When we started our project in 2016, most people in Nottingham knew of the name Bendigo from the former public house in Sneinton Hermitage in one of the oldest parts of Nottingham. The ‘Bendigo’ was built by the Home Brewery and opened in 1957. It wasn’t just the name of the pub that honoured him though. A cast concrete statue of Bendigo was also installed above the entrance door. Anyone travelling along Colwick Road or Meadow Lane would see it, standing 2 metres tall.
Who created this impressive feature?
Despite many conversations and messages about the old pub, no one seemed to know who created it. Until now.
We were contacted on two separate occasions by relatives of the two business partners, who were contracted to make the statue. It seems that both left Nottingham and went their separate ways.
The two people who created it were business partners Jack/Jacky Mann and Ken Merryman. Their business was mainly doing moulded plaster-work on renovated buildings in Nottingham.
We don’t know the name of the company or where they had their workshop. We also don’t know how or why they moved into sculptures and figures for public houses .
The first person to contact us was a distant relative of Jack Mann, now living in Australia. They told us that Jack was married to Annice and they had a son and daughter named Dianne. We were sent this photograph of Jack with his daughter Dianne.
The family understood that he also did the design for the decorative plasterwork underneath the Council House, where the shops are. As you enter the end closest to the front and look up there is a circle with stained glass in the ceiling. The family also understood that a time capsule was placed inside the statue.
Incredibly, we have since been contacted by a relative of Ken Merryman. They confirmed the details about Jack Mann and explained that they were business partners. Ken was described as the more creative one who went on to be the designer and modeller for a very successful business making toy figures for children. They did not know what happened to Jack Mann and his family.
Ken Merryman grew up somewhere off Arnold Road possibly on the Bestwood estate. Ken married a woman named Rita who was also from Nottingham and she had several sisters. Ken and Rita lived for a time in the Wollaton area of Nottingham.
During his business partnership with Jack Mann, Ken is believed to have also created a statue/feature for two other pubs, possibly the Flying Horse in Nottingham and also one of a stag. Could this have been the old White Hart in Arnold?
They sent us a very similar photograph to the one from Jack Mann’s relative. Their photograph is of Ken with the statue of Bendigo. They may have been taken on the same day, when the statue was installed.
Ken left Nottingham in the 1960s and moved to the London area where he became the modeller for a company called Bells Toys that became Bendy Toys. They produced bendable rubber figures of popular television characters. They also moved into the film industry making special effects models.
Bendy Toys started out as same-size clay models. A plaster cast was made from the model but with intricate sliding parts to allow undercut parts of the model to be removed in one piece. A metal casting is then made from the plaster mould and this is used in the manufacture of the toys. Most people remember Bendy Toys as a spongy rubber cast over a wire skeleton.
Ken Merryman modelling another creation for Bendy Toys.
Image credit: Printed in Animator Issue 15 (Spring 1986)
Ken died some years ago, but the family told us that he was particularly proud of the Bendigo statue.
We have some answers but not all.
Are there still relatives of Jack Mann and Ken Merryman in the Nottingham area?
What happened to the Flying Horse and the White Hart features?
We are pleased to have installed a new and improved plaque in Trinity Walk, to mark the site of Bendigo’s birth on 18th October 1811. In Bendigo’s this walkway was named New Yard. The name Trinity Walk came from the Holy Trinity Church that was built nearby in 1841.
Our guided walk passes this location and almost every visitor (who knows Nottingham) remarks that they never knew the plaque was there. The reason for this is that it is sited too high up the wall. The recommended height for a plaque to catch the eye is between 6 and 8 feet. The existing plaque is 10 feet up.
Not only that, the information on it is factually incorrect. Bendigo’s name was registered as William Thompson. and Abednego was given to him as a family nickname. This nickname evolved into Bendigo during his fighting career. The rest as they say, is history
Here’s the new plaque. It has more information and is (of course) in the colour of Bendigo’s sash, Bird’s Eye Blue.
Let us know what you think and don’t forget to visit it when you are in Nottingham.
After an eight year campaign, a statue of Nottingham’s world famous boxer Bendigo will soon be a reality.
Since we set up the Bendigo Heritage Project in 2016, we have drawn together the Bendigo story and presented it to a new and wider audience. He have hosted and appeared at events and established a guided walking tour for visitors to Nottingham.
We have also established a collection of images and items for a small exhibition called The Bendigo Gallery. This has been shown at various venues across the city.
We are thrilled to announce that the project has now raised the money necessary to commission a new bronze statue that will take pride of place in Nottingham City Centre and finally put Bendigo on the map.
The sculptor chosen to create this public monument is Andy Edwards the renowned British sculptor who has also supported the project from the beginning, having created a maquette of Bendigo to help promote the project at events.
