Late Life
He eventually moved to Beeston to try to curb his drinking and avoid the Nottingham Lambs, but he only managed a few sober moments here and there, fishing by the Trent. Despite all these problems, at the age of 59 he managed to dive into the river to save three people from drowning. One time he pulled a woman from the river who offered him a reward. "Reward? I am the champion of England" he scornfully rejected the kind offer.
In 1872, Thompson attended a congregation held by the converted collier Richard Weaver. He was invited up on stage and although illiterate, delivered a powerful sermon. Much to the relief of the local magistrate, he was persuaded to join the Ebenezer Lodge of Good Templars and use his influence preaching. Taking up a boxer's stance he would turn to his trophies and declare, "See them belts? See them cups? I used to fight for those, but now I fight for Christ." During one sermon, it all got a little too much for him, and while the rabble at the back were shouting and heckling, singing songs about his past fights, Thompson was said to have closed his bible, put his hands together, looked up and prayed; "Good Lord, Thou knowest that since I gave up my wicked ways I have devoted my life to Thy service, and have given Thee the whole of my time. But now, seeing what's going on in this room, I'll take with Thy kind permission just five minutes off for me sen" before vaulting the pulpit into the crowd and restoring order the prize fighting way.
His popularity as a fighter soon attracted massive congregations to his sermons and there were hundreds left outside some meetings. At one of these open air congregations at Sneinton Market, Thompson was told that the men already on the stage were "infidels", To which he stripped off his coat and replied "what, them that don't believe in God? I'll clear the stage." Thompson spent the next few years touring the country preaching to crowds of thousands becoming even more of a household name, and eventually getting noticed by politicians; "that although he couldn't read the bible, his straightforward manly speech could be useful". People said that he was "better off going after the devil as he had no man left to fight".
Thompson died on 23 August 1880 aged 69, after falling down the stairs of his home in Beeston. The fall fractured ribs and punctured his lung but he hung on for seven more weeks before he finally died. His funeral procession was a mile long and thousands lined the streets, including many nationally famous people of the period. Even The Times newspaper published his obituary, which was normally reserved for very illustrious people. He was buried in his mother's grave, marked by a stone in the former burial grounds at Bath Street Rest Gardens (just near Victoria Leisure Centre). It is the only memorial not to have been moved during redevelopment and bears the inscription;
"In life always brave, Fighting like a Lion; In Death like a Lamb, Tranquil in Zion".
Read more about this topic: William Thompson (boxer)
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