Pugilistica

[McGoorty]

EXCERPTS from the famous Book of Bare Knuckle London Prize Ring Rules Champions and Legendary Fights. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: As this was digitally scanned from a very old newspaper that has suffered some damage over time, there are small mistakes in the text, I will go over it all word by word and correct what I can so at first you will see the unedited version, it will take a little time so please bear with me as I try to save this classic book for posterity.... plus, it is free, so enjoy.

[McGoorty]

PUGILISTICA




WILLIAM THOMPSON ("Bendigo")
OF Nottingham.



Vol. in.



To faoi pagt 1



FkuoD VtL^1635-1845.] [PuoiLunc^.— vol. hL

PUGILISTICA:
THE HISTORY OF BRITISH BOXING.

PERIOD VII.

FBOH TBS CBAVFIOKSHIP OF BKRDIOO (WILLIAM THOMFSON) TO ms LAST
BATTLE WITH CAOST (1845).

CHAPTER I.

WILLIAM THOMPSON ("BENDIGO"), OF NOTTING-
HAM, CHAMPION. 1835—1850.

William Thompson, whose pseudonym of Bendigo has given its name to
a district or territory of our Antipodean empire, first saw the light on the
11th day of October, in the year 1811, in the city of Nottingham, renowned,
in the days of rotten boroughs and protracted contested elections, for its
pugnacious popuhice, its riotous mobs, and rampant Radicalism, succeeded,
in a like spirit, even in later '* reformed" times, by its lion-Hke *' lambs," *
and " tiger-Tories.'' William was one of three sons at a birth, and, we are
assured, of a family holding a respectable position among their neighbours,
some of them filling the ministerial pulpit, and others belonging to a
strait and strict denomination of dissent. The late Viscount Palmerston
expressed his opinion that had not John Bright, the coadjutor of Cobden
and Gladstonian Cabinet Minister of our own day, been bom a Quaker, he
must have grown up a pugilist; a similar reflection suggests itself to
those who knew the character and genius of William Thompson ; with the
difference that in his case the young pugilist did grow into an elderly
Methodist parson, as we shall hereafter see, while the Broadbrim secular
Minister has not yet figured in the roped twenty-four feet.

* Ponderoiu Parliainratary blue-books, election petitions, <* Reports" of Committees of
the Honse, bear abundant testimony to the frays and feuds of the ** Nottingham Lambs/'
from the sacking of Clumber and the buniiiig of Nottingham Castle to the street and
iSsotion fights of this turbulent towa.



I PUQILISTIGA. rnuaoDtn. 1885-18^8

There is a closer psychological connection between fighting and fanaticism,
pugnacity and Puritanism, than saints and Stigginses can afford to admit,
and the readiness of wordy disputants to resort to the argumentum ad
hominem, or ad baculinum, and the facile step from preachee to floggee
of parsons of all sects and times, need no citations of history to prove.

[McGoorty]

The young Bendigo, as we shall see hereafter, became another illustration
of the wisdom of Seneca,* and took to theological disputation when he
could no longer convince his opponents by knock-down blows.

Of the earlier portion of the career of Bendigo, previous to his first
victory over the gigantic Ben Caunt, in July, 1835, much apocryphal stuff
has been fabricated by an obscure biographer.

f n 1832,William Thompson, then in his twenty-first year, beat Bill Faulker,
a Nottingham notoriety. In April, 1833, he defeated Charley Martin, and
in the following month polished off Lin Jackson, another local celebrity.

Tom Cox (of Nottingham), who had beaten Sam Merriman, was defeated
easily in June, 1833 ; and in August of the same year (1833) Charles
Skelton and Tom Burton * are said to have fallen beneath Bendigo's con-
quering fist Moreover (surely his biographer is poking fun at us) he is
credited with beating Bill Mason in Sept. 1833, and Bill Winterflood in
October I Now as we know no Bill Winterflood except Bill Moulds, the
Bath champion, and he never met Bendigo at all, are we not justified in
rejecting such '^ history ^ ?

