Chapter XIV: The Old England of Coaching Days (2)

Coach-proprietors, alarmed by establishment of mail-coaches, 1784,
i. 160;
provide driving-boxes with springs, 1805, i. 185;
petition against Bill regulating stage-coaches, 1788, i. 208;
liabilities of, i. 208–10; prosecuted and fined, i. 216;
relief of, at close of coaching age, by reduction of duties,
i. 218–20;
begin to name their coaches, i. 282;
indisposed to adopt “safety” coaches, 1805, i. 309;
obliged by public opinion to do so, 1819, i. 311–16;
hazardous business of, from 1824, ii. 173;
cut fares in competition, 1834, ii. 187;
bitter rivalry among, i. 283, ii. 215–18;
of short stages, ii. 187;
business of, described, ii. 194–238;
spirited struggle of, against railways, ii. 273–8;
misled by irresponsible newspaper talk, ii. 274–7

Coach-proprietors:--
Alexander, Israel, ii. 102
Batchelor, James, of Lewes, i. 283–5
Brawne, S., i. 283
Bretherton, of Liverpool, ii. 238
Capps, Thomas Ward, of Brighton, ii. 253
Carter, of Shrewsbury, i. 109
Chaplin, William, of the “Swan with Two Necks,” Lad Lane, ii. 34,
141, 173–5, 195–210, 212, 228, 238, 312
Chaplin, William Augustus, ii. 210
Chaplin & Horne, ii. 209
Cooper, Thomas, of Thatcham, ii. 173
Costar & Waddell, of Oxford, ii. 186
Cripps, William, of Brighton, ii. 251
Cross, John, of the “Golden Cross,” Charing Cross, ii. 300
Fagg, Thomas, of the “Bell and Crown,” Holborn, ii. 235
Gilbert, William, of the “Blossoms” Inn, Lawrence Lane, ii. 237
Goodman, S., of Brighton, ii. 102–5
Grey, Robert, of the “Bolt-in-Tun,” Fleet Street, ii. 237
Hearn, Joseph, of the “King’s Arms,” Snow Hill, ii. 237
Hine, ----, of Brighton, ii. 181
Horne, Benjamin Worthy, of the “Golden Cross,” Charing Cross,
ii. 15, 141, 208, 210–25
Horne, Henry, ii. 223
” William, ii. 210–13, 215
Jobson, J., of Shrewsbury, ii. 215, 307
Mountain, Mrs. Sarah Ann, of the “Saracen’s Head,” Snow Hill,
ii. 214, 236
Nelson, Mrs. Ann, of the “Bull” Inn, Whitechapel, i. 300;
ii. 227, 232–5, 236; ii. 313, 343
Nelson, John, ii. 235
” Robert, of the “Belle Sauvage,” Ludgate Hill, ii. 215,
229–35
Roberts, ----, of the “White Horse,” Fetter Lane, ii. 213
Rothwell, Nicholas, of Warwick, i. 80–85
Sherman, Edward, of the “Bull and Mouth,” St. Martin’s-le-Grand,
ii. 186, 207, 215, 216, 217, 226–8, 229, 231, 273–8
Shillibeer, George, i. 290–92
Taylor, Isaac, of Shrewsbury, ii. 215, 216, 307
Teather, Edward, of Carlisle, ii. 238
Tubb, J., i. 283–5
Waddell, of Birmingham, ii. 238
Ward, Charles, ii. 313–15
Waterhouse, William, of the “Swan with Two Necks,” Lad Lane, ii. 196
Webb, Frederic, of Bolton, ii. 238
Wetherald, J. & Co., of Manchester, ii. 238, 278
Whitchurch, Best & Wilkins, of Brighton, i. 312–15
Willans, Wm., of the “Bull and Mouth,” St. Martin’s-le-Grand,
ii. 227
Worcester, Marquis of (afterwards 7th Duke of Beaufort), ii. 101

