York Herald - Saturday 12 October 1816 BOXING, Between CARTER and OLIVER. This fight took place yesterday week, within one hundred yards of Springfield, in Scotland, commonly called Gretna Green, in the presence of at least 15,000 spectators. The time and place were arranged by therespective parties on the preceding Thursday, and on Friday morning the roads leading to the scene of action were crowded with coaches, carriages, curricles, gigs, sand carts, dung-carts, horses, donkies—all were put in requisition, and the grotesque scene was not a little heightened by the wet weather, and dirty state of the roads. In Carlisle, for some time previous to the day of battle, not a vehicle of any sort, nor a horse could be obtained either for love or money. The battle was fought in a twenty-four feet ring, and the ground, though not the most favourable, was in a very tolerable state. About half past twelve o'clock, Carter made his appearance, and entered the ring with great confidence. He was immediately followed by his opponent, Oliver, who came forward in equal spirits. Carter was seconded by Painter, and Oliver by Cribb, the Marquis of Queensberry and Colonel Barton, were Umpires. The battle lasted 48 minutes, and was one of the most punishing description—the greediest lovers of milling were satisfied! Both came into the ring well trained, and both were confident, but Carter proved much superior in weight and strength to Oliver, and in every close mangled him terribly on the ropes. Carter saw this advantage and followed it up, but he also had the best of the off handed hitting; it appeared immaterial to him, left hand or right, and the blows of both told most effectually. AFter the 15th round, Oliver had no chance, but he proved his bottom completely, as he scorned to surrender while he knew where he stood. Thirty-one rounds were fought: in the best of which, Carter knocked down his antagonist at a blow, and thereby cut him dreadfully, deprived him of all sensation and thus concluded the battle in his own favour. The defeated champion was taken from the ring and put to bed at Longtown with both eyes closed, cut up in all directions, and insensible; surgical aid was procured, and he fainted several times under the pressure of his sufferings, but he soon revived and took some refreshment. Carter, though comparatively but little injured, displayed sound bottom; he feels most from a body blow received in the 10th round; he left the ring in high spirits, and amidst the cheerings of his friends. Many thousand pounds depended on the issue of this battle, and the Londoners, who were very confident, were taken in. They had a notion that Carter had no bottom in him, and could only hit with his left hand; the event had proved both ideas to have been fallacious. Carter is now Champion of England, Cribb having declared off. The battle was more distinguished for desperate straight-foward fighting, than for science, of which very little was displayed after the two or three first round. The Carlise people have pretty well filled their purses, and Carter himself pockets 150 guineas Bell's Weekly Messenger - Sunday 13 October 1816 BOXING.—The grand battle between Oliver and Carter took place on Friday se'nnight, in a 24 feet ring, at Springfield, in Scotland, commonly called Gretna Green, is the preseance of at least 15,000 spectators. Carter was seconded by Painter, and Oliver by Cribb; the Marquis of Queensberry and Col. Barton umpires. The battle commenced at half-past twelve; thirty-one rounds were fought in 48 minutes, andthe contest was of the most punishing description. In the 1st round Oliver shewed first blood, and had the worst of it till the 6th round, when he hit Carter down, and obtained a superiority till the 12th; Carter then got second wind in an unexpected manner, and in the 17th round succeeded in turning the current of betting in his favour; he kept it till the 30th round, when Oliver was beaten completely blind, and in the following set-to, was compelled to give in quite senseless. The battle was more distinguished for desperate straight-forward fighting, than for science, or which very little was displayed after the two or three first rounds.—Carter proved much superior in weight and strength to Oliver, and in every close mangled him terribly on the ropes. Carter saw this advantage, and followed it up: he also had the best of the off-handed hitting. Oliver was taken from the ring, and put to bed at Longtown with both eyes closed, cut up in all directions, and insensible; surgical aid was procured, and he fainted several times under the pressure of his sufferings, but he afterwards revived and took some refreshment. Carter, though comparatively little injured, displayed sound bottom; he felt most a dreadful body blow recieved in the 19th round; he left the ring in high spirits, and amidst the cheerings of his friends. Many thousand pounds depended on the issue of this battle, and the Londoners, who were very confident, are taken in largely, Carter is now the Champion, Cribb having declared off. Carlisle Patriot - Saturday 01 March 1817 BOXING.—(From a Correspondent.)-The vapid and unintelligible paragraph that appeared in the Edinburgh Papers respecting the battle which took place last Monday at Costerton Houghead, about 14 miles from Edinburgh, between Geo. Cooper, and Robinson the Black, is something new even in the annals of pugilism. All that can be gathered from that paragraph is, that there was not any betting on the ground, Cooper being so decidedly the favourite, and that he won his battle in grand style in six rounds, having punished the black in a tremendous heavy manner. We are informed by a gentleman ho was present, that Robinson only got one blow at Cooper on the face, which did not even discolour nor fracture the skin, and in return he was inssantly grassed. It is allowed by the Fancy that Cooper is the best natural fighter on the list of pugilists, he is a complete two-handed fighter, avoids closing, and is superior to even the late celebrated Dutch Sam as a punisher. Notwithstanding he was beaten by Oliver about three years since, owing to his being at the time of the battle indisposed and a mere novice from the country, we find that Gentlemen of the Fancy, both South and North of Carlisle, are disposed to back Cooper against Carter at out next races. This may be done with