The last in this list is a defeat of one Bingham, who is set down as
'* Champion," in January, 1834, which brings us near enough to Bendigo's
first appearance in the blue posted rails of the P. R. with Caunt on July
21st, 1835. On that day, we read —

'^ A fight took place in the Nottingham district between two youngsters
who were both fated to develop into Champions of England. The meet-
ing-place was near Appleby House, on the Ashbourne Boad, about thirty
miles from Nottingham." Both men were natives of Nottinghamshire ; the
elder one, William Thompson, hailing from the county town ; while the
younger, Benjamin Caunt, was a native of the village of Hucknall, where
his parents had been tenants of the poet, Lord Byron — a fact of which the
athlete was always intensely proud. Caunt on this occasion made his first
appearance in any ring, and having been bom on the 22nd of March, 1815,

[McGoorty]

" Natura tenAdssimi sumas eorum qu«» pueri peroipimuf, ui Mtpor, quo nova yma im-
buuntnr, durat," Bays the did heathen tutor of Nero.

t If Burton, of Leicester, is meant, he was then 11 years old. His first fight was with
a native of Swindon, in May, 1846.



cfiAFTKB I.] BENDIGO. 5

had only jast completed his twenty-first year, and had therefore a very con-
siderable disadvantage in point of age. On the other hand, he was a
yoongster of herculean proportions and giant strength ; stood 6ft. 2ia
in height, and his fighting weight was 14st. 71b. Thos, in point of size, it
was a horse to a hen ; but Caunt had no science at all, while Bendigo had
a very considerable share of it. The big 'an was seconded by Butler
(Caunt's uncle) and Bamford, and Bendigo by Turner and MenTman.
Throughout twenty-two rounds Caunt stood up with indomitable pluck and
perseverance to receive a long way the lion's share of the punishment,
while his shifty opponent always avoided the return by getting down.
Caunt at last, in a rage at these tactics, which he could not counteract or
endure, rushed across the ring, called on him to stand up, before the call of
" Time " by the umpires, and then struck Bendigo before he rose from his
second's knee. The referee and umpires having decided that this blow was
foul, the stakes, £25 a side, were awarded to Bendigo. ^' It was the ex-
pressed opinion of the spectators that, had Caunt kept his temper and
husbanded his strength, the issue would have gone the other way, as he
proved himself game to the backbone, while his opponent was made up of
dodges from heel to headpiece."

This fight had the effect of calling the attention of backers to both men.Of Bendigo's cleverness there could be no question, while.Caunt's enormous
strength and unfiinching pluck were equally indisputable; and it is a
curious illustration of the circular theory of events that these two men,
whose pugilistic career may fairly be said to have commenced in this fight
— when they were, of course, at the bottom of the ladder — should meet
again when they were half-way up, and a third time when they stood on
the topmost round.

[McGoorty]

This victory over the gigantic wrestler of Hucknall Torkard could not
fail to bring his conqueror prominently before the eyes of the boxing
world. John Leechman, alias Brassey, of Bradford (of whom hereafter),
Charley Langan, Looney, of Liverpool, Bob flampson, also of Liverpool—
indeed, all the big 'uns of the '* North Countrie " were anxious to have a
shy at the audacious list. 101b. man who had beaten Ben the Oiant

In November, 1835, Brassey, of Bradford, announced by letter in BelTs
Life^ that he was prepared to meet Bendigo half-way between Nottingham
and the Yorkshire town for £50 a side. But the erratic Bendigo was
wandering about the countiy, exhibiting with Peter Taylor, Sam Pixton,
Levi Eckersley, & Co., electrifying the yokels by his tricks of agility and



PUaiUSTIOA. [period m. 1835-1645.

