Note 409 — Chapter XXII · Declining Years of Boulton and Watt—Bereavements—Gregory Watt—Death of Boulton.

Isaac Perrins was one of the most noted among the fighters of Soho. Mr. Scale, a partner in the hardware business, wrote to Mr. Boulton, then at Cosgarne (15th October, 1782),—“Perrins has had a battle with the famous Jemmy Sargent for a hundred guineas, in which Perrins came off conqueror without a fall or hurt: in 13 rounds he knocked down his antagonist 13 times. They had it out at Colemore on our Wake Monday. The Sohoites all returned with blue cockades.” Mrs. Watt, in a gossipy letter to Mr. Boulton of the same date, says “1500l. was betted against Perrins at Birmingham, and lost.” Perrins’s success led him to turn “professional bruiser” for a time, and he left his place in the smith’s shop. But either not succeeding in his new business, or finding the work harder than that of the smithy, he came back to Soho, and, being a good workman, he was taken on again and remained in Boulton’s employment till the close of his life, leaving sons to succeed him in the same department.