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The Battle Between Cribb and Molineaux, September 28, 1811

October 3, 1811
Not on view
This print represents the start of a famous boxing match between the English champion Thomas Cribb, and his African-American challenger Tom Molineaux, on September 28, 1811 at Thistleton Gap in Rutland. Molineaux had crossed the Atlantic to pursue a boxing career and may formerly have been enslaved. The two men had fought first on December 3, 1810 at Shenington Hollow, Oxfordshire, with Molineaux defeated after 35 rounds in a disputed decision. Their return match, shown here, attracted at least 15,000 spectators including many members of the nobility. Cribb's second was John Gully and his bottle-holder Joe Ward. Molineaux's second was Bill Richmond (also Black and formerly enslaved), and Bill Gibbons his bottleholder. The man holding the stopwatch may be the referee John Jackson. Molineaux hit with great power until Cribb broke his jaw in the 9th round, then knocked him out in the 11th (see 59.533.1445 and 59.533.1446 for other prints of this subject).

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Battle Between Cribb and Molineaux, September 28, 1811
  • Artist: Attributed to George Cruikshank (British, London 1792–1878 London)
  • Publisher: Walker and Knight, London
  • Sitter: Tom Molineaux (American, Virginia (?) 1784–1818 Galway, Ireland)
  • Sitter: Thomas Cribb (British, Bristol 1781–1848 Woolwich)
  • Sitter: Bill Richmond, "The Black Terror" (British (born United States), Staten Island, New York 1763–1829 London)
  • Sitter: Bill Gibbons (British, active 1810–15)
  • Sitter: John Gully (British, 1783–1863 Durham)
  • Sitter: Joe Ward (British, active 1790–1815)
  • Sitter: Possibly John Jackson (British, Worcestershire 1769–1845 London)
  • Date: October 3, 1811
  • Medium: Hand-colored etching
  • Dimensions: Plate: 9 15/16 × 13 7/8 in. (25.3 × 35.2 cm)
    Sheet: 10 1/2 × 14 1/8 in. (26.7 × 35.8 cm)
  • Classification: Prints
  • Credit Line: Gift of A. Hyatt Mayor, 1969
  • Object Number: 69.635.2
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

More Artwork

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George Cruikshank's Omnibus
George Cruikshank
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1885
Punch and Judy, with Illustrations Drawn and Engraved by George Cruikshank: Accompanied by the Dialogue of the Puppet-Show, an Account of Its Origin, and of Puppet-Plays in England
Multiple artists/makers
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Phrenological Illustrations, or An Artist's View of Craniological System of Doctors Gall and Spurzheim
George Cruikshank
Frederick Arnold
1873
John Bull's Examination–John Bull brought up for his Discharge but Remanded on account of Extravagence and False Schedule
George Cruikshank
S. W. Fores
1817
George Cruikshank's Omnibus
Multiple artists/makers
1885

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