Barney Aaron (1800 - 1859)

Born 21 Nov 1800 in Aldgate, London, England

Husband of Phoebe (Lee) Aaron — married Aug 1824 in London Aldgate, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 11 Jul 1859 at age 58 in Whitechapel, London, England

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Biography

Barney was a well known Jewish bare-knuckles boxer. The following was written about him in "The Jewish Encyclopedia":

"AARON, BARNEY: English pugilist, nicknamed 'The Star of the East'; born in London, Nov. 21, 1800, at Duke's Place, Aldgate; died in Whitechapel, 1850. His career as a pugilist extended over 15 years. When but 19 years old he met and defeated William Connelly (1819), Manny Lyons, Ely Bendon, and Samuel Belasco. He also opposed Angel Hyams and Tom Collins in interrupted contests. In 1823 he met Ned Stockman (May 6), whom he defeated after a battle of 40 rounds; Tom Lenney (August 5 and Nov. 11), and Frank Redmond (Dec. 30). The next year he beat Peter Warren (April 6), but two months later was defeated after 57 rounds by Arthur Matthewson (June 21). He fought Dick Hares (March 21, 1826), who, after 43 rounds, claimed the fight on a foul blow, which was disallowed, the contest being awarded to Aaron. The latter met Dick Curtis at Andover, England (Feb. 27, 1827), and after fighting 50 mins. knocked him out by a blow on the throat. Aaron again fought Frank Redmond, on Oct. 23, and defeated him in 42 rounds. Among other combatants whom Aaron met and fought with varying success were Marsh Bateman (July 4, 1828), Harry Jones (Nov. 21), Jem Raines (May 26, 1829), and Tom Smith (April 1, 1834). Bibliography: Egan Miles, 'Pugilistica', 1880, ii. 504-515 (with port) ; 'Boxiana' (Anon.) ; 'Fistiana' (Anon.)" "The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia", v.1, p.7 also has a short article on Barney Aaron, but contains no more information than the above. He was inducted into the "Pioneer" category of the International Boxing Hall of Fame in January 2001.

Personal Life

Pierce Egan's New Series of Boxiana states that: "Aaron first took a survey of mankind in the parish of Aldgate, not one hundred miles from Duke's Place, on November 21, 1800." An entry in The Jewish Encyclopedia states that he was "born in London, Nov. 21, 1800, at Duke's Place, Aldgate." Aldgate is a section of London.The Jewish Encyclopedia references Boxiana, which probably refers to Egan's series, so it's information on Barney's birth is probably just a rehash of the earlier source. The term "not one hundred miles" in earlier times was an expression that meant the same as "not far away". Duke's Place was the name of the street in which the Jewish "Great Synagogue" was situated. It was also known as the Duke's Place Synagogue. The parish of Aldgate was "not far away" from Duke's Place. The book Pugilistica by Miles states about his birth: "The subject of this biography first opened his eyes on the bustling world in the populous Goshen of Duke's Place, Aldgate, on the 21st of November, 1800." Goshen used here is most likely not a place name but used as a term meaning a place of comfort and plenty.

Some sources say he was the son of a fishmonger. His father's name of Jacob is mentioned on the gravestone of his wife Phoebe, the Hebrew portion of which was translated as "Mrs Beila widow of Mr. Baruch bar Jacob died Thurs 1 [New moon?] Adar 5633." In the New Synagogue birth records two of his sons - Solomon and Lewis - both are said to be "son of Baruch son of Jacob." DNA evidence from descendants shows that his ancestry was Ashkenzai Jewish, likely from Eastern Europe.

Barney grew up in the Aldgate and Whitechapel areas of the East End of London, which for the last few centuries had been home to the bulk of London's Jewish population. He was reportedly a scrapper even at a very young age. Egan in his book Boxiana colorfully describes Barney's childhood this way: A few years only had passed over his head, when his daddles got into play : and he was the hero of the tale, in his neighbourhood, by milling the big and little Jew and Christian boys like fun, who attempted to smug his marbles, tops, or balls; and his companions pronounced him their little game cock! and the boys always pushed him forward as their champion. He fought his first ring fight at the age of 18.

Barney and Phoebe's marriage announcement appears on page 3 of the Morning Chronicle newspaper of London on 31 Aug 1824: "Barney Aaron, as a reward for his bravery, last week received the fair hand of Miss Lee. The happy pair were united in due form at Howard's Coffee House."

Barney and Phoebe had six boys and two girls. One of their sons -- the fighter 'Young Barney' Aaron -- likely was born with a different name. He is probably the son Abraham. When the 1841 and 1851 censuses were taken he and Phoebe and their children were living at 1 Cobbs Yard in the parish of Christ Church, Spitalfields, Borough of Tower Hamlets in London. They may have moved there from St. Botolph's, Aldgate between 1837 and 1840 - between the births of their children Rachel and Joseph - based on the stated places of birth in the 1851 census record. Barney's legal name was apparently Barnet(t), which is how it appears in both censuses. "Barney" was a nick name form of Barnet. His occupation was as a clothier or clothes dealer at the time. A correspondent to the 24 July 1908 issue of The Jewish Chronicle (p.32) discussed Barney and mentioned that after he retired from the ring "he continued his business as a dealer in edibles, and remained a poor man."

His Wikipedia entry discusses some involvement in politics later in life: Showing his support for the London working class and members of his own religion during the election of August 1847, Aaron and fellow Jewish boxer Aby Belasco led a lightly armed band of protestors with bludgeons patrolling and protecting the streets of London's East end in support of the election of the wealthy Jewish patron, and emerging politician Lionel de Rothschild to membership in the House of Commons for the city of London. Aaron and his followers were referred to with disgust in a letter to the English newspaper the Liverpool Albion as "the lowest class of Jews in the east of London", and condemned for injuring the cause for which they marched. Though he won by a large margin, receiving 6792 votes, Rothschild would not be allowed to serve in Commons without taking a vow as a Christian upon a New Testament, which as a Jew, he refused to do. The House of Commons then wrote the Jewish Disabilities Bill allowing Jews to serve in Commons by taking a modified oath, but was repealed repeatedly by the House of Lords, and though serving for a year in Commons and winning subsequent elections by larger margins, Rothschild did not officially take the oath of office as a Jew until 1858, a year before Aaron's death. There were accusations that Lionel Rothschild's family bought votes, and paid Aaron and his band to patrol the streets during the voting week in August 1847, but this was never proven, and seemed unlikely as both sides of the vote were large in number. The family did expend capital to bring East end voters, many supporters of Aaron, to the polls free of charge. Rothschild's candidacy was supported by Benjamin Disraeli, a rising voice in the House of Commons since 1837 and its most prominent Jewish member. Both Rothschild and Disraeli believed the English government could form an alliance with the working classes of London, who at the time had limited social mobility, and lacked the right to vote. Aligned with Aaron and his brethren, Rothschild hoped to bring Jewish emancipation into the broader platform of the civil and religious liberties promised by his Liberal party. Disraeli was eventually successful in extending the vote to certain members of the English male working class in the Reform Act of 1867, the type of legislation that Aaron and his band may have marched for twenty years earlier.

Later in life he worked as a fishmonger, and may have worked for a period as a Constable in London, once apprehending two men who were suspected of robbing houses in his neighborhood of Houndsditch.

Wikipedia says that "He was one of a number of Jewish boxers of the era whose popularity is credited with helping improve the social standing of Jews in England at a time when anti-Semitism was common. Despite his boxing success, Aaron never lived far from the poverty of East London and its struggling Jewish population."

