changed ground. Dick made several feints with his left, but Perkins was not to be drawn from his caution. (“He’s not to be kidded!” cried one of the Oxonians.) Dick crept in, tried to draw his man once or twice, but it would not do. Perkins stood well to his guard. Five minutes were occupied in this way, and not a blow struck; at last Dick plunged in with his left, which was stopped, but he delivered with his right. Good counter-hits were exchanged in a rally, Dick catching the left between his eyes, which made them twinkle, and the right on the tip of his conk. Perkins instantly stepped back and exclaimed. “First blood!” at the same time pointing to Dick’s nose, and sure enough the purple fluid came gurgling forth. Dick, undismayed, bustled up to his man, and caught him heavily on the mouth with his left. Perkins got well away, but no time was lost in again getting to a rally; Dick would not be denied, and got close to his man. Perkins again put in a left-handed facer, but had a tremendous hit in return from Dick’s right, which cut him over the corner of the left eye, and drew a copious stream of blood. Both again drew back, but Dick suffered no time to elapse, rushed in to deliver, and after two or three exchanges Perkins went down from a slight hit. The round lasted seven minutes, and the fighting on both sides was excellent, and acknowledged by the most sceptical to be better than was expected on the part of the Oxford Pet.
2.—Dick again came up in beautiful position, while Perkins seemed perfectly at home, and nowise dismayed by Dick’s “ocular demonstration.” Perkins waited; and Dick, after two or three feints with his left, made a good hit with his right, but was well countered by Perkins. A sharp and active rally followed, in which Perkins caught it on the nozzle, and was on a par with his opponent, for he too showed abundance of claret. In the end Perkins was down, though not a decided knock-down blow.
3.—Perkins came up fresh as a kitten, while Dick looked deeply intent on his work. Dick hit out with his left, but was cleverly stopped. Perkins made a similar effort, but was likewise stopped. Dick then rushed in to hit, while Perkins retreated and fell back at the ropes, half out of the ring. (Shouts for Dick.)
4.—Dick’s face was now a good deal flushed, and the first hit between the ogles began to show its effects, as his right eye became discoloured. Dick, after a leary feint, rushed in to hit with his left; but Perkins, with great steadiness, parried the compliment, and smiled. Dick finding he could not plant his favourite nobbers, now tried the body, and popped in two or three pretty hits in the bread-basket with his left. Perkins was not idle, and caught him on the side of the head with his right. Both were again cautious, and Perkins covered his upper works in good style; he was always ready to counter with his left as he stopped with his right. Dick saw this, and repeated his body blows, leaving pretty obvious marks from his knuckles; Perkins did not return. Good counter-hits at the nob right and left, and both away. Again to manœuvring, when Dick’s body hit was stopped; he then rushed in and hit Perkins open-handed with his left. Perkins returned with his left, catching him on the mouth, and a few slight exchanges followed. Dick again had him in the body with his left. After a short pause a fine slashing rally followed, and some jobbing hits were delivered on both sides, but little advantage was observable. The punishment received by Dick, however, was more obvious; in the end Perkins fell. This was a fine manly round, and excited general applause; and from Dick’s steadiness, his friends’ confidence increased.
5.—The symmetry of Dick’s more delicate physog. was a good deal altered, while Perkins’s only showed the cut over his right eye, and still preserved his coolness and self-possession. Dick again planted his left-handed body hit, but was idle with his right; in fact, Perkins was so well guarded as to bid defiance to his usual sharp and cutting jobs. A short rally, in which hits were exchanged, and both went down easy, Perkins under.
6.—Dick tried to plant his left on Perkins’s nob, but he got well away, and succeeded in stopping a second attempt at his body. Perkins made two excellent stops right and left at his head, but napped it in the ribs; this did not seem to affect him, and he preserved his steadiness in a manner little expected from a yokel. Good stops on both sides, and an admirable display of science; Perkins stopped right and left, but his returns passed beside Dick’s head, and were rather at random; hits were interchanged, though not of great moment, and in the close Perkins went down.
7.—Dick fought a little open-mouthed, and seemed somewhat crabbed at not being able to reach his man. He took a drop of brandy-and-water and again went to action. Perkins still steady and collected, and evidently as strong as a horse. Dick resumed his feinting system, and caught Perkins cleverly with his left, while he delivered his right heavily on his collar-bone. Had this reached his canister, as was no doubt intended, it would have told tales, but Perkins’s activity on his legs enabled him to step back in time. Dick put in three body blows in succession with his left, but they did not seem to tell on the iron carcass of Perkins. Dick then rushed in to punish, but Perkins, in retreating, fell, and pulled him upon him. (Dick’s friends were still satisfied all was right, and booked winning as certain. But little betting took place, so intense was the interest excited by every move.)
