Today Bill Richmond is largely unknown to the wider public, but he was
one of the most significant sportsmen in history and one of the most
prominent celebrities of Georgian times. Born into slavery in Staten
Island, Richmond won his freedom as a young boy and carved a new life
for himself in England as a cabinet maker and then a renowned
prizefighter and trainer. His amazing life encompassed encounters and
relationships with some of the most prominent men of the age, including
Earl Percy, William Hazlitt, Lord Byron, the Prince Regent and Lord
Camelford. His fame was such that he fulfilled an official role at the
coronation celebrations of King George IV in 1821. The story of Bill
Richmond is an incredible tale of personal advancement, as well as the
story of a life informed and influenced by a series of turbulent
historical events, including the American War of Independence, the fight
for black emancipation and Britain's long-running conflict with Napoleon
Bonaparte.