GULLY, PUGILIST AND M.P.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 142, 19 August 1876, Page 3

GULLY, PUGILIST AND M.P.

In Lord William Lennox’s book, (t Celebrities I Have Known,” appears an excellent biographical notice of the late Mr John Gully, M.P. for Pontefract. They sat side by side in the House of Commons, and .Lord Lciihox was so much impressed with th.c common-sense of the cx-pngilist, the deep attention he paid to the debated; and tlie sensible remarks he made concerning them, that the author endeavors to persfi'adc him to address the House,, but Without success.... Gully’s reply is singularly tcristic of the man# who was modest and ■unassuming. “ No, my Lord,” he replied, “ I know my position# and though I am sure , the House Would . show mo, .every consideration# I prefer to be a

■silent member. My duties are easily defined—to attend any Committee that lam appointed and to he always in my place to record my tote/’ Gully’s 'career was so singular that we cannot resist the temptation to give the author’s version of it.- He this born at Wiek-aml-Ahion, betweoif Bath and Bristol, in tho y-ar 17113, ami was brought up to the trade of a butcher i— rf Ho soon .evinced a taste for fistic encounters with "clods al o'ut homo, arid after a short period visited the metropolis with no definite object beyond tbo practice 1 6f bis trade. Fortune, however, does not sccUl to have favored him, for shortly after reaching Ids 21st year ho found hhnSelf afiinmate of-the debtor’s prison.- Here his fellowtownsman, Pearce—better known as the ‘ Game Chicken’—cante to visit him, and whiled away the time’with a bout or t.vo with the gloves. . Some patrons of the ring heard of prowess-,- made arrangements for liquidating his, debts, and drew up a match between him and the * Chicken,’ the latter staking £GOO to £400,” The contest came off at Halisham, in Sussex,’ when,’ after one hour and ten minutes’ hard fighting, Gully was taken out of the ring by his friends. He next met Gregs oft,- of Lancashire, of immense size,- and conquered him alter a hard fought battle. Another match was formed, and Gully ■was again victorious; Then he determined to leave the Ring,- and he became landlord of The Plough, Cary-strect, Lincoln’s-inn where he* fifrned his attention to horse racing speculation. Although he was on several occasions a heavy loser, yet his calm judgment appears to have been on other occasions of- great service to him. A few years later he came forth promfneutly ns a turfite, “In 1844 Gully sent his horses to Danebury, where old John Day’s planet began to shine again—The Ugly Buck winning the Two Thousand, and two years afterwards Gully carrying off the Derby with Pyrrhus the First,- and the Oaks with Mendicant. . .- . He was twice returned in the Liberal interest for Pontefract, on the first occasion without a contest;” Lord Lennox adds , “ In conclusion, his unpresnrding deport- , ment, his great commoii sense, and the absence of false shame when any reference was made to his early career, fairly earned him that respect which I,- and I believe many otherig retained for him.- The memory of JohU Gully will be cherished by nil Englishmen who can 'appreciate iunnly courage.’ His life may point a inoral as the especial typb of one— Who through' the moil and dust of life Went forward undcfileil!-