Alan Dawson, trustee of the Bendigo Heritage Project said:
We have worked hard to make Bendigo accessible to future generations. Much of his physical legacy has gone, but his name lives on. Nottingham is a very different place, compared to the harsh reality of life in the overcrowded slums of the town two hundred years ago.
Bendigo is a unique name for a unique man who has featured in books, films and theatre. He is still talked about and written about. There was even a children’s book published in Australia recently. It is called Go Bendy Go – The Boy Who Liked To Box. His name just refuses to go away.
Jevon Patrick, trustee of the Bendigo Heritage Protect said:
I can’t wait for the city to embrace the Bendigo story. The statue will mean so much to so many people in Nottingham. Bendigo was a true underdog and his story still inspires many of us in the ‘rebel city’.
Andy Edwards said:
I have become very personally attached to this project over the last eight years.There’s a remarkable story to be told around William ‘Bendigo’ Thompson. It’s a hero’s story and Bendigo is exactly the kind of inspirational figure who can still inspire and be relevant today. A superb athlete and unique entertainer, he became boxing champion at a time when industrial working communities were first forming, the toughest of times.
His striking image in bronze statuary will stand for strength, determination and resilience not just as a vital part of our islands’ history and Nottingham’s proud standing centrally to that. His statue will be a new international landmark and an invitation to learn about a fascinating period and its characters.
How Was The Money Raised?
Alan Dawson said:
Statues cost a lot of money and we knew that the fundraising would take time. The statues of Nottingham’s famous football managers, Brian Clough and Jimmy Sirrell took several years to be created, and their names are still in the memory of thousands of football supporters. Bendigo was from a different time, when the sport of boxing was developing to what it is now.
We weren’t sure where the money would come from but were determined to keep going. Our patience paid off when we were contacted by a private individual who, like us, thinks that Bendigo deserves a statue for future generations to see and admire.
Our benefactor will fund the statue project entirely and as a result we can now get to work on what it will look like and where it will be placed.
The Sculptor
On Monday 2nd September the trustees travelled to Liverpool to meet with the man who will create our statue of ‘Bold Bendigo’.
Andy Edwards is a renowned British Sculptor of international note. Based in Stoke on Trent and Liverpool, he has a wealth of experience in sculpting large scale monumental public art of the highest quality. The sculptures are of famous people and moments in world history.
Jevon Patrick said:
Going to Liverpool and meeting with the sculptor is making everything seem very real now. This is a vision that we’ve had for many years – and we’re thrilled that the pieces of the puzzle are comingtogether. Whether you’re new to the Bendigo story or not, the statue will be a monument that we can all appreciate and enjoy.
Alan Dawson said:
Andy (Edwards) has supported our project from the start. When we discussed his incredible work with our financial backer, we agreed that Andy was the person to create our statue. The maquette he made for us is an example of his skills as a sculptor.
He has a proven record of representing figures from the world of sport. Whilst Bendigo’s career was before photography, and a limited amount of images of him availabke, we know that he will produce something incredible.
Andy Edwards said:
At our meeting in Liverpool, the Bendigo project team were able to understand my experience of creating over 50 statues across the UK and around the world. My aim is always to make something rigorously authentic, educational and elegantly beautiful.
As well as deploying time-honoured traditional skills in modelling, enlarging and casting my design, I have already engaged the latest digital forensic science in recreating Bendigo’s likeness, using sketches and posters nearly 200 years old.
It is a process I care very much about and is going to be a real labour of love, as well as a great honour for me.
We took ‘Bendy’ our maquette of Bendigo back to the locations around what is now Milton Keynes, where preparations for the third and final fight between these bitter rivals took place. The purse and contract between Bendigo and Caunt had been agreed on 17th April, but it took five months for it to happen.
Bendigo took his training seriously. He always prepared thoroughly, and for longer than the three months that was generally expected of prize-fighters. Those putting up the prize money expected regular updates on their fighter’s preparation. Bendigo trained at Crosby near Liverpool. He was ready.
Caunt also prepared like he had never done before. His fight camp was near Hatfield, north of London, where he was a publican and living amongst the London Fancy. He had lost three stone and weighed just under 14 stone, a weight he had never previously achieved.
The fight had attracted a lot of public attention. Both were genuine and worthy contenders for the title and this would be the deciding contest between them.
Caunt’s physical size and Bendigo’s skill made the outcome harder to predict. There was also uncertainty about Bendigo’s damaged knee and that he was now thirty-three years old. There was so much ill-feeling between them. Neither would give an inch.