propriety, since Cribb has prudently declined to enter the ring with Carter, who is proclaimed Champion of England. If the match is made, the battle may be expected to prove a very fine one, as both combatants have reciprocally beaten men who have alternately triumphed over and been beaten by them. For instance, Carter has beaten Oliver, and Oliver subdued Cooper, and Cooper vanquished Molineaux, and Molineaux beat Carter,—therefore, a match of greater equality can scarcely be made in the Sporting world. The Gentlemen of the Cumberland Fancy, we are informed, are still steady to Carter, and will back him to fight at our next races either Cooper or Donnelly. Hampshire Chronicle - Monday 03 March 1817 The champion Cribb had a benefit at the Five-Court on Wednesdaym and it was crowded to excess; there were several Noblemen present. Cribb and Carter set-to, and excellent science was displayed; Cribb made some clever stops; but, notwithstanding his science, the activity and left hand of Carter, would not be denied in many instances; he put in several facers, and got away with much dexterity.—At a dinner in the evening at Belcher's, Carter asked to be backed to fight any man, when Cribb mounted the table, and challenged to fight any person in being, from three to twelve hundred, observing, he had fought so often, that he should not again prositute his talent for a trifle. Carter said he thought the Carlisle people would back him for £300, and he would ask them. Morning Post - Monday 29 September 1817 (hard to read, errors likely) PUGILISM.—Randall and Blascow will fight within twenty miles of London to-morrow. Carter and Gregson have been exhibition at the lare Shrewbury races, with great salut. In the hand-bill of Carter, he is declared the champion of England, and under the immediate training of Gregsom, on their route to Carlisle races, to fight Donnelly, the Irish Champion. Carter’s booth on the race ground was like a theatre, emptied and filled about five time every day. Kentish Chronical - Friday 04 September 1818 Carter the Champion of England, Cooper and Gregson, have arrived in town from Cheltenham, up their way to Aix-la-Chapelle, to exhibit the art of selfdefence, under the patronage of several Noblemen in that city. The match between Carter and Oliver is made permanent for 100 guineas aside. Eales and Isle of Wight Hall, are also matched for 60 guineas aside, to fight a stand up battle in a 24 feet ring, on the 29th of Oct
Chester Chronicle - Friday 20 November 1818 CARTER AND RICHMOND PUGILISM EXTRAORDINARY; or, a TURN-UP, between Richmond, the Black, and Carter, the Lancashire Hero.—The latter pugilist, who is lately returned from his tour on the Continent, it should seem, from the applause he had met with from the great swells at Aix la-Chapelle, and not being able to find a customer to enter the lists with him, had "erept so much into favor with himself." that it is said, he annoyed several companies he went into with his vast powers, and his challenge to fight any man in the world. This conduct, it appears, was carried to such an excess on Thursday evening week, at a respectable tavern, in the neighbourhood of Chancery-lane, that the company rose in a body and put him out of the room by force. This degradation upon his charactor, in being thus ousted, raised his cholar so very high, (and being, what is slangly termed lusty,) he roared out—"is there any among you that dare face Jack Carter singly?" Richmond, who was present, answered in the affirmative, and the turn up commenced SANS CEREMONIE in the yard belonging to the house, and the three bustling rounds took place:— 1. Science, or tactics, was not much displayed between the combatants. A few random hits, however, were made and exchanged, but in closing, Carter endeavoured to wear the man of Colour, and in both going down, Richmond had the worst of the fall. Carter held Richmond, that his friends were obliged to pull the man of Colour away, and in which struggle the buttons of Richmond's coat floored. Upon the Lancashire hero getting up, the claret was seen trickling over his mouth. 2. This round was full of bustle; in fact it was principally pummelling and hugging each other but Richmond was not idle, and had the best of it till they went down. 3. and last. This was the QUIETUS; and the man of Colour was not long in putting in what the Mounseer ca;; the coup de grace. Carter seemmed too confused to make play,when Richmond plant one of his desperate right-handed hits (for which he is so distinguished in the ring) upon Carter's upper works, and not only made a dice-box of his swallow—produced the claret—chanceried him—but floored like a shotthe late hero of Aix-la-Chapelle. He laid stunned for a short perioed, and when once more feeling the use of his legs, he exclaimed, "Iv'e been finely served out this evening." This ended the above skirmish, and Carter retired not covered with glory, but something more like weeping over the stupidity of his fracas and his fallen situation, and repenting the folly of his intemperance. "O that a man will put an enemy into his mouth To steel away his brains." Richmond returned to his company to finish the evening with all the nonchalance possible over his sober heavy wet, with no other damage but knocking up a little his right hand. Milling, and the heroes of the ring, concluded the conversation for the night. The old Champion, Crib, it is said, will fight the New One, but for a sum not less than 600 guineas a side! It is but due to Carter to observe, that he has offered to fight any man in the kingdom for the small sum of 25l. a side, or a trifling purse. Morning Advertiser - Tuesday 15 December 1818 There will be a grand display of Pugilistic Science this day (Tuesday), at the Fives-court, St. Martin's-street, Leicester-square, amongst the most celebrated boxers on the list, for the benefit of the Lancashire hero CARTER, the present Champion of England. The sets to will be so arranged as to form the best treat to the spectators; and the four men who last fought will be present.—To commence precisely at two o'clock. Exeter Flying Post - Thursday 21 January 1819 BOXING.—It is understood that a match is made between Carter, the puted Champion of England, and Spring, which it is expected will take place in the course of a fortnight, near Chelmsford, in Essex. Bareknuckle history meta-thread
