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Sayers appearance late 1864 |
Benefit for Jem Ward |
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==Retirement and death==
[[File:SayersTomb HighgateCemetery.JPG|thumb|230px|The tomb of Tom Sayers at [[Highgate Cemetery]]]]
After the Heenan fight of 1860, Tom Sayers never fought again. A public subscription was raised for him after the fight, and he received the sum of £3,000, enough to fund a comfortable retirement. This money was safely invested following the advice of John Gideon. In the Autumn of 1860, Sayers was engaged by the American circus company, Howes and Cushing, at a reported wage of £55 per week plus expenses.<ref name="Derbyshire Courier 8 December 1860">{{cite news |title=Tom Sayers and the Circus |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000395/18601208/064/0003 |accessdate=22 July 2019|work=Derbyshire Courier |via=The British Newspaper Archive |date=8 December 1860|page=3|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In October 1861, it was announced that Sayers had purchased the circuses of Howes and Cushing as well as "Jem Meyers's Great American Circus".<ref name="Sporting Life 9 October 1861">{{cite news |title=Tom Sayers's champion circus of the world |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000893/18611009/060/0001 |accessdate=22 July 2019 |work=Sporting Life |via=The British Newspaper Archive |date=9 October 1861|page=1|url-access=subscription}}</ref> Sayers' circus toured Britain in 1862 but was sold off by auction in November 1862.<ref name="Nottinghamshire Guardian 14 November 1862">{{cite news |title=Sale of Tom Sayer's Circus |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000176/18621114/038/0007 |accessdate=22 July 2019 |work=Nottinghamshire Guardian |via=The British Newspaper Archive |date=14 November 1862|page=7|url-access=subscription}}</ref> This did not end Sayers' involvement with the circus business, however, as in November 1863, it was reported that "Tom Sayers and his Company" would be putting on a combined performance with Howes's American Circus.<ref name="Bucks Chronicle and Bucks Gazette 7 November 1863">{{cite news |title=Two circuses in one establishment |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002197/18631107/008/0001 |accessdate=29 July 2019 |work=Bucks Chronicle and Bucks Gazette |via=The British Newspaper Archive |date=7 November 1863|page=1|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In Liverpool on 25 and 26 January 1864, Myers' American Circus was hired by John Heenan, who invited Sayers to recreate the "Great Battle of Farnborough".<ref name="Liverpool Daily Post 21 January 1864">{{cite news |title=Myers' American Circus |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000197/18640121/045/0009 |accessdate=22 July 2019 |work=Liverpool Daily Post |via=The British Newspaper Archive |date=21 January 1864|page=9|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In June 1864, it was reported that Sayers was promoting a benefit evening for the boxer [[Jem Mace]], hiring the Standard Theatre, Shoredich for the occassion.<ref name="Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle 4 June 1864">{{cite news |title=Complimentary Benefit to Jem Ward |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000355/18640604/062/0007 |accessdate=29 July 2019 |work=Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle |via=The British Newspaper Archive |date=4 June 1864|page=7|url-access=subscription}}</ref> In December 1864, Sayers appeared in the betting ring together with Heenan at the
He had by this time begun living with another woman, but the relationship broke up in acrimony, and his final years were marred by [[diabetes]], [[tuberculosis]] and heavy drinking. As with all those who suffer from years of untreated diabetes, his personality changed dramatically. Graham Gordon, in his book "Jem Mace: master if the ring", Tom Sayers became loudly bitter and abusive as well as surly and confrontational, alienating those that had been loyal to him. This was contrary to his character at the peak of his career, when he was respectful, loyal and generous to friends and professional colleagues.
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