strength, and his irrepressible chaff and natural humour — ^gif ts which made
him, formidable as he really was, a sort of practical clown to the boxing
ring. Hence nothing came of the challenges and appointments, although
Bendigo, by a letter in a Midland sporting paper, in February, 1836, de-
clared himself ready to make a match for £25 a side with Tom Britton or
Jem Corbett — ^Bendigo to be under 12stb on the day. He also threw down
the gauntlet to *'any 128t. man in the four counties of Nottingham,
Leicester, Derbyshire, and Lincolnshire ; money ready at his sporting house
in Sheffield" — a rather amusing challenge, as it excluded Brassey, of
Bradford, and three well-known Lancashire heavy weights. Tom Britton
replied to this challenge that he would not fight under £100, being engaged
in business ; but informed Bendigo that he could find two 12st. candidates
for his favours for £26 or £50, if he would attend at the " G****s,"
Peter Street,' Liverpool.

John Leechman (Brassey) now came out with a definite cartel, that he
was open to fight any 12st. man within 100 miles of Bradford for £25 or
£50, and that his aioney was ready at the ^ Stag's Head,'' Preston Street,
Sheffield. This brought Bendigo to the scratch, and the match was made
for £25 a side, to come off on Tuesday, May 24th, 1836. The deposits
were duly made, and on the appointed day. May 24th, 1836, the men met
nine miles from Sheffield, on the Doncaster road. No reliable report of
this fight, which was for £25 a side, is extant : nothing beyond a para
graph in the following week's papers, declaring it to be won by Bendigo,
^' after a severe contest of 52 rounds, in which the superiority of science was
on the side of the lesser man, Bendigo weighing list. 121b., Brassey
nearly 13st.

[McGoorty]

Brassey and his friends were not satisfied with this defeat, and imme-
diately proposed a fresh match for £50 ; and Jem Bailey (not of Bristol,
but an Irishman, afterwards twice beaten by Brassey) also challenged
Bendigo. Bendigo accepted Bailey's offer, but Paddy's friends hung back
and forfeited the deposit.

Our hero now visited London, and was for some weeks an object of some
curiosity, putting up at Jem Burn's, where he kept the company alive by
his eccentric '* patter." Jem offered to back Bendigo against Fitzmaurice
(who had been beaten by Deaf Burke), but Fitz's friends also backed out
It may be remarked, par parenthese, that the Deaf 'un was in America
during this paper warfare.

At this period a remarkably clever eleven stone black, hight Jem



CHAPTBR i;] BENDIQO. 7

Wharton, wlio fought under the names of '^ Young Moljneux/* and '^ The
Morocco Prince," had successively polished off Tom M^Keevor, Evans,
Wilfiden, and Bill Fisher, and fought a gallant drawn hattle of four hour$
and seven rmtiuteSy and 200 rounds, with the game Tom Britton, was the talk
of the provincial fancy. A match was proposed for jC50, half-way between
Nottingham and London. But in the interval of talk Molyneux got matched
with Harry Preston, and a most interesting fight, from the crafty style of
both men, was lost for ever. A forfeit in the interim was paid to Bendigo
by Flint, of Coventiy.

Molyneux also accepted Bendy's offer, but insisted on raising the stakes
to J£100 a side, and to Bendy confining himself to list 71b. (!) Molyneux
not to exceed list. 21b., dec., &c.

To these stipulations Bendy replied : *' My Liverpool friends will back
me <£100 to £80, or £50 to £40, at catch weight, against Young Molyneux.
I shall be in London in a few weeks, and shall be happy to meet Luke
Rogers for £50 or £100, as Looney's match is off, owing to his being under
lock and key for his day's amusement with Bob Hampson. — ^Nottingham,
November 25, 1836." Molyneux got matched with Bailey, of Manchester,
and this second affair fell through.

At length, in December, articles were rigned with Young Langan
(Charley), of Liverpool, to fight within two months, catch weight, and the
day fixed for the 24th of January, 1837, when the men met at Woore, eight
miles from Newcastle, in Staffordshire. At a few minutes to one o'clock
Bendy appeared, esquired by Harris Birchall and Jem Corbett; Young
Liangan waited on by two of his countrymen. Langan weighed within
21b. of 13st; Bendigo list 131b. on this occasion. The battle was a
characteristic one. The *' long 'un,*' as he was called by the bystanders,
began by *' forcing the fighting," a game which suited the active and shifty
Bendigo, who punished his opponent fearfully for almost every rush.

