William or Bill Darts also known as The Dyer is considered to have been Champion of England from his 1766 win over Tom Juchau, he lost to Tom Lyons in 1769, but is considered to have regained his crown due to Lyons not fighting, until he lost to Peter Corcoran in 1771 From Boxiana BILL DARTS— the Dyer, Of no mean rank as a Boxer, and considered one of the most desperate hitters of his time — plenty of strength, good pluck, and not destitute of science, was backed to fight Tom Juchau, at Guildford, for one thousand guineas! The Paviour had been tried, and not found wanting; and Darts was known to be thorough game. The sporting men anticipated a fine display of the art, and in the event, were not disappointed. One thousand guineas were dazzling indeed— and they both entered the field with uncommon gaiety, determined upon victory. The contest was long and doubtful — the odds continually varying— and, after a most dreadful struggle, Darts came off victorious. A West-country Bargeman, celebrated for strength, challenged Bill Darts, after his successful contest with Juchau, for one hundred pounds. Dogget was the hero of the country, and, from his great prowess, flattered himself he could make an easy conquest of Darts ;— but, in the field of battle, he experienced so many severe dart a from his antagonist, that he was quickly slain. Dogget acknowledged that he was the worst customer he had ever met with. A butcher, who felt rather anxiously for a taste of Darts' quality, called him out to the plains of honour ; but Swansey, the butcher, was soon cut up. Bill Darts now went on swimmingly, and kind Fortune had smiled upon him in all his adventures; but Bill was envied, and a Waterman was determined to try if he could not row in the same lucky boat with him. Lyons, therefore, sent him a challenge, to fight at Kingston-upon-Thames, which Bill, upon receiving, was too gay to refuse. The time was appointed, and the set-to commenced. For the first twenty-five minutes the Waterman's scull was knocked about as if it did not belong to him, and the odds were ten to one upon Darts ; but the tide soon turning, the Waterman pulled up at every stroke, and, in the course of twenty minutes afterwards, Darts was completely distanced. This battle afforded considerable amusement to the amateurs ; and both the Pugilists got great praise ; but it does not appear that Lyons fought much after this contest — giving Darts an opportunity of regaining his laurels. Notwithstanding that Bill Darts was defeated by this able Waterman, he soon had the temerity to enter the lists with a more terrible opponent — Death! (so denominated for his singularly pale face when fighting, a Pugilist of great renown, and one of Broughton's principal favourites). It was supposed that Death had fought more battles than any boxer in England ; was a neat, tight-made man, weighing about twelve stone, possessing uncommon agility, but not much strength ; thorough bottom, and never nice in being overmatched. He was considered the best sparrer of his time, and had made the science his study. Steven Oliver (for that was his real name) was no trifling antagonist for Darts to contend with ; but then Oliver was going fast down hill, and twenty years had elapsed since his patron Broughton had left the field. It was a well- contested battle ; and it was supposed by the sporting world, that there was never more strength, science, and bottom, shown in any set-to than that between Darts and Death .' Oliver, tough as bell-wire, struggled hard to hear the pleasing sound of victory once more grace his listening ear, but in vain — Darts put in such tremendous blows, that Oliver was compelled to give in — thus, for once, was Death defeated !