The Jewish encyclopedia and most Internet sources state that Barney died in Whitechapel in 1850, but this is incorrect. He is recorded with his wife and children in the 1851 census, took a trip to America in 1854, and died in 1859. About his place of death, Shirley Atkins has this to say: "Column 2 of the certificate shows place of death as '3, Boars Head Yard'. This address is in the Whitechapel North administrative district. We have so far been unable to discover why Barney was there when he had spent most of his life at No. 1, Cobbs Yard (fairly close geographically) with his wife, Phoebe Lee. However, we are in contact with two very knowledgeable and precise researchers, one of whom specialises in the transcription of the early Hebrew records obtainable from the synagogues, and the other who is (certainly in the UK) regarded as one of - if not the foremost - expert on the early history of boxing. There is some suggestion that 3, Boars Head Yard may have been used as a hospice or place of retirement care for 'damaged' boxers - this requires further research." His occupation was given as "general dealer". Cause of death was "Diseases of Heart 6 Months, Paralysis 3 days". Age was given as 60.

Boxing Career

The works Boxiana and Pugilistica are the source for most of the information on his career, but a search of newspaper articles using NewspaperArchive.com and Newspaper.com has also been done.

Barney first stepped into the ring in 1819 when he face one Bill Connelly, who held the local title of "Rosemary Lane Champion." To everyone's surprise Barney won fairly easily in 16 rounds, taking 33 minutes. That first brought him to the attention of the East End boxing crowd.

His next fight was against a fellow Jew - Manny Lyons - who outweighed him and had a longer reach. After battling hard for an hour and a quarter Barney became so exhausted that he couldn't continue and lost the fight. But in a later second battle with Lyons he turned the tables, beating him in fifty minutes and refreshing his new reputation. It was reinforced after his next appearance against a man named Ely Bendon when Barney won in 45 minutes. Egan writes: Bendon was a good fighter, a game man, and a most troublesome customer. One of those sort of coves who never know when they have got enough, and must be 'hit out of time' to get the 'best of them!' For three quarters of an hour, Bendon stuck to his work like glue; and Barney Aaron obtained great applause in defeating such a brave man. It was a manly fight on both sides.

Samuel Belasco, a brother of Aby and of Israel Belasco, and therefore of the family of “the fighting Belascos,” was Barney's next opponent, and Barney again proved victorious. If not for a local magistrate interrupting his next fight - which was against Angel Hyams, a nephew of the celebrated Dan Mendoza - after only seven rounds he might have won again. Barney declared afterwards that "he was never so vexed in his life" by the interruption.

I'll let Pierce Egan describe Barney's next outing: Maurice Lee, the fancy topper maker, and Barney had an argument together, which could not be decided without blows. A turn-up was the result : and 'pull devil, pull baker,' the character of the battle. It was an even thing for half-an-hour; and both of them so dreadfully beaten, that the spectators, fearing serious consequences might ensure, parted them. The phrase "pull devil, pull baker' is a long-last slang phrase to describe a battle that see-saws back and forth between two opponents. Who Maurice Lee is, and whether he might bear some relationship to his later wife Phoebe Lee, is unknown.

Up until this point Barney had been fighting just for the love of the sport, and perhaps to gain a reputation that would allow him to begin to profit from it. On 19 Mar 1823 he went down to the popular local fighting ground at Moulsey Hurst on the south bank of the Thames to watch the fights between Arthur Mathewson and Israel Belasco, and Phil Sampson and Birmingham Hall. A small betting pool was raised to put on a third bout, and a fighter named Tom Collins stepped forward to participate. After a short pause Barney stepped forward to face Collins. Betting odds from the start were six to four against Barney, as Collins had the advantage both in height and length. But notwithstanding this disparity, "Barney took such liberties with the nob of Collins" that the odds were turned to five to four in his favor. But after a half an hour's hard fighting Barney's left hand was injured and he reluctantly had to cede the fight.

This good showing against Collins gained him a following, however, and he was shortly thereafter matched against Ned Stockman for £25 a-side. The fight took place on Blindlow Heath, in Sussex, on 6 May 1823. Egan said that the "battle gave great satisfaction to the spectators: it was truly scientific and manly on both sides." Over the course of forty rounds in forty minutes, Barney dominated Stockman until the latter had to give in, saying later that he had never met so good a man of his weight. This victory stamped Barney as a boxer of talent, and hero in the eyes of the local sporting Fancy.

His next match was against a fighter named Jack Lenney, aka the Cow Boy (or Cowboy), again for £25 a-side. It took place at Arpenden Common on 5 Aug 1823 after two other fights on the same day. Egan wrote a round-by-round description of the fight that lasted eleven rounds and took only 15 minutes before Barney was declared the victor. Lenney was unhappy with the outcome and made another match for £20 a-side that was decided on Moulsey Hurst on 11 Nov 1823. Barney was 5 and 6 to 4 the favorite, and once again Barney emerged the winner. Egan's abbreviated round-by-round description ends with this: "Twenty-first and last.--Lenney had scarcely put up his hands at the scratch, when Barney floored him like a shot. This was a finisher; and Lenney found it was of no use to continue the contest any longer. Making deductions for the loss of time, the battle occupied about twenty minutes." In his remarks on the fight Egan mentions that Barney had been offered "Thirty Pounds" to throw the fight to Lenney, but he didn't go for it.

Barney's active 1823 closed on December 20th with a match against Frank Redman, again at Moulsey Hurst. Despite the odds being 5 to 4 against him Barney once again won his fight, this time in 32 minutes and 29 rounds. Egan writes that after the fight "Mister Barney returned to town in first-rate-style, and shewed, with all the honours of conquest about him, at Howard's Coffee-house, St. James's Place, Houndsditch. It was crowded to excess, and many first-rate Swells were present." Less than eight months later Barney would marry Phoebe in this same coffee house.

The first match he fought in 1824 was for £50 a side against Peter Warren on April 6th at Colnbrook, seventeen miles west of London. Warren was confident in his ability to win, but Barney had a slight advantage in the betting odds. Once in the ring, however, it was all Barney, as Warren was unable to put up much of a fight against Barney's relentless assault. Egan described Barney's appearance in the first round: "We never saw in any previous fight more confidence displayed in the face [of] a boxer, than the mug of Barney Aaron exhibited upon this occasion." Miles, in his Pugilistica, says this of the fight: "It would be waste of space to report _in extenso_ this and some other battles of the clever light weight, whose claim to a page in the history of pugilism is nevertheless undeniable. The battle was simply a struggle of game, endurance, strength, and obstinacy against skill, straight—and therefore swift—hitting, and a ready recourse to those changes of tactics on the spur of the moment which mark the skilful boxer, and almost reduce such contests to a question of time. On this occasion twenty-three minutes and twenty-nine rounds sufficed to render poor Peter Warren deaf to the call of "time.'"