[McGoorty]

Cautioned by his friends, Langan tried *< out-fighting," but Bendy was not
to be cajoled into countering With so long-armed and heavy an opponent.
He feigned weakness, and Langan, being encouraged to ^* go in,^' found he
had indeed " caught a Tartar." He was upper-cut, fibbed, and thrown,
until, " blind as a pup," his seconds gave in for him at the close of the 92nd
round, and one hour and thirty-three minutes.

Negotiations with Tom Britton, of Liverpool, fell through, as Britton
could not come up to Bendy 's minimum of £100 a side.

Bendigo and his trainer, Peter Taylor, were now in high favour, and a ------->

8 PUGILISTIOA. [pBRioD vn. 1836-1845.

sparring tour among the Lancashire and Yorkshire tykes was organised
and arranged. Bendigo also wrote in the London and provincial papers
that he was ^* ready to fight any man in England at list. lst 1Olb. for £50 to
£100 a side ; and, as he is really in want of a job, he will not refuse any
12st. customer, and will not himself exceed 1 1st 101b. Money always ready."

At this period Looney, declaring that Bendigo had shuffled out of
meeting him for £50, claimed the Championship in a boastful letter. This
was too much for Jem Ward, who then kept the '^ Star " tavern in Wil-
liamson Square, Liverpool ; so he addressed an epistle to the editor of
Betta Life(?ed offering to meet Mr. Looney for £200, " if there is no big 'un
to save the title of Champion from the degradation into which it has
fallen."

Ward's letter had the effect of leading to a meeting of Looney's friends,
whereat that boxer discreetly declared that he never meant to include
Ward in his general challenge for £100 or £200, as he considered that
Ward had retired. Barring, therefore, Ward, Mister Looney renewed
his claim. Hereupon a gentleman from Nottingham, dis*****g Looney's
claim to fight for '^ a Championship stake," offered to back Bendigo against
him for £50 a side and '* as much more as he could get." This was
closed with, and a deposit made. On the following Tuesday, at Matt Robin-
son's, " Molly Moloney " tavern, Liverpool, articles were signed for £50 a
side (afterwards increased to £100), to fight on the ISth of June, 1837,
half-way between Nottingham and Liverpool. A spot near Chapel-en-le-
Frith, Derbyshire, was the rendezvous, and thither the men repaired.
Looney arrived in Manchester from his training-quarters at Aintree, and
Bendigo from Crosby, on the overnight, when there was some spirited
betting at five and occasionally six to four on Looney.

The next morning proving beautifully fine brought hundreds from dis-
tant parts to the spot^ in the usual description of drags, until there was not
a stable left wherein to rest a jaded prad, or a bit of hay or com in many,
places to eat Looney had fought many battles, the most con****uous of
which were with Fisher (whom he defeated twice, and another ended in a
wrangle) and Bob Hampson, who suffered defeat three times by him.

[McGoorty]

STAY TUNED...... MORE TO COME,... (man needs sleep)

[McGoorty]

Bendigo, as we have seen, had scored victories over Caunt, Brassey, and young
Langan. A little after eleven the magnets of the day left their hotels, and
were immediately followed by an immense body on foot to the summit of
a rasping hill, where a most excellent inner and outer ring was formed with
new ropes and stakes, the latter being painted sky blue ; near the top were



CHAITBK L]



BENDIGO.



Uie letters L. P. B. (signifying Liverpool Prize Ring), encircled in a
wreath of gold ; the one to which the handkerchiefs were attached was,
with the crown, gilt. Soon after twelve o'clock the men entered the ring
amidst the cheers of their friends — ^Bendigo first. They good-humouredly
shook hands, and proceeded to peel. Tom Molyneaux (who was loudly
cheered), along with Joe Birchall, appeared for Looney, whilst Peter Taylor
and Toung Langan were the assistants of Bendigo. The colours — green and
gold for Looney ; blue bird's-eye for Bendigo. A little after one o'clock,
the betting being five to four on Looney, with many takers, commenced



THE FIGHT.