From Pugilistica BILL DARTS (CHAMPION) 1764-1771. AMONG the boxers of his day, Bill Darts, the dyer, held a high reputation for steady courage and hard hitting, and by no means a contemptible amount of science. One of the most remarkable of his battles was with Tom Juchau,* at Guildford, Surrey, in May, 1766. It was a famous fight for forty minutes, when Juchau was beaten out of time The stakes were 1,000 guineas. Dogget, the West Country Bargeman, had secured so high a name among the " twoads" that an invite was given to Bill Darts to come down to Marl- borough to be thrashed. With the first part of the invitation Bill complied ; the second he not only declined, but, per contra, gave Mr. Dogget such a thrashing, that he carried off the honours of the day and the irate country- man's 100 guineas staked upon the event. Swansey, the butcher, found friends to back him for 50 guineas, and he and Darts met, Oct. 13, 1767, on Epping Forest. The butcher was soon knocked down and thoroughly cut up. Bill Darts now invited all comers for the championship, which he had held for five years, when Lyons, a waterman of Kingston-upon-Thames, disputed his title. They met, and Darts, for the first time, was defeated in forty-five minutes, on the 27th of June, 1769. Bill Darts next entered the lists with a competitor of formidable name Death (Stephen Oliver). Oliver was certainly " stale," as he had been one of Broughton's favourite pupils. (See DEATH.) It was a well-contested fight, Oliver proving extremely game and skilful ; but the superior strength and weight of Darts' hits overcame the darts of Death, and the namesake of the universal conqueror fell before Bill's victorious arm. This battle was fought at Putney, on a stage, March 25th, 1770. " Boxiana" has not given a single date to any of Darts' fights; accordingly, " Fights for the Cham- pionship," 1855, informs its readers that, "the dates of these battles," as well as those of George Meggs, Millsom, etc,, " are not recorded I" On the 18th of May, 1771, during Epsom races, Bill Darts fought Peter Corcoran, an Irish bruiser of vast pretensions, about whom Pierce Egan has indited his usual amount of rhodomontade, which we shall correct under his name. The match was made for 100 aside, by the notorious black-leg and bully, Captain O'Kelly, the lucky owner of Eclipse, who, "before the fight gave Bill Darts 100 guineas to play cross"* The rest of this nefarious swindle we will give, according to our plan, under the notice of the so-called victor Corcoran. Bill had now sold his reputation, and was a lost man ; his seducer, the greater scoundrel, fared, like woman's seducer, none the worse " Through tattered clothes small vices do appear Robes and furred gowns hide all." Perhaps one of the funniest pieces of historical perversion on record is Pierce Egan's account (without a date) of this scandalous affair. It would be injustice to mutilate it. " The famous Bill Darts now mounted the stage with Corcoran for 200, to give additional sport to Epsom races. The set-to commenced with cautious sparring on the part of Darts, who soon discovered that he could not win (!), and in a short time gave in. A singular report crept into circulation, accounting for Darts losing the battle, that Colonel O'Kelly (one of the most celebrated sportsmen on the turf) backed his coun- tryman to a large amount; but to make his bets dead sure, on the night previous to the fight, he presented Darts with 100 not to win the battle, but positively to lose it. Surely no thoroughbred sportsman could commit so barefaced a robbery!" This is rather modest, considering the Colonel's character ; what follows, however, distances it by lengths. " And upon the best information, we are assured that Darts in his prime was never half man enough for Peter Corcoran!" The notes of admiration are Pierce's : we have omitted his emphasised italics and small capitals. The reader may form his own conclusion by reading Corcoran's actual battles. Darts appears several times as a second during 1771 and the following years ; notedly in a fight between Sam Peters, of Birmingham, and Rossemus Gregory, an Irishman, in which Darts seconded the Hibernian, but behaved so unfairly to save his man that Peters refused to fight on. The result will be found under PETERS.
From Pancratia May, 1766, Tom Juchau fought a famous boxing match with William Darts, a dyer, at Guildford, for 1000 guineas, which after a most severe battle of 40 minutes, was won by Darts. - In the same year Bill Darts beat the famous Dog get, a West-country bargeman, at Marlborough. On Oct. 13, 1767, Bill Darts successfully fought another battle at Epping, with one Swansey, a butcher. . . . On June 27, 1769, Bill Darts, who had long carried on a successful pugilistic career, fought and lost a long- depending battle with Lyons, a waterman, at Kingston, on Thames. Darts for the first half of the battle had a most astonishing advantage, the odds were ten to one in his favour ; Lyons, however, recovered himself, and in 45 minutes severely beat him. . . . On March 25, 1770, a battle was fought between Bill Darts and Stephen Oliver ; although the latter displayed great skill and excellent bottom, he was obliged to yield to the superior strength of Darts, who at this time was considered the hardest hitter through the whole range of pugilists. Though the real name of the unsuccessful candidate for pugilistic fame in the battle just related, is Oliver, he is more generally known by the nick-name of Death, said to have been given him through the paleness of his visage, during his pugilistic contests ; he formerly had won several battles, and was one of Brousrhton's greatest favorites. He was well made, very light, never exceeding 12 stone ; not possessing much strength, he was fully compensated by his astonishing agility; Oliver has fought more battles than any man in England, and though frequently over matched, often conquered, but his sparring, notwithstanding it was thought excellent some years back, is now equalled by any pupil of Mendoza's or Humphries's; this indisputably shews the moderns have improved in science. . . . 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.