The newspaper account of the Aaron v. Warren fight begins with an entertaining description of life among the Jewish boxing fans and the preparations for the fight: "Barney Aaron, the light-weight champion of the twelve tribes, maintained the dignity of his brethren yesterday in a meadow behind the Crown Inn, Colnebrook, eighteen miles from London... 'Our peoples' were on the alert on this occasion, and, long before the peep of the day, the peaceful inhabitants of Duke's-Place, Petticoat Lane, Houndsditch, and Hollywell-street, were roused from their gentle slumbers by the awful din of preparation among the sporting children of Israel, who resolved to abandon their ordinary industrious pursuits, to witness the triumph of their favorite Barney, whose success heretofore gave ample promise of wiping out the recollection of the recent defeat of Aby Belasco. Gigs, curricles, saddle-horses, and Jerusalem ponies, were pressed into the service for the day, and the whole of the preceding evening was occupied in frying fish and cooling other viands for refreshment on the road; for it is known, that with very few exceptions, 'our peoples' do not partake of the unclean grub of the Gentiles. As the morning advanced, the flight from the East commenced, and by eleven o'clock the road to Hounslow exhibited some of the best specimens of Vaterloo cloaks, and fashionable upper Bens, which the most celebrated Bazaars for second wardrobes, in the metropolis, could produce. All was jollity and good humour; and Mr. Cohen and Mr. Levi, Mr. Nathan and Mr. Isaacs, Mr. Solomons and Mr. David, were equally confident of success. 'The boy must win,' was the cry; and odds from six to four, to two to one, were freely bet. The Gentiles, however, were not so nutty upon Peter Warren, and thus the liberal offers of the Girgashites but too frequently went 'a begging.' Soon after twelve the pugilistic upholsterer arrived on the ground, and immediately proceded to arrange the furniture of the ring, by inserting the stakes in the luxuriant carpet which nature had already spread for the exhibition. This work accomplished, all eyes were turned toward the London road on which the combatants were expected. In a few minutes the heroes arrived; Barney in a carriage and four, and Warren in a humble chaise and pair. Warren first approached the ring, and threw in his castor, an example which was shortly after followed by Barney, who crossed the ropes in the perfect conficence of victory, and shook hands with his antagonist with great good humour." [The Morning Chronicle, London, 7 Apr 1824, p.4]

The above description of the preparation of the ring highlights the fact that in those days pugilistic battles did not generally take place indoors on established fight rings. Locations were selected outside of town in the countryside, preferably featuring a flat area surrounded by low mounds where spectators could witness the fight. Sometimes wagons were used as platforms surrounding the ring where spectators could stand to witness the goings on. Stakes and ropes were set up to demarcate the ring, and the fight would take place right on the grass. The local constabulary often disapproved of such bouts and would break them up and arrest the perpetrators if they were caught, so the selection of a fighting ground was often made late in the game so as to keep the word of its location secret from the law.

After hs defeat of Warren, Barney was taken back to London in style and celebrated. Someone wrote a song in his honor, and both Egan and Miles reprint it in their works. Egan says it is sung to the tune of "See, The Conquering Hero Comes," while Miles says it was to "Rose of Sharon." Here are the lyrics:

HOUNDSDITCH and the Lanes rejoice, Where the mart for clothes is; Hebrew science lifts its voice, Aaron proves a Moses.

Barney Aaron! Barney Aaron! Through the Sin-a-gog and streets, Rabbis, with their oily air on, Shout his name and praise his feats— Milling—fibbing— Muzzling—cribbing— Blood-letting like a doctor’s lance— Setting teeth chattering, Christianity shattering, And, Joshua-like, making the moon-eyes dance.

Cutler Street is like a fair; Barney Aaron! Barney Aaron! All the little Jews declare, Rows his keel like Charon. Old Mendoza—Young Mendoza— Both are known and famed in fight; But Aaron is a priest-like poser, A sacrificing Israelite. Science—defiance— Attitude—latitude— In the _sanctum sanctorum_ he marks the “points;” In sackcloth and ashes, The shewbread he slashes, And to Pentecost sends their uncircumcised joints.

Shibboleth among the tribes Is Barney Aaron! Barney Aaron! Some to bet have taken bribes, And even’d odds to share on: Barney fights _against_ “the Cross,” Like ancient unbelievers; “Flats” are “naturals” by the loss; “Sharps” are gainers and receivers: And sweet Miss Sharon! And nishe Miss Aaron! Eat veal so white in the fistic cause, And with Seager’s Daffy Their tongues are chaffy, For Aceldama’s victory brings monish and applause.

Barney was moving up in the pugilistic world at this point and was next matched against Arthur Mathewson, from Birmingham, who was well-celebrated in his home province and whose fame was also growing in London. Mathewson had never before been defeated. The two met - for the impressive sum of £100 a side - at Colnbrook on 21 Jun 1824. Barney's backers were giving 5-4 odds on their man, who had five pounds and two inches on Mathewson. Most of the early rounds saw the two evenly matched, and by the 42nd through 49th rounds Barney seemed to be taking a clear advantage. Egan says that in the 57th round the battle was so decidedly in favor of Barney that 20-1 odds were being wagered on him. But then in the 59th and final round Mathewson got a lucky shot on Barney's throat that laid him completely out and left him senseless until time was called and Mathewson was declared the winner in one hour and ten minutes. It is said that when Barney recovered his senses he was "distressed beyond expression, and his attendants could not make him believe for some time that he had been defeated." After returning to London he penned a long letter that was published in the newspaper (Pierce Egan's Life in London) in which he seemed to claim that some of Mathewson's ring attendants were "absolutely whipping me, pressing on me every way," but in the context of the letter it is very difficult to understand what exactly he is talking about. But the gist of it is that he apparently felt the fight was unfair in some way, and immediately offered a new challenge to Mathewson to meet again in three months for two hundred sovereigns. Such a match never took place, and the two men never fought again.

The Morning Chronicle of London gave a long description of the fight, before, during and after, in its 22 Jun 1824 issue (p.3) and concluded with these remarks: "Nothing could exceed the astonishment and mortification of the Jews on witnessing this unexpected result of the contest. The superiority which Barney had manifested throughout, led them to make certain of his success, so much so, that in very many instances, not alone 15 to 1, but 40 to 1 was offered and taken that he would win. His strength, his courage, and his unshrinking perseverance, confirmed his beliefs; but fortune, although within his grasp, evaded his pursuit. Matthewson, with a game almost unexampled, came to the scratch at the end of every round, with the determination to fight as long as nature would uphold him. He had been dreadfully punished, and the blood with which his stomach was filled nearly deprived him of his presence of mind. Having relieved himself from this however he suddenly became a new man, fought with renewed vigour, and met Barney on coming in with such force and precision as astonished the spectators. In the 56th round, it was, as far as we were able to observe, the decisive blow was given. It appeared to be accidental, but it was evidently not without design. It is but justice to state, that even when most oppressed, Mathewson maintained his self-possession, and hit in such a way as to prove his sound bottom. The wind-up might have been accidental, but it was powerfully effective, for poor Barney's knowledge-box was quite in a fog. This event was so unexpected, that the Christians gave no limit to the joy--shout followed shout and "Ten thousand tongues, "Ten thousand pair of lungs." made the vaulted space of heaven ring with exclamations of joy. Never did we witness such extraordinary exultation, and in proportion to the joy on the one side, disappointment and horror was manifested on the other. The Jews could scarcely believe their defeat; they looked at each other in silent, unutterable despair. "Blow my dicky," said one, "has he lost it?" 'Tis impossible," said another. "I won't believe it," said a third; and "it's a cross," said a fourth, and so on exclamation followed exclamation, but all ended in the sad truth, that Barney, the star of Duke's-place, the very Champion of the Israelites, was conquered by a Christian. Never did we witness so singular a change in the manners of an assembled multitude, and we verily believe the Jews were in the proportion of 8 to 1 Christians. They had come down, as we before stated, in the most unqualified confidence of success, and this unexpected blow to their hopes seemed to deprive them of all command of temper--they quarreled with each other--they quarreled with the horses--they quarreled with their food--in fact, there was nothing with which they did not quarrel, and they returned to town more like dogs with kettles tied to their tails than animals gifted with the reasoning faculty. As they passed along the roads they were jeered by all classes, and this tended more cruelly to aggravate the miseries. Preparations have been made to illuminate Petticoat-lane and Houndsditch, and the only consolation that was obtained was the solitary fact, that the candles had been saved. It is but due to say, however, that Barney fought with great courage and firmness, and that but for the sudden and accidental blow which he received in the last round, there was every probability of his being crowned with laurel instead of cypress. No person could have felt more strongly the consequences of defeat than himself. Matthewson is entitled to every credit; he fought courageously to the last; and resisted every desertion of nature; but he had an object beyond the mere pecuniary gain by the fight--he was backed by a man to whose daughter he was paying his addresses; and the result of the battle is to decide his fate in a double sense; for he was not alone to win a wife but her portion. The fight lasted one hour and eight minutes and a half.

