Bill Richmond is one of the most important figures in the history of boxing, British sport and in Black British culture. Born into slavery in America in the 1760s, when he was 13 he met Hugh Percy, the future 2nd Duke of Northumberland, who was able to arrange for Bill to be freed. In Britain, Bill received an education and a trade before entering the world of boxing - where he became a superstar.
To find out more about Richmond, hosts Daniel and Deborah spoke to Luke G Williams, the author of biography Richmond Unchained. Luke explains the connection between Bill and Percy, what made him so exceptional as a boxer (and what boxing was like 200 years ago), and how Bill ended up at the 1821 coronation of George IV.
We did have some technical problems in the recording of our conversation, so you may notice some issues in sound quality and sound levels. Our apologies for this, but we hope you'll still hear Luke's fascinating insights and research as clearly as possible.
If you enjoyed the episode, we highly recommend picking up a copy of Richmond Unchained, available from all good bookshops and online retailers.
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