Round 1. — The appearance of Bendigo, on
coming to the scratch, was of the first order,
and as fair as a lily, whilst Looney displayed
a soorbntio emption (?ed) on his back. Both seem-
ing confident of yictory put up their fives,
caution and "stock-talong" for a few
moments being the order of the day. Looney
made a half-round right-hander, which told
slightly on the ear. He then made three
hits at the head and body, which Bendigo
stepped away from, and dropped a little
left on on the chin. Bendigo was not idle,
but on the defensive, and succeeded in put-
ting in two left-handers on the canister, and
blood* the first, made its appearance from
the mouth and under the left eye of Looney.
This was a long round ; in the end Bendigo
was thrown.

2. — ^Looney, all anxious, made play left
and right one told on the ear, a scramble,
both fightmg ; Bendigo thrown, but fell cat
fashion.

3. — ^Bendigo put the staggers on Looney
with a left-handed poke on the head; dose,
and both down on their sides.

4. — Both came up smiling. Bendigo made
two short hits, had his left intended for the
"attic** stopped, but put in a straight one
on the breast, and the round finished by both
men hammering away right and left in
splendid style until Looney was sent down.

5. — ^Two light body blows were exchanged,
and Looney was thrown.

6.-~Bendigo got away from two right-
handers, received a little one on the left ear,
and both down one over the other.

[McGoorty]

7. — ^Looney made two short hits with the
left ; Bendigo stopped his right at the ear ;
some Mental in-fighting took places in which
Loonev got his right eye out, and Bendigo
slipped down.

8.— This was another good round, but in
the end Bendigo got his man on the ropes in
such a position as to operate pretty freely on
his face, and showers of " claret ^* were the
consequence. Looney fell through the ropes,
Bendigo over him.

0.— Looney came up as gay as possible,
with two to one against him, and a slashing
round ended in favour of Bendigo ; Looney
down.

10. — Bendigo sent home a tremendous
whack on the left eye, which drew claret.
Looney seemed amazed, and put up his hand
to " wipe away the tear.** Looney thrown.

11. — A very long struggle on the ropes, in
which Looney appeared awkwardly situated,
but he got down with little damage.

12.— Up to this round there was not a
visible mark of punishment on Bendigo.
Looney put in two hits on the left ear, but
was thrown through the ropes, Bendigo over
him.

18. — ^Looney hit short with his right on
the body, but was more successful in the next
effort ; planted it on the ribs, and staggered
Bendigo to the ropes, where both struggled
down.

14.— A capital round, in which some heavy
hits were exchanged, and Looney fell

15. — Looney staggered his man again with
his right, and, in making another hit Ben-
digo dropped on his nether end, throwing up
his legs and laughing. (Great disapprobation.)

16.— Looney again delivered his right on
the ribs. Bendigo bored him to the ropes,
and Looney got down.

17.^Looney put in two smart hits on the
left ear, and one on the ribs. Bendigo
drooped on his knees.

18.— Bendigo pressed Looney on the ropes,
held him for some time in a helpless posi-
tion, and gave it him severelv in the face
the claret flowing copiously. He was lowered
to the earth by a little stratagem on the part
of his seconds.

19.— Notwithstanding the loss of blood in
the last round, Looney was lively to the call,
went up to his man, and knocked him through
the ropes with a body blow.

20.~Looney caught his man with his right ;
a struggle on the ropes in favour of Bendugo^
Both down.

21.— Another struggle on the ropes, In
which Bendigo was forced through the ropes

22, — A rallying round, which Looney
finally knocked his man through the
ropes by a blow on the breast.

2S.— Looney again pat in his right;
another struggle on the ropes, then they
were forced to the ground.