For a while Barney's next opponent looked to be the powerful Dick Curtis, who is recognized as one of the greatest lightweight pugilists of the era. The London sporting world was very excited about this and much betting was going on in advance of such a fight happening. It was scheduled for 23 Nov 1824 on a stage at Warwick, but a few days before the scheduled bout the betting odds, which had been in Curtis's favor, started to take a rapid turn until suddenly they were in favor of Barney. Rumors started to fly that something was amiss - likely a belief that a 'fix' was in - but no foundation for such a thing ever arose, and it seems like the betting crowd had just reevaluated Barney's chances against Curtis. [The Morning Chronicle, London, 18 Nov 1824, p.3] But confusion still reigned, and by the morning of the fight it was rumored that it would be called off. Barney's backers took him away to Oxford, but Curtis stayed and even took to the stage to call Barney out, not knowing he had gone, and in the end claimed the £100 purse by default. There was so much pre-fight confusion that neither man was blamed for the outcome. Aaron and Curtis would fight another day, but not for more than two years. That didn't stop the local boxing afficianados from trying to get them together. Someone wrote a pair of poems pretending to be sent between Curtis and Barney and published in the local paper. The first, dated 28 Aug 1825, is Richard Curtis to Barney Aaron and titled "The Pet's Invitation," and indirectly mentions Barney's wife Phoebe:

Come, Barney, 'tis Curtis, the Pet, who invites thee, No longer to fight for two hundred refuse; For while all the pride of "the Peeplesh" excites thee, You can't need the needful, my Star of the Jews!

Remember the glories of ancient Mendoza, And hard drinking, hard hitting, shifting Dutch Sam; Think on old Ikey Pig, and Big Bitton, who knows thee, With the rush of a lion, yet mild as a lamb.

What, though Mrs. Aaron thy mug may delight in, And, thinking of black eyes, turns fretful and wan; She'll say, when convinced that you really mean fighting, "Mine husband, God bless him, 's a brave little man."

I'll own that as good as e'er pull'd off a shirt, is The lad I now call to the old milling game; And remember, friend Barney, though challenged by Curtis, No Cur-'tis invites thee to combat for fame.

Then try all the good ones, who live in the Minories, Kick the shins of the dwellers in Petticoat Lane-- Get blunt, which of all sorts of milling the sinew is; Drop chaffing, and take to hard fighting again.

The Star's Answer, Barney Aaron to Richard Curtis, was published 3 Sep 1825:

I come, Mr. Cur-tis, the Star of the Sheenies, Who advances to pluck from thy brow, thy high crest, With a sufficit quantum of courage--no ninny, To lower thy caput, my Flower of the West.

You fought Peter Warren a hundred to ninety, Why not fight me for the first-mention'd name; But being all bounce, the scratch cannot come to, To show your pugilistic pretensions to fame.

You say that precious metal, that jewel--the rhino, Can be had from the Sheenies of Petticoat Lane; So leave off useless chaffing--fight, and there shine, O! To regain my lost reputation again.

I state, for A HUNDRED, I'm ready to fight you, Surely, out of court'sy, you cannot refuse; You have to content with no Warren, my Cur-tis, But brave Barney Aaron, the Star of the Jews!

The language of these verses are so archaic as to be almost incomprehensible to the modern reader. One wonders if even Aaron or Curtis themselves fully understood what the author was talking about. As Egan says "These poetic effusions did not produce any battle." The following letter appeared on the last day of 1825 in Egan's Life in London newspaper:

To the Friends of Barney Aaron I think it my duty to inform them, that such a brave "little man" should not be thus neglected, for he has proved himself a true and game boxer; he has fought seven or eight manly battles, and was successful in winning all but one--that was no disgrace to Barney and his friends. Then, why not give the lad another chance? We are sure the lad means what is right, and we are sure that sporting men would not think any distance too far to see two good honest little men fight. A match between Barney and Dick Curtis would stand high on the list, therefore let us try to bring Barney into the ring again; he has not fought since his battle with Arthur Mathewson; one more fight will bring the lad to rights again. I am sure the Sheenies are men, and will see their brave little hero righted--the first trumps took him by the hand, and it is to be hoped they will see him through it. [Signed] "A TRUE SHEENY"

It wasn't until 21 Mar 1826, twenty-one months to the day since his last fight (against Mathewson) that he entered the ring again. At one point in March 1825 one newspaper writer said that Barney was "almost wild for a job." [The Charleston Mercury, Charleston, SC, 12 Mar 1825, p.1] He was finally matched against Dick Ayres for £50 a side at a place called No Man's Land - an area of common land in Hertfordshire that is still used by the public for recreational activities, though now called Nomansland. Ayres was a veteran of the ring, but being towards the end of the career while Barney was still young, the odds went significantly to Aaron. And the resulting fight proved the odds-makers to be right, as Barney totally dominated Ayres for the full 43 rounds and three quarters of an hour. The match ended in confusion, however, when Barney apparently struck Ayres when he was on the ground at the end of the fight. Backers of Ayres cried foul, but there was a difference of opinion on the subject. The match wasn't decided until the three umpires met on the road home to debate the issue. One said he saw no foul, another said that there was a blow struck to Ayres while on the ground but it was accidental, if not unavoidable, on Barney's part, so therefore no foul. The third umpire said he wasn't able to see what happened, so the end result was a judgment for Barney.

It was nearly another year before Barney had another fight, and this was finally the long-awaited match against Dick Curtis. The stakes were for £100 a side and it took place on a stage at Andover on 27 Feb 1827. Curtis was favored by 6-4 odds in the opening betting. We'll share the round-by-round description of the fight published in Pugilistica.

Round 1.—The Pet, as he exhibited in buff, gave great delight and satisfaction to his numerous friends. His condition was acknowledged to be quite tip-top. He might have been compared to the finest racehorse for blood, game, and bone; in fact, the _tout ensemble_ of the Pet was the picture of a fine-framed man in miniature. His arms were beautiful. The Star of the East was equally bright; he had done everything to improve his strength during his preparation, and he appeared at the scratch a robust, vigorous, athletic young man. In elegance, ease, and grace, Angelo, O’Shaughnessy, or Roland, with the foils, could not have exhibited more taste in the polite accomplishment of fencing than did the attitudes and arms of Curtis and Aaron exhibit in the art of self-defence. Both combatants were armed _cap-à-pie_; it was an eye against an eye, toe for toe, arm opposed to arm, caution matched with caution; if one was “down” the other was “up”—it was, “I won’t have it!” on both sides; in short, it was diamond cut diamond. Such were the boxers opposed to each other in this great trial of skill. Barney, unlike the character of his milling in his previous battles, preferred the “look-out” to the rush; he being well aware of the great talent, judgment, and finishing qualities of his opponent, and determined not to give the slightest chance away. The Pet, like an accomplished general, soon perceived that his adversary was nothing else but a difficult one, and not to be gammoned upon old suits: indeed, that nothing but the utmost skill was necessary to be with him upon any point. For several minutes the spectators were delighted with the extreme caution displayed on both sides, and at the same time the readiness which Curtis and Aaron displayed should any opening offer for the exercise of their fists. Curtis looked as it were into the “very soul” of his adversary, and the richness of the “Jew’s eye” was of an equally penetrating description. Barney waited for the Pet to commence offensive operations, but Curtis, finding that nothing could be done without great danger to himself, retreated slowly towards the corner of the stage, the Star of the East following him leisurely. The interest of the scene was intense, and every peeper on the stretch to witness mischief. Barney, with great spirit and tact, went in, and gave Dick pepper with his right and left hands on his face. (“Beautiful!” from the Sheenies.) The Pet countered slightly. Barney, in closing, endeavoured to fib his opponent, but Dick bolted (“Hallo! what’s the matter?”) and cleverly got out of trouble. The Pet turned quickly, and again met his man; an exchange of blows followed, and in closing they tried each other’s strength severely, when both went down, Curtis undermost. (Loud shouting for Barney, and “Where’s your two to one?”) The claret was seen on Dick’s mouth. “First blood” was declared in favour of Aaron.

