Hell in the Dell: Jackson v Mendoza

Great sporting events in Havering are a little thin on the ground - Romford once made the quarter finals of the FA cup back in 1881 and two women's world best times for the 1500m were set at Hornchurch stadium in the 1950s. The only boxing match of note in the area took place in Hornchurh in 1795 when Daniel Mendoza fought Gentleman John Jackson for the Championship of England. This fight took place in the days when pugilists had such fine names as Tom Cribb, Jem Belcher and the Game Chicken (Henry Pearce)

Daniel Mendoza (5 July 1764 - 3 September1836) was a true pioneer of the "sweet science" . In an age when other boxers generally stood still and merely swapped punches. Mendoza' had a  "scientific style" which inluded much defensive movement. He developed an entirely new style of boxing, incorporating defensive strategies, including , moving around, ducking, blocking, and, to avoid punches. As a result he was able to overcome much heavier opponents. This was essential as  he stood only 5'7" and weighed only 160 pounds,  In 1789 he opened his own boxing academy and published the book The Art of Boxing  which every subsequent boxer learned from.

Mendoza won the Championship of England in 1792. The previous champion, Benjamin Brain had retired the previous year. He beat contestant Bill Warr over 23  rounds in a fight in Croydon. Warr fought Mendoza again in 1794 but lasted just 15 minutes.

Gentleman John Jackson   (28 September 1769 – 7 October 1845) came up to the scratch against  Mendoza on 15 April 1795 in the Dell, near St Andrew's church in Hornchurch . Viewed by  3,000 spectators, the fight was expected to go Mendoza's way, However Jackson,with a five year age advantage, as well as being four inches taller and 42lb heavier bested Mendoza over 10 rounds. Mendoza's long hair was the main source of his defeat. Apparently Jackson grabbed hold of his hair and pummeled him mercilessly.

After the fight Mendoza had many careers but eventually died in poverty in 1836. Jackson set up a boxing salon which was popular with the gentry - Lord Byron received instruction in boxing there. He is aparently mentioned in a number of Georgette Heyer novels.

Romfordiana I – Romford FC’s glory days

This is the first of an occasional series of historical posts relating to my home borough Havering *but Romfordiana sounds better than Haveringiana – to me at lest).

Havering has not produced very many people of note and history has generally passed it by. That does not mean to say that it is a wasteland – even though it looks that way at times! Anyway on to the subject of the post.

There has been a football club in Romford (with breaks from WWI to the late 20s and the late 70s to the early 90s) since 1876. The current incarnation plays in the Isthmian League first division, the eighth tier of the English football pyramid.

Romford FC has never played top-flight football but it did come tantalisingly close in the 6)s. In in1967 it won the Southern League and like many other fellow winners it applied for membership of the football league. Unlike other past champions including Southampton. Portsmouth, Ipswich QPR et al) its bid was unsuccessful.

But one has to go back to the 19th century for another highpoint. In 1881 Romford reached its furtherst point in the FA Cup competition.

Romford FC was one of 62 teams to compete in the 1800/81 FA Cup competition. In the first round the team met Reading Minster winning 1-0.

They received a bye in the second round. Sheffield Wednesday and Blackburn Rovers, two teams who are still in the top echelons of English football, exited at this stage of the competition.

In the third round it met another Reading team, Reading Abbey, winning 2-0. Romford therefore fared better than Notts County who were beaten by Aston Vila.

A fourth round tie saw them play Marlow. A 2-1 victory meant that they progressed further than either Sheffield Wednesday and Aston Villa who were both defeated at this stage.

Glory beckoned. Three more games and Romford would raise the FA Cup. But first the team had to overcome AFC Darwen. Alas Darwen were too taleneted and they defeated lost by just fifteen goals in a tight and closely fought game (!)

Darwen were defeated I the semi finals and the competition was won that season by Old Cathusians who defeated Old Etonians.

Darwen subsequently gained admission to the football league but remained in the top flight for just nine eight seasons. The team now plays at the tenth tier of English football. Old Carthusians and Old Etonians now play in the Arthurian league for public school alumni. It is not part of the football pyramid…

Okay its not much of a story but how many of my posts are!