Tom Cribb
Encyclopedia
Tom Cribb was an English
bare-knuckle
boxer
of the 19th century, so successful that he became world champion. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame
.
area of Bristol
, Cribb moved to London
at the age of 13 and after working as a bell-hanger got work as a coal porter in Wapping
.
His first fight was on 7 January 1805 at Wood Green
in Middlesex
, now part of north London
. Victory here, followed by another a month later, persuaded him to become a professional pugilist, under the supervision of Captain Robert Barclay. In 1807 Cribb beat Jem Belcher
. In 1810 Cribb was awarded the British title. On 10 December 1810 he fought an American, former slave Tom Molineaux
, at Shenington Hollow in Oxfordshire. Cribb beat Molineaux in 35 rounds and became World champion. The fight was controversial for two reasons: Molineaux was injured when the crowd invaded the ring, and Cribb at one point seemed to have taken longer than the specified time to return to the centre of the ring. Cribb retained his title in 1811 by beating Molineaux at Thistleton Gap
in Rutland
in 11 rounds before a large crowd. Cribb had also beaten Molineaux' trainer Bill Richmond
.
In 1812, aged 31, he retired to become a coal merchant (and part-time boxing trainer). Later he became a publican
, running the Union Arms, Panton Street, close to Haymarket in central London.
In 1839 he retired to Woolwich
in south-east London where he died in 1848, aged 66. He was buried in the churchyard of St Mary's and St Andrew's, Woolwich – where a monument to his memory was erected. A road in the former Royal Arsenal
has also been named in his honour.
There is a popular local legend
in the Bristol area that Cribbs Causeway
, a road not far from Hanham that has given its name to a major out-of-town shopping mall
, retail park and entertainment complex, was named after Tom Cribb. Despite being proved to be false this has not stopped the legend from continuing. See the Cribbs Causeway article for more information.
An English footwear brand named after Thomas Cribb existed between 2003 - 2007. The brand name "Thomas Cribb" is currently registered to the creators of the brand.
Tom Cribb also features prominently in George MacDonald Fraser
’s novel Black Ajax, a fictionalised account of Tom Molineaux's life.
He is mentioned in one episode of the Victorian crime drama Cribb
, in which one of Cribb's men speculates whether he is descended from the famous boxer. The episode is largely centred around prize-fighting.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
bare-knuckle
Bare-knuckle
Bare-knuckle means without gloves, bandages or any other protection for and/or dangerous 'arming' of the knuckles, a larger part or even the whole hand...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
of the 19th century, so successful that he became world champion. He is a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame
International Boxing Hall of Fame
The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta...
.
Life
Born in Wick which is near the HanhamHanham
Hanham is a village on the eastern outskirts of Bristol, England, situated on the A431 between Bristol, Bath and Keynsham. It is in the unitary authority of South Gloucestershire. It became a civil parish on April 1, 2003....
area of Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, Cribb moved to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
at the age of 13 and after working as a bell-hanger got work as a coal porter in Wapping
Wapping
Wapping is a place in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets which forms part of the Docklands to the east of the City of London. It is situated between the north bank of the River Thames and the ancient thoroughfare simply called The Highway...
.
His first fight was on 7 January 1805 at Wood Green
Wood Green
Wood Green is a district in north London, England, located in the London Borough of Haringey. It is situated north of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of the metropolitan centres in Greater London.-History:...
in Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, now part of north London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Victory here, followed by another a month later, persuaded him to become a professional pugilist, under the supervision of Captain Robert Barclay. In 1807 Cribb beat Jem Belcher
Jem Belcher
Jem Belcher was an English bare-knuckle boxer and Champion of All England 1800-1805.Born in Bristol, Belcher beat Paddington Tom Jones in April 1799 in the Middleweight Championship of England. He drew with champion Jack Bartholomew in a 51-round bout in 1799, and won the rematch in the...
. In 1810 Cribb was awarded the British title. On 10 December 1810 he fought an American, former slave Tom Molineaux
Tom Molineaux
Tom Molineaux was a African-American bare-knuckle boxer. He spent much of his career in Great Britain and Ireland, where he had some notable successes.-Early life:...
, at Shenington Hollow in Oxfordshire. Cribb beat Molineaux in 35 rounds and became World champion. The fight was controversial for two reasons: Molineaux was injured when the crowd invaded the ring, and Cribb at one point seemed to have taken longer than the specified time to return to the centre of the ring. Cribb retained his title in 1811 by beating Molineaux at Thistleton Gap
Thistleton
Thistleton is the most northerly village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England.The Thistleton area has shown evidence of Romano-British occupation including a large temple precinct and a possible small market settlement...
in Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
in 11 rounds before a large crowd. Cribb had also beaten Molineaux' trainer Bill Richmond
Bill Richmond
Bill Richmond was an African American boxer, born a slave in Cuckold's Town , Staten Island, New York. His nickname was 'The Black Terror'....
.
In 1812, aged 31, he retired to become a coal merchant (and part-time boxing trainer). Later he became a publican
Public house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
, running the Union Arms, Panton Street, close to Haymarket in central London.
In 1839 he retired to Woolwich
Woolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
in south-east London where he died in 1848, aged 66. He was buried in the churchyard of St Mary's and St Andrew's, Woolwich – where a monument to his memory was erected. A road in the former Royal Arsenal
Royal Arsenal
The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren...
has also been named in his honour.
Trivia
The Tom Cribb pub is located at 36 Panton Street, Haymarket, London. This is the same address as the Union Arms, which was numbered 26 Panton Street, but later renumbered.There is a popular local legend
Legend
A legend is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude...
in the Bristol area that Cribbs Causeway
Cribbs Causeway
Cribbs Causeway is a road in South Gloucestershire, England, just north of Bristol, which has given its name to a large out-of-town shopping centre, including retail parks and an enclosed shopping centre known as The Mall...
, a road not far from Hanham that has given its name to a major out-of-town shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
, retail park and entertainment complex, was named after Tom Cribb. Despite being proved to be false this has not stopped the legend from continuing. See the Cribbs Causeway article for more information.
An English footwear brand named after Thomas Cribb existed between 2003 - 2007. The brand name "Thomas Cribb" is currently registered to the creators of the brand.
Tom Cribb also features prominently in George MacDonald Fraser
George MacDonald Fraser
George MacDonald Fraser, OBE was an English-born author of Scottish descent, who wrote both historical novels and non-fiction books, as well as several screenplays.-Early life and military career:...
’s novel Black Ajax, a fictionalised account of Tom Molineaux's life.
He is mentioned in one episode of the Victorian crime drama Cribb
Cribb
Cribb is a television police drama which debuted in 1979 as a 90-minute TV film from Granada Television in the UK...
, in which one of Cribb's men speculates whether he is descended from the famous boxer. The episode is largely centred around prize-fighting.