During the eighteenth-century a number of men of African descent found fame as boxers. One of the most famous was Bill Richmond who was brought over from America by Earl Percy (later 2^nd Duke of Northumberland). Bill Richmond’s parents were enslaved people, legally this meant that Bill was the property of his parents “owners”. It is unclear if Bill had become free by the time he met Percy.

The advertisement here is for boxing (pugilism) lessons at the Blue Bell Inn at Alnwick in 1822. It is possible that “Mr Robeson” is actually Sam Robinson, one of Bill Richmond’s pupils. Robeson and Robinson could easily be mistaken when said out loud, especially if spoken with an unfamiliar accent. It is also likely that Sam Robinson could not read or write.

Sam Robinson was born in New York in 1778. He came to England at about the age of 20 and worked as a servant in London. In the early 1800s Bill Richmond began to train Sam, who was known professionally as “Robinson the Black”. Robinson took part in fights in and around London during the 1800s-1810s. Boxing contests often took place in or near a public house.

In August 1816 Robinson was staying at a pub called the Barefaced Stag in Enfield (North London). One of the customers, John Draper, became drunk and challenged Robinson to a fight. Robinson refused and said that he would call the law if Draper tried to hit him. Draper was found the next day drowned in the pub’s well. The court tried John Tuck, the landlord of the pub, for the murder at the Old Bailey.

After the court case, Sam Robinson, left London and travelled to Scotland. The newspapers report fights that he had in Doncaster, Yorkshire and County Durham along the way, which probably funded his journey. In 1821 Robinson appeared at Durham Races, in a boxing booth. This is the last time he is directly named by the newspapers as a participant in a boxing match. However, he is mentioned in an article dated August 1825, about one of his pupils. “Salmon” died of the injuries that he received during a match in Muire, Scotland.