Big News
On Sunday 7* September, two days before the event, Bell’s Life announced:
‘The great tilting match between Ben Caunt (the present champion of England) and the renowned Bendigo who seeks to deprive him of the distinction which he has so hardily won and so honourably maintained, is to come off on Tuesday next within 70 miles of London. The precise ground on which ‘the lists’ are to be formed has not yet been selected.’
Bell’s Life
The paper went on to express concern that ‘every possible pain’ was taken to preserve order on the day. As usual an inner ring for the accommodation of the wealthy swells and Corinthians was to be formed twelve yards from the ropes. Rumours had been circulating that the Nottingham Lambs were planning to cut the ropes and break into the ring, if Bendigo appeared to be losing. In view of the Lambs’ customary conduct, this was a distinct possibility, yet Bell’s Life dismissed the rumours as ‘foolish threats’, believing a large contingent of ring stewards armed with whips would be able to repel all trouble-makers.
Police Interest
Bendigo arrived in Newport Pagnell on the evening of Sunday, accompanied by Jem Ward and Sam Merryman. The constabularies of Buckinghamshire and surrounding counties had been on full alert, as hordes of spectators descended on the area. Bendigo’s boisterous arrival was greeted by the large band of his supporters. Before long a constable arrived and announced that he had a warrant to arrest anyone attempting a breach of the peace.
Jem Ward immediately took Bendigo out of the village and installed him at a nearby farmhouse, where he remained until the morning of the fight. The Lambs and other followers from the Midlands, Sheffield and Liverpool, remained in Newport Pagnell. The locals must have disliked this invasion, but money was to be made and the police seemed interested in arresting only the main individuals, should it be necessary.
On Monday evening, Ben Caunt arrived at Wolverton railway station, two miles west of Newport Pagnell. He had travelled on the four o’clock train from Euston, having returned to London from his training base on the Sunday. As part of the build up he made an appearance at Tom Spring’s public house in Holborn, where he gave out two hundred handkerchiefs in his colours of orange with a blue border. The recipients were told to pay him a guinea each if he won, nothing if he lost.
Caunt, Spring and the rest of his party took lodgings at the Cock, an inn in the neighbouring parish of Stony Stratford, while Bendigo’s supporters continued to pour into Wolverton by the trainload.
These were the early days of rail travel and never again would the small station see as many travellers pass through as it did on those two days in September 1845.
Meanwhile, Bendigo’s followers, who some were described as ‘of a most questionable aspect’ set up base in Newport Pagnell. The first arrivals were put up at a coaching inn called The Swan Hotel, but it was not long before every available room, barn and outhouse was occupied for miles around. A man was considered lucky if he found a chair to spend the night in.
The locals soon realised that some of these ruffians had money to spend. Food and drink was sold at exorbitant prices. Carts and gigs and any form of transport, in all sorts of disrepair were hired out at a sovereign per person. Some of the more enterprising locals did six months’ business in a few hours. For the time being the Lambs had things their own way, terrifying the locals with their ‘leering swagger’ and their ‘heavy twigs’, a term used for a cudgel.
Caunt still had supporters from Nottinghamshire.The miners and farm hands who had supported him all his career, but as landlord of the Coach and Horses in St Martin’s Lane, he was now very much the London man-about-town. Most of his supporters from the capital travelled up on the morning of the fight.
Final Preparations
On Monday evening a meeting took place at the Swan Inn at Newport Pagnell, now trading as The Swan Revived and situated at 33 High Street, Newport Pagnell.
The Swan Inn. A former coaching inn, it provided good stabling and excellent hospitality for those traveling through Buckinghamshire to Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield and Leeds. It was re-named the Swan Revived in 1952 after a major refurbishment.
Bendigo had Jem Ward with him. Ward was a former English champion from 1825 until his retirement in 1831 when he based himself in Liverpool, going on to be a successful artist.[
Caunt was joined by former champion Tom Spring who had also moved to London running The Castle Inn at Holborn, where he arranged the patronage and contracts of many of the major boxing events of the period while overseeing fair play in the ring. He was not a similar boxer to Caunt though. He was more scientific and tactical in his approach.
The commissary was the experienced Tom Oliver. A man who knew how to put fights on.
Spring was not happy about the disorder at Newport Pagnell and was worried that the constabulary would find it too easy to interfere in Buckinghamshire, where Bendigo wanted to fight. Instead, he proposed Lillingstone Level, ten miles to the west, where Nick Ward and Deaf Burke had met in 1840.
Bendigo refused on the grounds that Caunt and his party were staying close by and it would be unfair for him to have to make a longer journey. After a heated argument, Oliver suggested a site further south, at Whaddon, which they believed to be in Oxfordshire. All parties agreed.
At first light on Tuesday 7th September, with a warm and dry day ahead of him, Tom Oliver and his assistant set off to set up a ring.
