'Docky' Moore

[RichardB]

http://www.channel4.com/video/bare-knuckle...-match_p_1.html

[neddy]

The Fatal Prize Fight, October 26 1864.

An inquest on the body of Thomas Dawes was opened on Monday, by Mr. J. Webster, coroner, at The Bay Horse Inn, Pitsmoor.

The body was laid in one of the upper rooms of the inn. The neck and chest were bruised, and beneath the right ear was a deep discolouration.

The young man ( Horne ) who is accused of causing his death bears marks of punishment on his face.

The inquiry yesterday extended merely to the identification of the deceased, and that was proved by his father, who is a French polisher, living in Eldon Street.

According to his account, the deceased was "one of the best lads that ever stepped in shoe leather," but he seemed to have a bad habit of setting his fathers authority at defiance, and engaging in fights that were usually "brought off" on the Sabbath.

He and Horne had been engaged as principal and trainer in a previous fight, and the father of the deceased then threatened to have him bound over to keep the peace, but was assured he would never fight again.

Dawes did not sleep at home on Saturday night, and his parents did not know where he was until they heard of his miserable death.

The inquest was adjourned until Wednesday week, and the jury expressed a strong hope that the police would use every effort to apprehend the "seconds" and other aiders and abettors in the disgraceful affray.

We may state that there is a strong and unanimous feeling on the part of the inhabitants of Pitsmoor that some energetic measures should be taken to stop the shocking practices that are witnessed on every Sabbath day in the Old Park Wood.

The fault is not altogether with the police, who do their utmost to prevent these fights, but they know that if they apprehend the ringleaders, and bring them to trial, their punishment will be almost nominal, and they will recieve the sympathy of a certain class of persons who uphold what they call the "chivalry" of the prize ring.

Some more decided line of conduct should be adopted by the Courts before whom these cases are tried, or the evil will never be put down.

Last year a number of prize fighters were prosecuted at the Sheffield sessions, and they were convicted, with great difficulty, of a breach of the peace; but a point of law was reserved, and we believe that no further steps have been taken , and that affair has been suffered quietly to drop.

This should not be, for the practical immunity which these men obtain renders them reckless of the law, and is only to well calculated to lead to such brutalising scenes as that which profaned the sanctity of last Sunday.

[neddy]

picture, Wardsend Graveyard

Saturday December 29 1877.

Death of a Football Player in a Quarry,

An inquest was held on Thursday at Walkey, Sheffield, touching the death of a man named George Beaumont, who, whilst playing in a match between the Walkley and St.Philip's clubs on Christmas Day, leaped into a quarry adjoining the football ground to recover the ball.

The deceased appeared to have leaped the quarry wall at another part, and to have found a ledge of land between the wall and the edge of the quarry.

Supposing he would find the same foothold, he followed the ball again when it was kicked over, and clearing the boundary wall, which was only three feet in height, he fell into the quarry, a distance of between sixty and eighty feet, the quarry in this part having been excavated close under the wall.

He sustained severe injuries, and died within a few hours.

The jury returned a verdict of "Accidental death," but held that it was the duty of the St.Philip's club, Who rented the ground, to warn strangers of the danger that might be incurred at certain places in leaping the boundary wall of the quarry.

They regarded the field as safe enough for the purposes for which it was ordinarily used and for cattle.

It was stated that the field had been used for several years as a cricket and football ground without any casualty happening.