2.—Curtis had always entertained a good opinion of the milling qualities of his opponent, but he was now completely satisfied that he was not only a troublesome customer, but a better man than any who had previously stood before him. Slow and sure appeared the order of the day on both sides. Aaron was not to be had by any stratagem practised by Curtis. The latter, however, gradually retired to the end of the stage, Barney in attendance upon him. Counter-hits were given, and both told. The Jew went to work in the most manly style, and the counter-hits were admirable. In closing Barney endeavoured to fib his opponent, but the Pet returned hard and fast, and it was difficult to say which had the best of it. Barney was ultimately thrown, but Dick also went down. The Pet-ites now began to let loose their red rags, and Curtis was hailed with shouts of applause.

3.—This round was “as long as Paterson’s Road Book.” Each of their mugs exhibited the handiwork of the other, and Barney’s peepers had been measured for a “suit of mourning.” The Pet was cautious, and his face bespoke that he had all his work to do to change the battle in his favour. Barney was equally shy, and kept a good look-out. Curtis, finding that he could not make an impression, tried once more the retreating system, but Barney was after him, though his blows were skilfully stopped by the Pet. Counter-hitting, and Jack as good as his master. Curtis’s right eye received a sharp taste, but the Jew had the favour returned with interest. A pause, and nothing like mischief for a short period. Barney at length let fly on the Pet’s chaffing-box, and the claret followed, which appeared rather troublesome to Curtis. The admirers of scientific fighting had a perfect treat, both men being prepared at every point. Curtis seemed rather fatigued, put down his hands for an instant, and the Jew followed his example. The truth is, the conduct of Barney in not availing himself of his weight and length not only surprised all his friends, but astonished the backers of Curtis. The disinterested part of the audience viewed it as a doubtful thing. Barney at last went to work, and planted two successful hits. Some sharp exchanges. In closing, fibbing was the order of the day, and the pepper-box changed hands in rapid succession. The men broke ground, and Dick adopted his skilful mode of retreating. The Star of the East went after him, and in the corner of the stage planted a severe blow on his throat, which made Dick gulp again. In closing, after a severe struggle, Curtis went down undermost, and Barney upon one knee. (“Vell done, Barney!” from the Sheenies.) The backers of Curtis, although not positively afraid, yet candidly acknowledged they had hitherto thought too little of Aaron.

4.—The face of Dick did not exhibit his usual gaiety of expression. His mind was at work to attack his opponent upon a new system. In short, we never saw him so puzzled before in any of his contests. The pause was long, and nothing done. Jem Ward, who had hitherto been silent, now exclaimed, “It will be—‘who’d ha’ thought it?’ We shall win!” Barney cleverly hit the Pet away, and some little workmanship took place between them, when the left mauly of Dick caught Barney’s nob, and he went down partly on his knees. It could scarcely be considered a knock-down blow. The Pet-ites were again liberal with their applause, and seven to four offered.

5.—Those persons who had witnessed the severity of execution done by Dick in his fights with gloves expected that he would have nobbed the Jew off-hand. But the science and caution of Barney astonished the ring-goers. Sharp counter-hits. The fighting was good on both sides, and both nobs were damaged. The right cheek of the Star of the East napped a severe cut. In closing the struggle was great to obtain the throw, when the Pet, by a sudden impulse, gave Barney a hoist between the ropes. He would have fallen at least six feet to the ground, but fortunately for the Star of the East a wagon had been placed near the stage for the accommodation of the reporters, umpires, and referee. Pierce Egan and another scribbler caught hold of Barney by the arm and his leg, and rescued the Jew from his perilous situation. Like one of the gamest of the game Barney jumped up and exclaimed, “I am not hurt, it’s all right,” and reascended the stage amidst thunders of applause.

6.—Of course the agitation and shock sustained by the above accident, added to the shortness of the time, only half a minute, to return to the scratch, were considerably against him. Yet he set to in the most manly way, and gave Dick not a very light one on his pimple. The latter countered as quick as lightning. Milling on both sides for a short period, until they separated. Both careful, and upon the look-out for an opening. A rally occurred, in which Dick rather took the lead, and Barney’s head received severe punishment. The Jew at length went down upon his hands. (“You have got him now, Curtis, only go to work!” said the boys of the Borough. “He knows better,” answered a Sheeny; “Curtis will be in trouble if he does!”)

7.—The countenance of Curtis now became cheerful, and he gave the “office” to his friends that the fight was his own. Dick was evidently improved, but Barney, game as a pebble, commenced fighting. The Pet retreated with advantage, and as Barney followed him he planted one, two, and a third facer in succession. The Jew, good as gold, would not be denied, went in to work, caught hold of Dick, and fibbed with all his strength; Curtis was not behindhand. In struggling for the throw Curtis went down easy, but was undermost. Two to one on Curtis, and lots of shouting.

8.—The Pet was decidedly getting the best of it, yet the strength of Barney was by no means so reduced as to indicate that the fight would soon be over. Barney went to work, and a sharp rally was the result. Some hard hits passed between them, and Curtis received a teaser on his jaw. In closing both went down. The Sheenies did not desert their man, and cheered him with applause.

9, and last.—Dick, though quite satisfied in his own mind he was now winning the fight, was as cautious as if he had yet all his work to do. The head of Barney was rather out of shape, and the nob of Curtis was a little changed. Sparring for a short time, when Dick made himself up for mischief, and mischievous he certainly was. With his left he put in a tremendous blow upon his opponent’s throat. Barney went down like a shot—flat upon his back—his heels up, and was utterly insensible when time was called. Curtis so well knew that he had settled the business that he went up immediately to the time-keepers to wait for their decision. The Pet jumped for joy, and was proclaimed the victor, amidst the shouts of the surrounding populace. Josh Hudson hoisted the Pet upon his shoulders and carried him to his post-chaise, huzzaing all the way. The fight lasted fifty minutes.

REMARKS.—Such a real, scientific battle on both sides has not been seen for many a long day: indeed, no lover of the Fancy would have thought two hundred miles any distance to have witnessed the superior tactics displayed by Curtis and Aaron. The Pet, high as he stood before on the roll of pugilists, raised himself to the top of the tree by this victory. Curtis has now proved the conqueror in eleven prize battles. As we have already said, we never saw Dick so puzzled before, and until he had reduced the Jew to his weight the first four rounds were of a doubtful character. Without exception the Pet must be pronounced the most efficient boxer in the pugilistic world. We cannot say more. At the same time it is equally true that Barney Aaron, if not exactly at the top of the tree, is very near to it. That is to say, if Curtis ranks as number one, number two of the light weights belongs to the brave little Sheeny. He is still the Star of the East, and instead of having fallen in the estimation of his friends by this defeat, his fine fighting, manly conduct, and fair play must raise him in the eyes of the sporting world. Curtis did not weigh nine stone, and Barney just drew ten. The severity of the blow which Aaron received on his throat operated so strongly that he did not come to himself for nearly an hour. To use Barney’s own words, he said, “I do not know that I could have won the battle, but had I not received that blow on my throat, which fairly hit me out of time, I am certain I could have fought for half an hour longer.” Curtis, before he left Andover, called upon his fallen and brave opponent and presented him with a guinea, and acknowledged that he was the best man he had ever fought with. A subscription of six pounds was also made on the ground, collected by one of the backers of Curtis.