Keeper Of The Ropes
Tom Oliver had boxed in his younger days as ‘The Battersea Gardener’, having lost to Tom Spring. He took over the role of ‘keeper of the ropes and stakes’ on the death of the previous incumbent, Bill Gibbons. His knowledge and skill in staging prize-fights was legendary. He knew his way around the country, having travelled by gig, and later by rail, armed only with his sooty pipe and an Ordnance Survey map. He had scoured the landscape for a patch of turf suitable for the prize-ring’s finest to do battle. He knew the fields, inns and hamlets of almost every county boundary. Even at 56 years of age, he was still fit and athletic. It was said that he could still ‘leap a ditch or hedge and clamber through a gorse bush’ better than any younger man. Oliver was actually imprisoned the following year for being involved in another prize-fight.
On this particular morning, the movement of Oliver and his equipment did not go unnoticed. On his journey to Whaddon, he was soon followed by a procession of people ‘on the prad and toddle’ (horseback and foot). Oliver did not need this attention, as it would attract the blues and beaks (police and magistrates). He tried to escape from the head of the crowd by taking short cuts down narrow lanes and over fields, but was unsuccessful. By the time Oliver the ring had been erected at Whaddon, a crowd of five thousand had gathered. The Nottingham Lambs were already up to their tricks, ejecting people from their enclosure, unless they paid between one and five shillings for the privilege of being near the ropes.
Bendigo was by now at the ringside. He was later criticised for failing to prevent the excesses of his Lamb friends, but in the circumstances it would have taken a lot of energy to try, energy that he no doubt felt better saved for fighting Ben Caunt.
Last Minute Hitch
Ben Caunt was nowhere to be seen though. While the huge crowd waited on that hot afternoon, Caunt was still at The Cock Hotel in Stony Stratford. A constable had visited his team and informed them that Whaddon was in Buckinghamshire, not Oxfordshire as Spring and Oliver believed.
Bendy calls in at The Cock Hotel, at Stony Stratford, where Caunt was based prior to their fight.
The Cock Hotel at 72/74 High Street, Stony Stratford was built in the 18th century, and in its heyday was one of the important coaching inns along the the old Roman Road, Watling Street. It received up to 20 coaches a day through the carriage arch, and provided stabling and facilities for change of horses as well as sustenance for the travellers.
Caunt had been told that if they tried to stage the fight, he would arrest them. The Buckinghamshire magistrates were determined to prevent the fight at all costs.
A messenger on horseback was sent with a letter to Whaddon, but his news was greeted with scorn by Bendigo’s followers. They refused to allow him near Oliver and ripped up the letter he had brought from Spring. They wanted to remain where they were and were not about to give up their profitable enclosure and set off another trail round the countryside on the word of one man on a horse.
The situation was now becoming ludicrous. Five thousand people were waiting at Whaddon. Bendigo was ready but Caunt was miles away. No matter how much the Lambs disliked the idea of moving, there could be no fight without the ‘Big `Un’.
Eventually, a new site was agreed. It would be near the village of Lillingstone Level in Oxfordshire, the place Caunt had first proposed. The exact location, close to the Northants, was known for staging local prize-fights. It was called Sutfield Green.
Tom Oliver now led a second procession another eight miles. Bendigo was annoyed, and he blamed Ben Caunt for the chaos. Along the road, when his pony and trap passed the Big ‘Un’s party he shook his fist at the champion and swore to punish him. It was irritation Caunt did not need, rolling along a dusty road on such a hot afternoon.
At half past two, Oliver began to erect a second ring with an outer and inner enclosure. The crowd, which now numbered ten thousand or more, was becoming dangerously impatient.
When Caunt and Bendigo both arrived, unruliness broke out all around. Spectators struggled to find positions where they could see. Their tempers worsened by the heat and frustrations they had endured to be there. A large contingent of Nottingham Lambs dashed into the inner ring, swinging cudgels and forcing back all those not in possession of tickets purchased earlier. The stewards were men from the London Fancy. Most of them were ex-fighters and although armed with sticks and bull-whips, they were left powerless. The Lambs were organised and when the crowd were distracted by the arrival of the combatants, they took their chance.
No one was spared, whatever their status. A party of wealthy Londoners known as ’Corinthians’ had been promised tickets by Tom Spring, but he had not yet arrived. They tried to assert their upper class authority only to be jostled and beaten without fear or favour. The Nottingham Lambs did not hold with airs, graces or social status. At times like this a cudgel was more useful than a public school accent.
Bendigo, standing close by, lapped up the cries and good wishes of his supporters, without attempting to interfere. He had a bigger battle to fight.
In addition to the last minute confusion, neither side had agreed on a choice of referee.
