August 1885 - the Chief Constable of Rochdale, Mr. Wilkinson received a tip off that an unregulated, illegal prizefight was scheduled to take place somewhere between Rochdale and Milnrow.
Detective Sergeant Banks and Detective Constable Boothman were tasked along with a number of other officers to put paid to the illegal activity.
On arriving at Belfield they saw a group of around 70 people gathered around, the officers decided to lay in ambush and gather intelligence on the proceedings. After watching for a short time a large group of the crowd went into the Printers Arms on Belfield Road.
On leaving the pub the group as a whole made their way towards Milnrow.
Keeping tabs on them from a distance the police followed the group for around a mile until they stopped in a valley near to Uncouth Bridge.
Two of the men stripped to their waists and began to fight, the onlookers forming a circle around them.
The detectives ran towards the crowd who were now becoming very animated at the fight going on in front of them - on seeing the approaching police officers, the crowd began to run towards Milnrow in order to escape.
The police did manage to apprehend some of the onlookers and were able to glean some information as to the identity of the fighters.
James Thomas Jones and Thomas Pugh, both painters by trade, were soon arrested by the authorities, on being questioned they both stated that the fight wasn't for money, they stated it wasn't a "prize-fight', but more of a "love-fight" over a local woman.....
Jones pleaded guilty to a charge of breach of the peace, Pugh's brother produced a doctors note stating that Thomas was unable to attend court but that he was intending to plead guilty - both men were bound over to keep the peace for 12 months.
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