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Unidentified newsclip 1935
Prize Fight near Higham Ferrers
Fifty years ago - September 19th, 1885

The following report of a "Prize Fight near Higham Ferrers" appeared: One of these wretched exhibits of brutality took place at Raunds Cottons on Monday morning, the combatants being a young man named White, hailing from Northampton, but now living at Higham Ferrers, and "Butcher" Britchford, of Chelveston, aged 25 and 21 respectively. . . . It was well-known in Higham on Sunday evening that something of the kind was on foot, and the word was passed round that the police had heard of the affair, one well-known betting man from a neighbouring town reporting, that a raid might be expected. In consequence of this rumour as much secrecy as possible was observed, and the locality having been decided upon on Sunday evening, a start was effected at 4 o'clock on Monday morning. About 60 persons assembled at the rendezvous, and 20 rounds were fought, the disgusting affair lasting about half-an-hour, at the end of which time both men presented a terribly bruised appearance, their faces, according to one account, being knocked almost to a pulp. White, the younger man was, however, the most injured and his hands having been rendered almost useless, his backers threw up their sponge. The sum staked on the encounter was the paltry sum of £2, and an amount of money changed hands in bets, the sporting fraternity being, as usual, the principal abetters of the fight. It is much to be regretted that the police arrived half-an-hour late, so that it is doubtful whether any proceedings will be taken.


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