Frank Redmond was next on the list. Not satisfied with his loss to Barney back in Dec 1823 Redmond made another match with Barney, this one for £50 a side. The fight was planned for 21 Aug 1827 at Chertsey, twenty miles from London, but as Barney and the spectators gathered for the fight a violent thunder and lightning storm with sheets of rain hit the area. Then, after the storm had passed, it was discovered that Redmond had been stopped by the police on the way to the match. When he didn't show in time, Barney claimed the purse, much to the chagrin of Redmond and friends once he arrived much later. To put the matter to rest a new date was agreed upon, this one on 23 Oct 1827 in No Man's Land. A 42-round one hour and twelve minute fight ensued. The first half of the contest saw a fairly even match, with both men giving and receiving many successful blows from their opponent. But gradually Barney began to gain the upper hand. After the 35th round it was all Barney, and Redmond was repeatedly sent to the ground, bloodied. But he refused to give in, even when many of his supporters and seconds urged him to. It was only when he was knocked down so hard in the final round and was unable to get up in time that the match was called for Barney. Egan, after describing the fight in detail, round by round, observed that "it was not only a game, but a scientific mill." Barney was a "cool and determined boxer" he said, and deserved to be placed second on the list of lightweights, after Curtis. Despite being the victor, Barney exhibited terrible marks of punishment all about his head and was not very lively after the fight. Redmond had to be carried off in a state of stupor. "Upon the whole," Egan said, "we never witnessed a braver, or a more manly fight; the men not only behaved to each other like Britons, but covered themselves with glory."

Egan wrote his essay about Barney in March of 1828, while his career was still in full flourish, and had this to say in conclusion: "In point of civility, and good behaviour in company, Barney Aaron always conducts himself with the utmost propriety: he sings an excellent song, and renders himself an entertaining companion. The Star of the East, although anxious not to give offence to any one, will, nevertheless, not tamely put up with an insult from a giant. A big fellow got a severe thrashing from our hero in a few rounds, at a Pony Race, near Lea Bridge, without giving Aaron the least trouble. The "Big One," who had behaved extremely uncivil to Barney, was soon glad to "cut it," and acknowledge before the spectators that he had made a mistake. Barney, at the present period, (March, 1828) is following the occupation of a fishmonger; but we have no doubt, at some future period, we shall have to record more of his brave exertions in the P.R." [Prize Ring]

Barney's next battles was with Marsh Bateman, for £40, whom he beat on Landsdowne Racecourse, 4 Jul 1828.

On 11 Nov 1828 he met Harry Jones - aka the Sailor Boy - for £50 a side. Pre-fight odds settled on six to four in favor of Jones due to his being in "tip-top condition" combined with rumors of Barney "not looking altogether right." On the morning of the fight the combantants and the hoardes of boxing afficionados all set off for the appoint grounds at Bullpen Fen in Essex, but on the road there they were stopped by an Essex magistrate who politiely informed them that prize fights were no longer permitted in their county. After some discussion it was agreed to hold the fight behind the Barge House in Woolwich, County of Kent. Unfortunately for Barney he was easily defeated by Jones in eighteen rounds lasting 25 minutes. The Morning Chronicle, which gives a round by round description, summarized with this: "We should say, on reviewing this fight, that Barney had fallen off very materially in his style of fighting; all science was laid aside, and he depended too much on his rushes; for these Harry was prepared, and while he stopped with precision he gave no opportunity to Barney to show his superiority at in-fighting, for he almost invariably darted between his arms, caught him roiund the neck with one hand, and before he could disentangle himself, hit up with the quickness of lightning, and then catching him off his balance flung him, by main strength, occasionally adding his own weight to the force of the fall. To the stunning effects of these falls rather than to severity of punishment, we attribute the quick termination of the battle. We cannot give Harry credit for hitting hard; indeed had the shower of blows he bestowed on Barney [been] one half the strength of the hits from Dick Curtis, Barney must have been disposed of much sooner. He has a knack of hitting with his hands open, and this, till he overcomes it, must always make his success with a game man doubtful. The Sheenies were of course much mortified with the result, and, as usual, grumbling without end followed. There was nothing in the course of the fight, however, to which exception could be by the umpires or referee taken." [The Morning Chronicle, London, 12 Nov 1828, p.3] Some newspaper articles of this day and time occasionally refer to him with the nickname of Parney poy - presumably a variation of "Barney boy."

On 26 May 1829 he met and defeated Jem Raines, at Navestock Green, Essex, in front of the Green Man public house, in thirteen rounds, taking only twenty-eight minutes. This time the Essex County officials allowed the fight to take place within their borders. Both men took a beating in the fight but it was Barney who outlasted his opponent. The paper said that the fight "was creditable to both men; and was one of the busiest and most determined we have witnessed for some time." [The Morning Chronicle, London, 26 May 1829, p.1]

His last battle was with Tom Smith, the East End Sailor Boy, by whom he was defeated, at Grimstead Green, about six miles from Gravesend, in Kent, on 1 Apr 1834. The newspaper describes the fight: "Youth and freshness and weight were decidedly in favour of Smith, and he was accordingly backed at two to one--a confidence which he fully justified, for, after fighting twenty rounds in six-and-seventy minutes, poor Barney, no longer 'a poy,' received such a succession of visitations to his head and ribs, that he was unable to rise to face his antagonist, who, although not in the best condition, might be said to have won easy, but not without a few touches on the nob, which would be found anything but agreeable to persons of 'delicate susceptibility.' Barney fought with great bravery, but 'his day is gone by,' and, like the worn-out post-horse, 'he can no longer answer to the whip.' His downfall produced great 'weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth' among 'our peoples;' yet they submitted to their fate like philosophers, and admitted that their champion 'vos'nt vat he vas, although he cot up like a trump; and if they lost their monish this toime, they must endeavour to get it back some oder vay.' Both men were brought to town the same night in the Albion steamer from Gravesend--Barney, it was said, with the drawback of a broken rib, but Smith with little damage. It was calculated that a thousand persons went down and came up by the Albion and Kent steamers, of whom no inconsiderable portion finished their day's 'agreeables' at Greenwich Fair." [The Morning Chronicle, London, 2 Apr 1834, p.4]

Henry Miles wrapped up his chapter on Barney in volume two of his work Pugilistica with this: " From this period Aaron retired from the arena, but for many years was an attendant at the ring-side. He followed his trade of an East End dealer in fish, and was a frequent purveyor of edibles to the voyagers down the river on the then frequent pugilistic excursions. Barney died in Whitechapel, in 1850, [actually 1859] being up to his last days an authority in all fistic matters among “the peoplesh” of Houndsditch."