8.—Dick tried his left-handed job, but was stopped, and with equal neatness stopped the counter from Perkins’s left. In a second effort Perkins was more successful, and put in his left cleverly on Dick’s nob, while Dick countered at his body. Perkins again stopped Dick’s left-handed job, and showed great quickness in getting away. A fine spirited rally followed, in which mutual exchanges took place, and the blood flowed from the smellers of both. It was a fine, manly display on both sides, but in the end Perkins hit Dick clean off his legs with his right, catching him heavily on the side of the head. (Immense cheers from the Oxonians, and the Londoners looking blue.)
9.—Dick, a little abroad, popped in his left on Perkins’s body, and then rushed in to fight. Perkins retreated, and got into the corner of the ring, when a desperate rally followed; Perkins jobbed Dick several times right and left, catching him heavily under the ear with his right, thus showing he could use both hands with equal effect. Dick fought with him, but the length of Perkins seemed too great to enable him to hit with effect. Finding himself foiled at this game, he closed, and catching Perkins’s nob under his arm, was about to fib; but Perkins slipped down, by the advice of Spring, and evaded the punishment he would otherwise have received. Dick, on getting to his second’s knee, was covered with blood, and looked all abroad; the right-handed hit under his lug in the last round was evidently a stinger.
10.—Both came up collected, but Dick did not seem disposed to lose much time in reflection; he hit with his left, but had it in return from Perkins on the nob. A lively rally followed, in which both got pepper; Dick rushed in hastily, and Perkins fell, Dick on him.
11, and last.—Dick now came up evidently resolved to make a desperate effort to put aside the coolness of Perkins, but he found his man ready at all points; good counter-hits were exchanged, and both fought with fury; Perkins threw in a heavy hit with his left on Dick’s nob, and then on his body with his right; Dick fought with him boldly, but had no advantage, when Perkins again caught him heavily under the ear with his right, and he fell “all of a heap.” He was immediately picked up, and his seconds tried every expedient to bring him to his senses, but he was completely stupefied, and on time being called was incapable of standing. The hat was immediately thrown up, announcing victory, and Perkins ran out of the ring as strong as ever. He was, however, sent back till the battle was pronounced won or lost. The decision was given in favour of Perkins, and in a short time Dick was conveyed to his carriage, and from the ground to Maidenhead. The fight lasted twenty-three minutes and a half.
Remarks.-At the conclusion of the fight, which was certainly more quickly ended than we anticipated, most of the persons close to the ring seemed to be satisfied that Curtis had been out-fought, and that, in fact, he had been, as was observed in the first instance, overmatched. The losers, however, soon began to state a different impression, and certain shrugs and twists gave indication of a feeling that all was not right “in the state of Denmark.” It is certain that Dick did not do as much with Perkins as we have seen him do with other men; but then it must be considered that we never saw him opposed to so good a man as Perkins was on this day. In addition to his superior weight and physique, the Oxford man from first to last preserved a coolness and steadiness, and covered his points with a scientific precision, which few men of his age and experience have displayed in the Ring. This was admitted even by those who had most reason to lament his success. In our opinion Dick fought too quickly, and lost that presence of mind which with such an opponent was his only chance of success. From the undiminished strength which Perkins showed at the last, too, we are satisfied he could have continued the fight much longer. We agree with Sam (who seconded Curtis) that he was more of a match for him than for the Pet. It cannot be forgotten that from the first moment the match was made we expressed our fears that Dick was giving away too much weight, and the result has confirmed our judgment.
In a very few minutes after the fight Perkins entered the ring dressed, and little the worse for his engagement, beyond the cut over his left eye and a little puffiness in the mouth and nose; he must, however, have felt for some time the effects of his body blows, which were both heavy and numerous. He expressed a strong desire to second Harry Jones in his fight with Reidie, but this his friends would not permit.
A challenge from Bob Coates procured for that boxer a thrashing in twenty-five rounds, occupying twenty-eight minutes, near Chipping Norton, on the 19th of March, 1830.
The defeat of Curtis, as we have already noted in our Memoirs of Alec Reid and Harry Jones, rankled in the memory of the London Ring, and consequently a more equal opponent for the fresh and hardy provincial was looked out in the person of Alec Reid, “the Chelsea Snob,” the full details of which may be read in the tenth chapter of this volume, pp. 423–426.
This first defeat took place on the 25th May, 1830, and thenceforward, until 1832, Perkins remained without a customer. Towards the close of 1831 a negotiation with Harry Jones, the Sailor Boy, was concluded. The stakes, £50 a-side, were tabled, and on January 17th, 1832, at Hurley Bottom, the scene of his victory over the London Pet, the Oxford man was defeated, after a gallant defence, in twenty-two rounds, time forty-six minutes.
With this defeat closed the Ring career of “the Oxford Pet,” in three short years.