The spread of the Industrial Revolution throughout Britain in the early 19th century created a new middle class with money to spend on decorating their homes. Fine porcelain figures from the Meissen factory in Germany had been popular but expensive during the 18th century, and int the following century the Potteries in Staffordshire found a market for their cheaper earthenware figures. In a period when literacy levels were low and news hard to come by outside the main towns and cities, the figures became a form of visual literacy depicting key personalities of the day from politics, royalty, sport, literature and entertainment.

This figure, which is one of a pair, represents one of the greatest sporting events of the 19th century: a boxing match between Tom Cribb (C.130:1-2003), the most famous bare-knuckle fighter of his time and his challenger, Tom Molyneaux (depicted here), a former Virginian slave. Molyneaux was born in 1784, the son of America’s first black pugilist, Zachary Molyneaux. He won his freedom and arrived in England in 1803. The big fight took place at Copthorne, near East Grinstead, in December 1810. It ran to 39 rounds, during many of which Cribb was physically supported by his supporters who feared his defeat by a black man. Unfair play contributed to Molyneaux losing the match. He later moved to Ireland, where he went with a group of boxers to give exhibition fights. He died penniless in 1821 aged just 34.