London St James Chronicle January 12, 1765 Yesterday a severe Battle was fought on Putney Common, between the noted Dart, a Dyer, in Southwark, and one Gregory, the famout Whitehapel Drover, for 50l., which held for twenty-five Minutes, but was declared in Favour of the former. Oxford Journal - Saturday 19 January 1765 Yesterday died of his Bruises, Gregory, the famous Whitechapel Drover, who on Monday last fought the noted Dart, a Dyer in Southwark, on Putney-Common, and Warrants are issued out for apprehending him. Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 06 August 1767 A boxing match for several considerable sums of money, is to be fought one day this week, between Stevens the nailer and Dart the dyer, at Colnbrook, if not prevented by the magistrates. Oxford Journal - Saturday 22 August 1767 Yesterday a Battle was fought between Stephens the Nailor and Dart the Dyer, in a Booth which was erected for that purpose in four Hours, at a Place called Pyle, near Colnbrook, for a considerable Sum of Money : Notwithstanding the Nailor was knocked down the first Blow, the Dyer gaver out in a few Minutes, and so the Hum ended. Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 04 May 1769 On Tuesday last, the famous bruising match between the noted Darch, the dyer, and Parfit Maggs, (brother to George Maggs, who a few years since beat the Nailer, at the Tennis-Court in the Haymarket, London,) was fought at Cannard's-Grave, near Shepton-Mallet in this county. The battle lasted 11 minutes, when victory declared for Darch.-Very considerable betts were depending, but the odds were in favour of the victor. Oxford Journal - Saturday 13 May 1769 Last Week, the famous Bruising Match, between the noted Darch, the Dyer, and Parfit Maggs, Brother to George Maggs, who a few Years beat the Nailer, at the Tennis-Court in the Hay-Market, London, was fought at Cannard's Grave, near Shepton Mallet in the County of Somerset. The Battle lasted Eleven Minutes, when Victory declared for Darch—Very considerable Betts were depending, but the Odds were in Favour of the Victor. Derby Mercury - Friday 01 September 1769 We now hear that the famous Boxing Match, between the noted Darts and Mr. Turner, will certainly be fought on the Race Ground, the Day after the Races. Derby Mercury - Friday 08 September 1769 This Day about Twelve o'Clock, the two Champions at Boxing, made their Appearance on the Stage, erected for the Occasion on Sinsin-Moor, when Darts, (the Dyer) pair forfeit to Mr. Wm. Turner, alledging a Lameness in one of his Hands; and this ended the Affair, which has caused so much Talk amoungst the Knowing-Ons, without any Trial of Manhood. Bath Chronicle and Weekly Gazette - Thursday 14 September 1769 We hear from Derby, that when the two boxing champions, Darts and Turner met, the former declined fighting, alledging a lameness in one of his hands. Derby Mercury - Friday 08 November 1771 On Tuesday Morning a great Concourse of People, assembled at a Booth behind the three Hats, at Islington, on a Report that a bruising Match was to be fought between Darts, the noted Dyer, and a Butcher; several bye Battles was fought; but the Dyer not appearing, after being called for twice by the Order of the other, it was adjudged that the deposit Money was forfeited; and the Mob, finding no return of their admittance Money, began to be outrageous, and levelled the Booth with the Ground. 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.
I'll update this with a write up once I've looked in the Dyer properly, but when looking for stuff on the Nailer, it seems Darts lost to him in 1767, in the middle of his supposed reign. Heavyweight Champions from Ancient to Present