Retirement Years

In his retirement, he gave exhibitions and acted as a ringside attendant for important fights. These included acting as a second to John Barleycorn - aka the Hampshire Ploughman -- in Feb 1839 [The Northern Liberator, Newcastle Upon Tyne, 23 Feb 1839, p.3], refereeing a fight between Joseph Rowe and John Cullen in Mar 1844 [The Era, London, 10 Mar 1844, p.11], and acting as an attendant in the English championship fight between Ben Caunt and Bendigo, the boxer William Thompson, in Suffolk in Sep 1845, a long brutal bout where Barney was forced to hold back angry spectators in several rounds. [New York Daily Herald, 4 Oct 1845, p.1] In Mar 1846 he acted as "master of cermonies" at a boxing benefit for Harry Broome. [The Standard, London, 1 Dec 1846, p.4] In 1840 a newspaper notice mentions that he gave self defense classes to his fellow Jews at the Cutler Arms in Houndsditch every Saturday evening. [Bells Life in London and Sporting Chronicle, 15 Nov 1840, p.4]

There is some evidence that he acted as a sort of unofficial 'constable' in the neighborhood in which he lived. In an 1835 case that came before the Lord Mayor of London, two men named Galloway and Wheeler were "charged by Barney Aaron, the well-known pugilist, with having, in conjunction with other fellows, attempted to rob the house in which he resides, as well as other houses in the neighborhood of Harrow-alley, Houndsditch. Aaron stated that a desperate set of vagabonds were in the habit of robbing the houses of Harrow-alley by entering them at the tops, and in many instances they ran the hazard of breaking their necks. But a few nights ago the bed of an industrious couple were stripped of every article of covering by some of the gang, and the two prisoners had been seen lurking about in a suspicious manner. Witness, determined to be prepared for them, loaded a brace of horse-pistols with slugs, and kept watch at the top of the house. He had not been long in the situation, when he saw a movement on the next roof, and called out to the person who was creeping along to give himself up, or he should get the contents of the fire-arms in his head. No attention was paid to the order. Witness then held up a flambeau, and distinctly saw the face of one of the prisoners, and called out again to him to yield, and no answer being returned to the second direction, pulled the trigger, but, fortunately for the men who were aimed at, it missed fire. The men then dropped from the wall down into the street, and escaped. Witness persevered in keeping watch, and on Wednesday night, a little boy, who had been also on the look-out, told him that two men were climbing up the wall. He immediately ran to the spot and seized one of them, while a policeman took hold of the other, and two others who were waiting below ran away. Witness immediately recognized one of the prisoners as the person at whom he had snapped his pistol, although they had very dexterously exchanged coats and hats for the purpose of disguise." The little boy testied about what he saw, and then the prisoners denied any wrongdoing, stating that they were climbing up to the roof to catch some cats who were in the habit of disturbing peoples' sleep. The Lord Mayor did not believe their claim, and found them guilty of housebreaking and sentenced them to hard labor. [The Times, London, 10 Apr 1835, p.6]

In 1841 the census found his family living in Cobbs Yard, Tower Hamlets, Christchurch, Spitalfields in London. Barney's occupation was clothes dealer.

Eleven years later, in 1846, Barney is again mentioned in connection with a case brought before the Lord Mayor: "Charles Cotton was charged with having robbed James Finnis, of a watch. The prosecutor went into Levy's Clothes Exchange , for the purpose of making a purchase, at 12 o'clock in the day. The prisoner suddenly whipped the watch out of the prosecutor's waistcoat pocket, and ran, but handed the watch to an accomplice as he went along, and it was lost sight of. Barney Aaron, who has ascended from the character of a fighting man to that of a constable, stopped the thief with skill and effect, although threatened by some ruffians in the neighborhood for interfering." [The Standard, London, 1 Dec 1846, p.4]

The Morning Chronicle of London on 4 Dec 1849, (p.5), published a long article written by Henry Mayhew as part of his series on the poor of London. It describes some of the mercantile efforts of the poor laboring classes of London and what he calls the "hucksters" and itinerant merchants. At one point he writes about "the Jew clothesmen, hucksters, dealers in second-hand shoes, left-off wardrobe keepers, hareskin dealers, umbrellas dealers and menders, and indeed buyers and sellers of left-off clothes and worn-out commodities of every description." Sounds like a modern day flea market. He continued, "At the gate stands 'Barney Aaron' to take the half-penny admission of everyone entering the ground. By his side stands his son with a leather pouch of halfpence to give change for any silver that may be tendered." Mayhew later published a book titled "The Great World of London" in which is rewrote much of his earlier newspaper columns. He describes the same scene of the"Old Clothes Exchange" outside of Houndsditch, and includes: "Immediately outside the gateway, at the end of the crowded court, stands the celebrated Barney Aaron, the janitor, with out-stretched hand waiting to receive the halfpenny toll, demanded of each of the buyers and sellers who enter; and with his son by his side, with a leathern pouch filled with half a hundred weight of coppers he has already received, and ready to give change for any silver that may be tendered." In this context, the word 'janitor' is used to describe a doorkeeper.

He also became involved in politics to some degree. The following is written in the Wikipedia article about him: "Showing his support for the London working class and members of his own religion during the election of August 1847, Aaron and fellow Jewish boxer Aby Belasco led a lightly armed band of protestors with bludgeons patrolling and protecting the streets of London's East end in support of the election of the wealthy Jewish patron, and emerging politician Lionel de Rothschild to membership in the House of Commons for the city of London. Aaron and his followers were referred to with disgust in a letter to the English newspaper the Liverpool Albion as "the lowest class of Jews in the east of London", and condemned for injuring the cause for which they marched. Though he won by a large margin, receiving 6792 votes, Rothschild would not be allowed to serve in Commons without taking a vow as a Christian upon a New Testament, which as a Jew, he refused to do.[16][17] The House of Commons then wrote the Jewish Disabilities Bill allowing Jews to serve in Commons by taking a modified oath, but was repealed repeatedly by the House of Lords, and though serving for a year in Commons and winning subsequent elections by larger margins, Rothschild did not officially take the oath of office as a Jew until 1858, a year before Aaron's death. There were accusations that Lionel Rothschild's family bought votes, and paid Aaron and his band to patrol the streets during the voting week in August 1847, but this was never proven, and seemed unlikely as both sides of the vote were large in number. The family did expend capital to bring East end voters, many supporters of Aaron, to the polls free of charge. Rothschild's candidacy was supported by Benjamin Disraeli, a rising voice in the House of Commons since 1837 and its most prominent Jewish member. Both Rothschild and Disraeli believed the English government could form an alliance with the working classes of London, who at the time had limited social mobility, and lacked the right to vote. Aligned with Aaron and his brethren, Rothschild hoped to bring Jewish emancipation into the broader platform of the civil and religious liberties promised by his Liberal party. Disraeli was eventually successful in extending the vote to certain members of the English male working class in the Reform Act of 1867, the type of legislation that Aaron and his band may have marched for twenty years earlier."

The letter mentioned above in the Liverpool Albion was reprinted in the New York Herald of 24 Aug 1847, on the front page. After a section discussing how much Rothschild may have spent on the elecdtion it reads: "...a great deal of it must have been devoted to the most objectionable, and offensive purpose, of which Rothschild himself, or those fit to be called his friends, could have had no cognizance, and which lost him several votes, to the knowledge of the writer. This was the subsidizing of bands of the very lowest class of Jews in the east of London, (the most abandoned set of beings, perhaps, in the world) to patrol the streets all day on Thursday, under the leadership of Barney Aaron, Abey Belasco, and people of similar repute to the fistic and moral world. These gentry, whose facial attributes, costumes, and general bearing, gave one by no means an exalted idea of what the earth would be were Mr. D'Israeli's theory of the new generation 'in working order', were armed with bludgeons, and went about yelling and hooting in a fashion calculated to thoroughly disgust all whom it failed to terrify. The object of this proceeding it is not easy to imagine. If it were not that their creed were a guarantee for their sincerity in the cause they ostensibly sought to serve, one would imagine they had been paid expressly to injure it; and injure it they unwittingly did to some extent, so no exhibition of the sort was ever witnessed in the city before, and many who saw it found an additional motive for wishing to prevent its recurrence there or elsewhere, by voting against the Israelitish candidate."

