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Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3): Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-40, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863Miles, Henry Downes

History

Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3): Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-40, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863

Name: Pugilistica: The History of British Boxing, Volume 1 (of 3): Containing Lives of the Most Celebrated Pugilists; Full Reports of Their Battles from Contemporary Newspapers, With Authentic Portraits, Personal Anecdotes, and Sketches of the Principal Patrons of the Prize Ring, Forming a Complete History of the Ring from Fig and Broughton, 1719-40, to the Last Championship Battle Between King and Heenan, in December 1863
Author: Miles, Henry Downes

Miles, Henry Downes

Boxing

Of course a “lion” like Jackson could not avoid being made a “show” of
on particular occasions; accordingly, when the allied sovereigns were in
England, his aid was required. On the 15th of June, 1814, at the house
of Lord Lowther, in Pall Mall, a pugilistic fete came off in the
presence of the Emperor of Russia, Platoff, Blucher, etc. The display so
delighted those illustrious fighting men that it was resolved to carry
the thing out on a grander scale; accordingly, the King of Prussia, the
Prince Royal, Prince of Mecklenburg, and others assembled. Jackson,
Cribb, Belcher, Oliver, Painter, and Richmond, were the principal
performers. The foreign nobility now wanted a peep, and at Angelo’s
rooms some splendid displays took place. It was said that Jackson had
inoculated them with a pugilistic fever, but it is believed he never
obtained a single pupil from among them. If this be a fact, it is an
extraordinary one.

At the coronation of George the Fourth, 1821, Mr. Jackson was applied to
to furnish an unarmed force “to preserve order.” Cribb, Spring, Belcher,
Carter, Richmond, Ben Burn, Harmer, Harry Lee, Tom Owen, Joshua Hudson,
Tom Oliver, Harry Holt, Crawley, Curtis, Medley, Purcell, Sampson, and
Eales, with Jackson at their head, formed the corps, dressed as Royal
Pages.

One gold coronation medal was given to the boxers—they raffled for it at
a dinner. Tom Belcher won and wore it.

In 1822, a number of noblemen and gentlemen, admirers of the gymnastic
sports of their country, with a Royal Duke (Clarence) at their head,
presented John Jackson with a service of plate. The salver, which bears
the subjoined inscription, is of magnificent workmanship, weighing one
hundred and eighty-seven ounces.

                              THIS SALVER
                          (With other Plate),
                 _Was purchased by Subscriptions from_
                              A ROYAL DUKE
                AND SEVERAL OF THE NOBILITY AND GENTRY,
                            And presented to
                          JOHN JACKSON, ESQ.,
        _Under the Superintendence of the following Committee_:

  The Most Noble the Marquis of      |      Admiral Tollemache,
      Worcester,                     |      Major General Barton, and
      Henry Smith, Bart, M.P.,       |      John Harrison, Esq.

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