Fortunately, George Osbaldiston, known throughout England as “t” Auld Squire.” who had retreated to his carriage to escape the crush. He finally consented to serve and the battle was declared on.
At twenty past three the fighters finally entered the ring.
Worldwide Attention
In the United States of America, the Nebraska Chronicle newspaper later reported on the fight:
The men presented a remarkable picture of manly and athletic grace as they advanced to the mark. Caunt was six feet two and a half inches in height and trained to a point he had never before equalled. He was nothing but bone and sinew, a hard hitting, bruising lion of a man, with an arm like a swinging beam and built like a windmill.
Bendigo, slender but compactly formed, was about five feet ten inches in height and weighed 169 pounds. He dragged his left leg slightly, part of the after effects of an injury received while skylarking which had once effectively shelved him. Save for this, he was a handsome, rugged figure.
‘In his attitude Caunt showed little science, standing erect, with feet near together. Bendigo kept his right foot well advanced and brought his fists up and close with head back, they came together smiling, Bendigo opening the usual fire of jests with a humorous greeting and Caunt responding easily, then after touching hands, both snapped on guard.
Bendigo flew instantly into his tactics, all bounce and dash, hopping in and dancing out, feinting here, there and here again like a shadow boxer. Caunt knew his man and waited for his chance, suddenly letting out with a humming left swing. Bendigo ducked and grinned like an imp, tapping in lightly to the body with left and right, getting out again, and acting altogether like a mischievous schoolboy. Caunt went after him doggedly and swung again, when Bendigo, coming under his guard, smacked him hard under the left eye. Caunt drove wildly and the challenger repeated the blow, opening an old scar on Caunt’s cheek and drawing first crimson.
The third fight between Bendigo and Caunt was in 1845. Described as ‘the most scandalous brawl in boxing history’ it is acknowledged as the fight that marked the beginning of the end of prize-fighting. The modern era was beckoning.
Th fight took place near to what is now Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire.
We were intrigued to find out the exact location of where it took place, as the various reports on the fight give several different locations.
Stony Stratford, Lillington Level and Sutfield Green. None are precisely in the same place, and Sutfield Green does not appear on any current maps at all.
We managed to find out more from some other publications. Here’s a sample
Prize Fighting in the 1850s
“In 1825 and 1826 there were still prosecutions of innkeepers for “suffering tippling during the hours of divine service” and the landlord of the Fox and Hounds at Puxley was fined £1 on this charge. One of the Constable’s duties was preventing prize fights. The parson of Passenham, the Rev Lorrain Smith, was himself a great pugilist and encouraged various meetings on the borders of Bucks and Northants, so that if the police of either county interfered it was quite easy to move over into the next county. A field near Puxley Glebe farm was the favourite venue and Sootfield Green was also used. But Rev. Smith was also a JP, and as such it was his duty to prevent prize-fights. Mr W J Toms relates how on one occasion he organised the police to stop a fight, but himself catching the pugilist, who had laid all the constables flat out, he let him off with a fatherly lecture.
From “The History of Stony Stratford – F E Hyde and S F Markham (1948)
Northamptonshire Prize-Fights
“It is an old ancient road up into the Whittlewood Forest and to Sutfield Green, where there used to be prize-fighting. People used to come from Northampton and all round. A lot of bad men and women used to camp in the woods named Hatchells on the left hand side of the road as one goes to Wicken and Deanshanger, where they used to camp and fight in Sutfield Green where Caunt and Bendigo, professional prize-fighters fought. This is corroborated by my old friend Jack Brown, now 84 years of age (in 1950), whose mother, (a Wicken woman), used to go and watch the fights. One day she picked up the ‘colours’ of one of the champions on the field, which is still treasured by her descendants. There was an old ring marked with posts. I seen the old posties (posts) years ago, when we visited the spot in June 1949. Lord Penrhyn said he wouldn’t pull them up – they could rot in the ground. But in whatever way they may have perished, they have gone now. The green was ploughed by the orders of the War Agricultural Committee, and at the time we saw it, was growing a fine crop of wheat. It must be above a hundred years since they had the fights. Caunt and Bendigo fought for an hour for £100. Bendigo was a Nottinghamshire man.
From; Northamptonshire Past and Present Vol 1 Issue 2 (1950)
Using this information we explored the area between Lillingstone Lovell and Stony Stratford.
We took ‘Bendy’ with us and started at Lillingstone Lovell which is very near to the border with Northants.
Taking the road from Lillingstone Lovell towards Wicken and Deanshanger, we came across the entrance to Whittlewood Forest.
Whittlewood Forest is a former medieval hunting forest, east of Silverstone in Northamptonshire in England. It is managed by the Forestry England. There are tracts of ancient woodland within it and old ditches can be found at the edges of several individual woods.
