Dighton, Robert
London Pub’d by Dighton, Spring Gardens Jan 1812,
Etching with hand-colouring, titled below the image with publisher’s details, on laid paper watermarked 1808, 337 by 248mm (13¼ by 9¾ inches).trimmed close.

Thomas Molyneux aka The Black and aka Snowball
Born, Virginia, America 1784

Molyneux’s first set-to was with an anonymous Bristol man. The papers inform us: ‘the newly-come American black is a formidable fellow; in height five feet nine inches, his weight between thirteen and fourteen stone, his age twenty-six years. He was introduced by the black pugilist, Bill Richmond, who seconded him.
Molyneux enjoyed several sparring tours, through Scotland, England, and Ireland.
He had a great respect for Cribb, facing this opponent in a series of three fights. In one instant, he came from Staffordshire, at his own expense, to exhibit at Cribb’s benefit at the Fives Court, unknown and unexpected by every person till he made his appearance upon the stage, just in time, before the sports of the day were closed.

After a stint in a debtor’s prison, he became increasingly dependent on alcohol, and was seemingly a walking skeleton at the end of his life. He died in a soldier’s barracks.

Died, Galway, Ireland 1818

[BS 9292]