In 1854 Barney came to America for a professional tour. He arrived in New York harbor on 2 Oct 1854 abord the ship Henrik Hudson accompanied by his sons Lewis and Solomon, who came to stay and eventually married and had families with many descendants here. His fighting son "Young" Barney Aaron is sometimes said to have come over at the same time, but was not listed on the ship's register and more likely came by himself the following year. In the 4 Nov 1854 issue of the New York Clipper newspaper they began publishing the full text of Pierce Egan's "Boxiana" essay on Barney, and it spanned three week's issues on the front pages. On page two they discussed the beginning of his visit to America: "Barney Aaron, a veteran of the London Prize Ring, arrived in this country a few weeks since, and is now stopping at the house of a friend in this city. Mr. Aaron is now 54 years old and is still able to give admirers of the art a fair sample of what real scientific pugilism is.... On Mr. Aaron's arrival in this country, he became mixed up with those who could be of no real service to him in the object of his visit. Those who [took?] him in charge kept his name from the public eye, as if they were fearful the prestige attached to that name might injure the prospects of others. The consequence was that the Sparring Exhibition given by Mr. Aaron was a failure. We regret this, exceedingly; for if any man deserves a hearty welcome at the hands of the pugilistic fraternity, it is this hardy veteran. He comes among us a total stranger, and is received coldly. And why was this? We will tell you. The late attempt of a certain individual to pass himself off as the Champion Pedestrian of England had much to do with Mr. Aaron's reception. The manner in which we showed up this pretender, and exposed his schemes, very naturally had a tendency to put our readers on their guard for similar pretenders, and they look with suspicion upon all who in the least associate with or countenance the actions of the person alluded to. We can assure our readers, however, that Mr. Aaron is no pretender. What he professes to have done is placed upon record, not by himself, but by the principal Sporting Authorities of England. Examine "Fistiana," peruse the entertaining pages of Pierce Egan's great work, "Boxiana," and there you will find recorded the exploits in the Prize Ring, of this veteran, Barney Aaron. We repeat, we are exceedingly mortified that the first exhibition given in this country by the veteran should have resulted as it did. But, there is time enough to remedy this. If our advice will not be looked upon as savoring of egotism, we would urge upon Mr. Aaron the necessity of cutting himself aloof from any particular set of men -- he will thus prevent those petty feelings which will find their way into opposing bodies. We would also advise Mr. Aaron to give us another Exhibition, that the sporting community may behold one of the best men that ever entered the ring. Steer clear of cliques, Mr. Aaron, and you will find plenty of sparrers to lend their assistance."

Barney either took the Clipper's ideas or had them himself, as he gave another exhibition, this time in Philadelphia. The Clipper issue of 16 Dec 1854 covered the story: "Sparring in Philadelphia. Barney Aaron's Exhibition. Great Success. One of the best sparring exhibitions that ever took place in Philadelphia came off on Friday evening, the 10th inst., at the beautiful saloon in the Assembly Buildings, corner of 10th and Chestnut streets, Philadelphia. It was the occasion of a complimentary benefit to that veteran of the ring, Barney Aaron, whom our readers have been made acquainted with through the publication of his life and battles, in the columns of the New York Clipper. Mr. Aaron's first exhibition in this country took place in New York, but through some bad arrangements, not necessary to revert to here, it proved a failure. We then gave Mr. Aaron some advice, through the Clipper (for his friends did not see fit to introduce us to him) which, we are extremely happy to say, he followed, and are still more happy to know he has profited by. Our Philadelphia correspondent "Gray Coat," furnishes us with the following in reference to Mr. Aaron's benefit: ... The grand Complimentary Sparring Exhibition, for the benefit of our friend, Barney Aaron, came off on Friday, night last, at the Assembly Buildings. It was one of the best regulated, and most fashionably attended exhibitions we ever witnessed. The sparring throughout was so excellent that it would be difficult to say who was the best. Barney Aaron and Izzy Lazarus, was a fine piece of work; and though both men are well advanced in years, the younger portion of the fraternity had best stear clear of them. The evening's entertainment was interspersed with singing and dancing, and the evening passed off in the best manner possible. ... The price of admission has heretofore been 25 cents--on this occasion it was 50 cents, and the result shows a balance for Mr. Aaron of at least $150."

Before he went to Philadelphia he gave notice that he was "prepared to make a match to fight any man in the United States for $1000, and give 7 lbs. in weight and 5 years in age." [New York Clipper, 9 Dec 1854, p.2] It appears no one took him up on his offer as no mention of such a match appeared in the papers, and most likely would have, had it occurred.

After his Philadelphia exhibition he headed to Cincinnati: "The Veteran Going West. We learn from Philadelphia that Barney Aaron will leave that city next week for Cincinnati, where he intends giving a series of sparring exhibitions. We wish him success. Mr. Aaron desires us to return his thanks to Messrs. Hunt, Harvey Blitz, Isaacs, and Marks, for their kindness in superintending the arrangements for his late exhibition in Philadelphia." [New York Clipper, 23 Dec 1854, p.2]

Several years later a newspaper account of one of his son Barney's fights gave some background on old Barney and talked about his tour to America. It got the year and other facts wrong but added some additional information: "In the year 1853, the old man, in company with his son, paid a visit to America, and was well received, but his age at that time prevented him from trying his hand at it here, although Old Bill Tovee and Deaf Tom Smith tried very hard to get on a match with him on account of his having publicly challenged them at various times. The old M.C. Tovee did have a sort of glove fight with Barney, and the latter thought so well of his style that he presented Uncle Bill with a memento thereof, which he retains to the present day. His trip to Yankee land was not hardly up to his expectations, and he returned to England in a very quiet way..." [ Evening Star, Washington, D.C., 14 Jun 1867, p.1]

No other newspaper articles can be located talking about what he did after Philadelphia. Whether the Cincinnati exhibitions ever took place is not known. It's possible that he returned to England and then came back again in on 30 Jun 1855, as a "Barney Aron," age 55, occupation "traveller" arrived in New York on that date. The New York Clipper, on 3 May 1856, in a column titled "Latest Foreign Sporting Items" says "Barney Aaron had arrived in England, and speaks well of his treatment in the States." That's a year and a half since the Philadelphia exhibition of 1854, so this is further indication that he may have gone back a second time. No passenger list for his arrival back in England can be found for either trip.

Barney might have been an amateur poet. In a Boston Globe article dated 12 Feb 1899, p.4, titled "The Mystery of Hard Heads" it states "Hebrew pugilist Barney Aaron, who fought more rounds and won more battles in the prize ring than any other man in recorded history, was a devotee of literature at the same time, and wrote poetry of no mean merit." Whether this applies to the father or the son is unknown.

Sources

• Source: S376 The Jewish encyclopedia : a descriptive record of the history, religion, literature and customs of the Jewish people from the earliest times to the present day / prepared by more than four hundred scholars and specialists under the direction of Cyrus Adler ... [et al.] ; Isidore Singer, projector and managing editor ; assisted by American and foreign boards of consulting editors Publication: New York ; London : Funk and Wagnalls, 1925

• Source: S91 New Series of Boxiana: being the only original and complete lives of the Boxers, Vol. 2 Pierce Egan Publication: London: George Virtue, 1829

• Marriage: Morning Chronicle, London, England, 31 Aug 1824, p.3, Sporting Intelligence, Pugilism. <https://newspaperarchive.com/morning-chronicle-aug-31-1824-p-3/>; British Press, London England, 31 Aug 1824, p.4 <https://newspaperarchive.com/british-press-aug-31-1824-p-4/>

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barney_Aaron

More on Barney and his descendants here: http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~teschek/genealogy/ss-o/g0/p2.htm#i72