This map is displayed at the entrance to Whittlewood Forest.
You can see Lillingstone Lovell (bottom left) and Deanshanger (bottom right)
Using the information we had about the ‘old ancient road up into the Whittlewood Forest and to Sutfield Green’ and people ‘used to camp in the woods named Hatchells on the left hand side of the road as one goes to Wicken and Deanshanger, where they used to camp and fight in Sutfield Green’
We went towards Wicken and came across a gated bridle path. There was a crude map on the gate, explaining the rights of way.
We couldn’t believe our luck. The map included the name SUTFIELD GREEN (top left). This was the first time we had seen the name on a map.
Comparing it to the map at Whittlewood Forest, Sutfield Green was clearly on the road we had just used to get from Lillingstone Lovell. He returned to the location.
Bearing in mind the comment from 1950 that said ‘the green was ploughed by the orders of the War Agricultural Committee, and at the time we saw it, was growing a fine crop of wheat’.
It was the wheat field we had just passed, at the junction of two roads.
We were over the moon to have finally found Sutfield Green and taken Bendigo back there after 181 years.
A new children’s book about Bendigo has been published over in Australia.
Go ‘Bendy’Go is based on the true story of Bendigo Thompson, underdog and street urchin turned heavyweight bare-knuckle boxing champion of mid 19th century England.
Written by Lauren Mitchell and illustrated by Geoff Hocking, the book shares the early history of Bendigo in a fun and accessible way.
Go ‘Bendy’ Go is based on the true story of William Abednego Thompson, a bare-knuckle boxing champion from England, who unknowingly gave his name to the goldfields city of Bendigo. A treat for all generations, a fun and rollicking read for children and informative for adults – the story of Bendigo.
Introduction
A richly-illustrated story of William Abednego Thompson, bare knuckle boxing champion of all-England (1832-1850). Known as Bold Bendigo, after whom the Australian goldfields of Bendigo, in Central Victoria, is named. His is a story of rising from poverty, from a working class family in industrial Nottingham to become the ‘Pride of Nottingham.
Known the world over as the most athletic and thrilling fighter of his day, for William Thompson his life was not without its trials and tribulations. After his career in the ring was over he took to the drink and was gaoled 28 times for disorderly, drunken behaviour. In prison he found redemption and became a Methodist lay-preacher. He died in his 69th year after puncturing a lung, falling down the stairs in his cottage. His funeral, which passed through the crowded streets of Nottingham drew more than 10,000 onlookers and fights broke out among his supporters and fans. His tomb remains, the only one left, in a park in central Nottingham today.
Lauren Mitchell
Six generations of Lauren Mitchell’s family have watched the Chinese dragons dance in Bendigo, since her Cornish great, great grandfather arrived to mine for gold. Lauren has been sharing stories of Bendigo’s culture and community for more than 20 years, as a journalist, editor and author.
All fighters needed backers and Bendigo found his as a 19 year old in 1932. His name was Joseph Whitaker, a wealthy landowner and squire of Ramsdale House near Arnold, just outside of Nottingham. His estate covered 1800 acres and is now a golf course.
Born in 1798, Joseph was a true sporting squire of the times, known to all by his nickname, The Duke of Limbs. He was a keen horse rider and one of the top riders to hunt with hounds in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. He was also a fine shot, and took great interest in all ‘manly sports’.
Here’s what is recorded about him, taken from the book Bold As A Lion by J.P.Bean
Whitaker was an accomplished horseman who rode hounds and a dedicated breeder of fighting cocks. He developed a new strain of duckwing birds that fought an historic contest against Lord Derby’s finest at the Cockpit in Tufton Street, Westminster. The ‘main’ as such events were known in cockfighting circles, was attended by the cream of the prize ring including John Jackson, Tom Cribb and Tom Molyneux. Other celebrity names were there, such as Beau Brummel and the Prince Regent. The latter lost heavily by backing Lord Derby’s birds, which were soundly defeated by those of Whitaker.
The Duke of Limbs nickname came from his powerful build. Wide shouldered and possessed of extraordinarily well-developed arms and legs. He cut a fine figure at the ropes of the prize ring. He stood over six feet tall, wore side-whiskers and dressed in the fashion of the day – a grey beaver hat, a green coat with silver buttons, a flowered waistcoat, leather riding breeches and shining top boots. His Malacca cane and monocle gave him a foppish air but he had true Corinthian manners.
It was said of him “ He had a strong vein of eccentricity and many considered him as mad as a hatter”.
Whitaker was reputed to carry a bag of guineas in one pocket and a brace of pistols in the other, and he was not averse to putting on the muffs and sparring – if he could find anybody willing to take him on.
