Continuing from George MIllsom "The Baker" part II I am yet to find another fight of George Millsom, perhaps his fight with Meggs was his last. It is therefore unclear what happened next. The tradional lineage is that in 1771, Peter Corcoran defeated Darts to become Champion of England From Pancratia May 16, 1771, during Epsom races, a battle was fought between Bill Darts, and Peter Corcoran, for £100 a side. Captain O'Kelly made the match, and backing his countryman to a large amount, but previous to the battle, gave Dart £100 to play CROSS; accordingly when they met, after a little sparring, Corcoran gave Darts a blow on the side of the head, which drove him against the rail of the stage, when he immediately gave in. It was so evident that Darts had FOUGHT BOOTY, that none of the sporting men would afterwards back him: thus by one dirty action Darts lost all the fame he had been for so many years acquiring. This match too was claimed to be a fix, apart from by Boxiana. Oddly I found a report that appears to have been that match, perhaps this was a rematch. . . Oxford Journal - Saturday 30 May 1772 Yesterday afternoon a great bruising match was fought on Epsom Downs, between the famous Darts the Dyer, and one Cotrell. The odds, before the engagement began, were ten to one on the former, but after two minutes conflict, Darts was beat,, to the great disappointment of the Knowing Ones, several of whom were pretty deeply taken in. However later reports calling this 1772 contest a fix make it seem unlikely they were seperate contests. Stamford Mercury - Thursday 18 June 1772 It is said that a certain sporting Captain, who so warmly espoused the late boxing match at Epsom, between the Hibernian Publican and Darts the Dyer, cleared no less than 1500l. by the battle, the conquerred party 500l. by bye bets. Public Advertiser - June 5, 1772 It is thought that the Battle between Darts, the Dyer, and Cockering, the Irishman, fought a few days since at Epsom, was all a Sham, for the former, said to be dying of his Bruises, on Monday last fought a Battle of 15 Minutes near St. Geroge's Fields with a more powerful Man than Cockering for a considerable Sum, and was victorious, which ought to be a Cauton how People lay their Money on such Fellows. Two years after his fight with Millsom, it appear George Meggs would fight again, however once again unsuccessfully. Public Advertiser - July 22, 1772 We hear from Cirencester, that the famous Maggs was beat by his Antagonist Stanley, after a Contest of Half an Hour Corcoran was then reported to have lost a match in the 1775-04-22 The Middlesex Journal And Evening Advertiser (page 2), to William Allen, however in a report of his fight with Sellers he is described as having never been beaten before, and that Sellers became Stevens would also fight Sellers Oxford Journal - Saturday 05 September 1778 Yesterday a great Boxing-Match was fought on a Stage erected for that Purpose on Hounslow-Heath, between the celebrated Stevens, a Nailor, and Sellers, the Sawyer; when after two or three Rounds, Victory decleared in Favour of the latter. The Odds, two to one on the Victor. After this a very desperate Battle was fought for thirty Minutes between two Pupils of the First, which proved as severe a Contest as has been known for some Time. Not a Shock-Head within twenty Miles of London but was present on the above Occasion. The list of bankrupts in Norfolk Chronicle - Saturday 26 April 1783 includes "Thomas Juchau, of St. Leonard, Shoreditch, paviour." Also from the list of bankrupts in Hereford Journal - Wednesday 09 December 1795 "Thomas Juchau and Thomas Arceer Juchau of Bateman's-row, Shoreditch, Middlesex, paviours" And there are several other similar ones including Kentish Gazette - Wednesday 23 April 1783 Thomas Juchau, of the parish of St. Leonard Shoreditch in the county of Middlesex, Pavier, Dealer and Chapman ; to surrender on the 29th of April instant, and 6th and 31st of May next, at eleven each day, at Guildhall, London. George Meggs is reported on Cyberboxingzone to have had 3 later contests, two in 1787 and one in 1790. And in the 1800's he was reported to still be alive and well off Monthly Mirror May 1, 1803 Bath, April 29.—On Monday died in this city, George Ring, formerly a baker, and celebrated as one of the first pugilists in the kingdom. He was rather under the middle size, but the quickness of his eye, and the muscular power of his arm, and his general activity, brought him always off victorious, though opposed to men of far superior size and strength. To, his method of fighting, Ward, Mendoza, Humphries, and other noted heroes of the fist, it is said, owed their celebrity; for he introduced what is termed the present scientific mode of combat. But the glory of George Ring was of short duration: hard blows, frequently experienced, and a life of continued dissipation, brought premature old age, poverty, and neglect; at a period when he ought to have been in the bloom of health and vigour, every “puny whipster” could “knock him about the scone, and he durst not tell him of his action of battery.” As a contrast to the above character, we cannot avoid noticing that the celebrated George Maggs, whose fame rang through this country nearly fifty years ago as the champion of England, when he beat the noted Stephens, the nailor, in London, is now living in this city, a hale, hearty, respectable old man; a handsome and venerable pile of stately ruins. Thank you for reading, I thought this period deserved a write up, I'm not the best at prose, but I hope this was reasonably easy to follow as a single narritive, once again, if you have any more information, especially if it changes what I have found in terms of lineage, please post it. Thanks to Senya for several of the newspaper articles in this short series. This was all written in a single day, so also please inform me of any writing errors and I will correct them See also Bareknuckle history meta-thread
