Bill Richmond - Boxer
Bill Richmond was born a slave - his master was a man of the cloth - Reverend Richard Charlton. When he was just thirteen years of age Lieutenant General Hugh Percy the future Duke of Northumberland secured Richmond’s freedom and brought him to the UK. On arrival in Yorkshire Richmond was sent to school, after finishing his education he became an apprentice cabinet maker although he also took up martial arts and boxing as other sources of income.
By 1795 Richmond had moved to London and was employed in the household of Thomas Pitt a British peer and naval officer.
The Chester Chronicle reported; "many of the noble patronisers of this accomplished art, begin to be alarmed, lest, to the eternal dishonour of our country, a negro should become the Champion of England!"
Richmond became Pitt’s personal trainer he gave boxing and gymnastic lessons. In 1804 Richmond fought boxer George Maddox, Richmond lost however he took the fight to nine rounds. And in 1805 he fought, and lost to Tom Cribb. But in 1809 Richmond fought George Maddox again and won.
Richmond became an entrepreneur when he bought the Horse and Dolphin pub in the west end of London. Around the same time, he met Tom Molineaux an American former slave. Molineaux was a talented boxer so Richmond decided to put his own career on hold to manage him.
Molineaux did well and his boxing career flourished so much so that he was able to fight against Tom Cribb, who by then was the English champion - the year was 1810. The fight was tainted by controversy as although Cribb was hailed the winner the referee was heavily biased, he allowed Cribbs 30 seconds between rounds so he could recover from the beating he was being given. Molineaux had been cheated out of the win.
After the defeat Richmond was forced to sell his pub to recover money lost as a result of expenses incurred from the fight. As the saying goes ‘to add insult to injury’ Molineaux fired Richmond.
Richmond was a founding member of the Pugilistic Society - boxing’s first governing body in the United Kingdom.
In 1814 Jack Davis challenged Richmond to a boxing match. Richmond accepted – he was 50 years of age at the time. Richmond won. This match marked his return to boxing. Richmond was challenged again, this time by Tom Shelton a much younger opponent – Richmond won again. He wanted to go on to fight Tom Cribb but that fight didn’t materialise so Richmond retired instead.
In 1820 Richmond founded a Boxing Academy as his techniques and training methods were sought after by both boxing trainers and amateur boxers. He went on to train numerous amateur boxers, including Lord George Gordon, Byron, and John Neal
Richmond died on the 28th December 1829 in London.
Molineaux and Cribbs