Although his background was one of wealth and class, Joseph Whitaker had the common touch. He was a prodigious drinker, he was equally at home in the fighting pubs of Nottingham as on his country estate. He was a stalwart of the Nottingham Fancy and had a great appreciation of boxing skills.
One day in 1832 he came across Bendigo sparring with Sam Turner, and The Duke of Limbs liked what he saw.
He agreed to put up stakes for Bendigo’s fights. It was a partnership that would last eighteen years, from Bendigo’s early ‘bye’ fights to the Championship of England.
Joseph Whitaker died in 1874, aged 75.
Familiar Name?
If the name Joseph Whitaker sounds familiar, there is a school with that name at Rainworth in Nottinghamshire. The school takes the name, not from The Duke of Limbs but from his son, also named Joseph.
Joseph Whitaker (junior) was born in 1850 at Ramsdale House. He went to Uppingham School and became an English naturalist. He was also a keen sportsman, botanist, fisherman and collected curios. He wrote several books, and some of his collection passed to the Mansfield Museum.
Whitaker junior loved the outdoors, a trait he learned from his father.
He also seems to have inherited his father’s eccentricity.
He had an unusual trait of always walking on the road, and never on the pavement.
He died on 27 May 1932 at Rainworth Lodge.
The Joseph Whitaker School was founded in 1963, and uses the Whitaker family coat of arms, with its motto ‘SPES ET FIDES’. This accurately reflects the expectations of the school – HOPE for our pupils’ future and FAITH in their ability to rise to whatever challenges they meet.
It appears that some people connected to Sheffield did not respect Bendigo in the way most other followers of boxing do.
Knock – Out Razor Blades
Bendigo featured in a set of collectable cards issued by the Sheffield company that made shaving products including the Knock-Out Razor Blades in 1938. Bendigo featured at No. 13 of 50 Famous Prize Fighters. This was clearly unlucky for him as the text was not well researched or written, describing him as ‘not a stylish fighter’ something that we all know he was.
Bendigo’s Biography
He had great strength but was not a stylish fighter, and was a very bad sportsman indeed in many ways, though eventually he became Champion of England.
Anon
Ungrateful Sheffield?
We don’t know who wrote these words for the company but whoever did appears to have some agenda against Bendigo’s ability and his reputation.
Even more disappointing was the company involved was Fred C. Cartledge (Sheffield) Ltd.
It is well known that Bendigo put considerable effort into improving the prize-fighting scene in Sheffield in the late 1830s. Initially he was introduced to the town when he joined Levi Eckersley who ran a touring boxing booth at travelling fairs. Bendigo spent some time with him, working on his technique.
Sheffield even became his base whilst waiting for his opportunity to fight James Burke for the All England title. Burke was in the United States so Bendigo had to wait for his return. He made use of his time by running the Manchester Arms public house on West Street in Sheffield, and organising prize-fights for up and coming Sheffield fighters, who did not match those from his hometown 40 miles south.
Even more ironic is that two weeks after beating James Burke for the title, he was actually presented with the belt in Sheffield, at the Batty’s Circus Royal in Sheffield.
Collectible Cards
The Knock-Out Razor Blades Famous Prize Fighters are still very collectible as are the razors and blades produced by F.C Cartledge.
Pictures on the cards were black and white. Some were real images while others were renditions of the subjects. The first 30 cards were drawings while the final 20 were in the modern era and used photographs. Like most other collectible cards of the period, biographies were printed on the back.
Two different sets were issued, one has a matte finish and the other, a glossy finish. The company encouraged collectors to complete a set offering anyone with 50 cards, to send them to the company and their duplicates would be exchanged for cards they needed.
Who’s Who Of Boxing
Here’s the checklist of all the names in the series of Knock Out Razor Blades of 1938:
John Broughton – Jack Slack – Tom Johnson – Isaac Perrins – Samuel Elias – Tom Belcher – John Gulley – Tom Cribb – Thomas Molineaux – Tom Spring – Bill Neat – Jem Ward – William Thompson – Eric Boon – James Burke – Tom Sayers – Jem Mace – Tom King – John Sullivan – Bill Doherty – Arthur Danahar – Peter Jackson – Frank Slavin – James Corbett – Charlie Mitchell – Bob Fitzsimmons – Georges Carpentier – Jack Dempsey – Gunnar Barlund – Henry Armstrong – Max Schmeling – Joe Louis – Walter Neusel – Al Roth – Don McCorkindale – Arno Koelblin – Maurice Strickland – Pete Sarron – Tommy Farr – Eddie Phillips – Len Harvey – Jack Petersen – Benny Lynch – Johnny Ward – Kid Berg – Gustav Humery – Ben Foord – Max Baer – Small Montana – John Henry Lewis – Harry Mizler
Let’s hope the biographies or these great names were more accurate.
