The Baker Kneading Sammy's Dough

This etching describes a prize fight which took place on 8 December 1814 in Molesey, between Sam Elias shown on the left born 1775 and Bill Nosworthy born 1786. The match lasted 38 rounds for £50 a side. Nosworthy won. It was his last victory and Sam’s last fight for both died in 1816.

The narrative shows Sam staggering back following a blow from Bill Nosworthy who was a baker by trade. Each has a backer and a bottle holder and both are cheered on by a crowd of spectators, in which Jewish figures are prominent for Elias was Jewish. As well as being highly caricaturised visually the speech of the Jewish figures is heavily exaggerated. One caption reads, ‘O dish will be my ruin Dush Sham is a bad shilling’ and another says ‘I hopes sham vill knock his pork chops about’. A figure on a box exclaims, ‘I say Jack, D - me how the Baker Knock’s him about. I’m afraid he’ll make a Dead man of him’.

Isaac Robert Cruikshank was the brother of George and was first visible as a satirical engraver in 1814.