The Bendigo Gallery is now available to view again in Nottingham City Centre.
The Bendigo Heritage Project has collected a number of images and artwork over the years. Any pictures that required framing, we have used Paramount Picture Framing and Gallery in Nottingham City Centre. Not only is their work of the highest quality, their gallery is on the historic Heathcoat Street which is very close to Bendigo’s grave and was almost certainly on the route of his funeral cortege in 1880.
Our images range from photographs, modern art and even a high quality copy of the portrait (oil on canvas) of Bendigo from 1850.
We were pleased to accept the offer to display our collection in the shop window of Paramount, visible to passers by and even illuminated at night when the shop is closed.
The shop window at night. The Jam Cafe is a popular bar and music venue.
Paramount Gallery
Paramount was established in 1985. They offer a personalised and bespoke framing service. The framing is done on site and the premises also has a spacious, well-lit gallery with an extensive collection of prints and framed pictures on display. There are even some iconic photographs from sport, including boxing.
It is worth browsing the gallery as there are images from vintage magazine covers, classic rock & pop, travel posters, film, music and historical maps.
On the subject of history.
Heathcoat Street
Heathcote Street was (since 1387) called Beck Lane, part of an old agricultural road that led by the side of the Beck rivulet, away to the fields on either side of the valley now occupied by St. Ann’s Well Road.
In 1854 The People’s Hall on Beck Lane was founded by George Gill who bought the former mansion house. It had been used as a School of Art and Design before he altered and enlarged it. He used the hall for a variety of philanthropic purposes. It contained a library of ten thousand books.
The People’s Hall is visible and just 30m from the gallery.
Just beyond the modern building in the distance is Bath Street and Bendigo’s grave.
In about 1874 (during Bendigo’s lifetime) Beck lane was widened and renamed Heathcote Street. It took its name from John Heathcote, a prominent lace manufacturer who first set up at a workshop nearby in the early 1800s.
Next to Heathcote Street is Broad Street where there are several bars and shops. The Broadway Cinema backs onto Heathcote Street. The cinema was originally The Broad Street Wesleyan Chapel, a Methodist chapel from 1839. It is where William Booth (the founder of The Salvation Army) attended a service in 1844 and chose to devote his life to the church from that point.
We hope you get the chance to visit Heathcoat Street while the Bendigo Gallery is on show.
Heathcoat Street is a five-minute walk from Nottingham’s Old Market Square and two minutes from the Lace Market tram stop. There is currently no parking on Heathcoat Street.
2023 has been a busy year for the Bendigo Heritage Project.
We have continued to operate our guided walking tour, taking groups of people around historic Nottingham and learning all about the Bendigo Story. In addition, we kept the momentum going with talks and conversations to interested parties. Here’s a summary of what we posted on our website.
In February we exhibited a collection of images about Bendigo as an exhibit gallery at Cafe Sobar in Nottingham. The cafe was a perfect partnership for us, as Café Sobar is an innovative alcohol-free cafe and social space. Something that wasn’t available to Bendigo when he battled with his problems with alcohol.
We were also pleased to have finally located the grave of Bendigo’s brother John Thompson who died in 1873 at the age of 64. He is buried in Nottingham’s Church (Rock) Cemetery but locating the plot proved difficult. Church Cemetery is a Grade II listed site at the south-east corner of Forest Recreation Ground in Nottingham. It was created around an old sand mine and some of the mine tunnels give the place a unique atmosphere. It was founded in 1848 but did not open until 1856.
After a pause in the operations at Nottingham Castle, we were pleased to renew our relationship with the management team. Our heritage booklets are now on sale in the shop, and we are in discussions with them about how the Bendigo Story links in with the history of Nottingham Castle.
One of our trustees came across an old newspaper article from Australia that finally answered a question for us. It identified who was responsible for naming Bendigo’s Creek, which (after the Australian gold-rush) went on to become the City of Bendigo in 1871. The person was Tom Myers who, it turns out, has a street named after him in the historic gold-rush town of Victoria, Australia.
Our exhibition of images then moved to the William Booth Memorial Centre. The title of the exhibition was Bendigo – From Pugilist To Preacher. William Booth of course, was the Nottingham man who established the Salvation Army during Bendigo’s lifetime.
One of our trustees went to County Cork in Ireland and took our maquette of Bendigo with him. This small statue (made by renowned sculptor Andy Edwards) always gets attention and we even took him to Brian Dillon’s Boxing Club in Cork and showed him off to the members after their training session.
Thanks again for your support this year. Who knows, next year we may be a step closer to our aim of commissioning a statue to Nottingham’s first sporting superstar and ‘original southpaw’.