Coach travelling, on the roof, described by Moritz, 1782, i. 99–102;
by mail, 1798, described by Boulton, i. 179;
passengers booked in advance, i. 321;
miseries of early morning, i. 325–32;
about 1750, described in _Roderick Random_, i. 333;
courtesies to ladies, 1714, i. 335;
romance of, i. 336;
severe test of a gentleman, i. 337;
humours of coach-dinners, i. 337–47;
coach-breakfasts, i. 347–51;
social gulf between inside and outside passengers, i. 351;
described by De Quincey, i. 351–3;
humour in, i. 353;
adventures described, i. 355;
savage idea of humour, i. 356–8;
practical joking, i. 357;
outside the most desirable place in summer, ii. 67;
in 1772, ii. 48–65;
in 1830, ii. 66–95;
miseries of, in winter, ii. 155–8, 169

“Comet” coaches, begin about 1811, i. 304–8

Commercial travellers, known successively as “riders,” “bagmen,”
“travellers,” “commercial gentlemen,”
“ambassadors of commerce,” and “representatives,”
i. 56;
come into existence about 1730, i. 118;
adventure of a, ii. 328

“Common stage-waggons,” a term specified by General Turnpike Act
of 1766, i. 204

Cornets-à-piston, popular with guards, i. 280

Cresset, John, denounces stage-coaches, 1662, i. 26, 70–74

Darwin, Dr. Erasmus, prophesies railways and balloons, ii. 260, 282

“Derby Dilly,” the, i. 289

Dickens, Charles, on coach booking-offices, i. 322;
on miseries of early morning travelling, i. 325–32;
on coaching prints, ii. 110;
Christmas stories, ii. 162;
at the “Bull,” Whitechapel, ii. 234

Diligences, a species of Light Post-Coach, i. 160, 287–92;
originally fast, and carried three inside passengers only, i. 287;
became slow, i. 288–90;
Shillibeer’s Brighton Diligence, i. 290–92

“Double Horse,” the, i. 53

Eliot, George, foreshadows tube railways, ii. 282–5

Elizabeth, Queen, suffers from riding in carriage, i. 5;
prefers riding horseback, i. 5

Fares, by stage-coach, a shilling for every five miles, 1684, i. 79;
London and Bath, £1 5s., 1667, i. 69;
Bath Flying Machine, 3d. a mile, 1667, i. 69;
London and Oxford, 12s., 1669, i. 71;
10s., 1671, i. 71;
Liverpool Flying Machine, about 2½d. a mile, 1758, i. 93;
reduced in competition on Brighton Road, 1762, i. 284;
in competition with railways, 1838, ii. 273;
Shrewsbury and London Long Coach, 18s., 1753, i. 95;
Shrewsbury and London Caravan, 15s., 1750, i. 119;
Shrewsbury and London Stage, inside, £1 1s., 1753, i. 119;
Shrewsbury and London Machine, inside, 30s., 1764, i. 120;
Newcastle and London, 1772, ii. 63;
1830, ii. 67, 95;
reduced all round, 1834, ii. 187

Fares, Short stages, ii. 189

” Waggon, from ½d. to 1d. a mile, i. 69, 139;
½d. a mile, or 1s. a day, i. 120, 131

Floods, ii. 165–70

Fly Boats, i. 140; ii. 130

” Vans, London and Falmouth, 1820, i. 136–9

“Flying Coach,” the first, 1669, i. 69

“Flying Machines,” the first, 1667, i. 68;
described, i. 68–93, 283–5

Flying Stage-waggon, London and Shrewsbury, in 5 days, 1750, i. 118

Gamon, Sir Richard, legislates on coaching, i. 206–8

Gay, John, the Poet, his _Journey to Exeter_, 1715, i. 28–33

Goods, carriage of, by pack-horses, i. 106–111; ii. 124;
by sledges, called “Truckamucks,” i. 107;
pack-horses partly replaced by waggons about 1730, i. 117;
cost of carriage, 1750, i. 135;
by road and canal, about 1830, i. 140;
carrying firms, ii. 123–43, 207–10

Guards, generally, “shoulder” fares and “swallow” passengers,
ii. 200–203

Guards of mails, not to fire off blunderbusses unnecessarily, i. 209;
servants of General Post Office, i. 249;
gross excesses of early, i. 250–52;
Post Office responsible for excesses, i. 251;
how armed and equipped, i. 251–60;
extravagant behaviour restricted, i. 252;
appointments eagerly sought, i. 252;
salary small, 10s. 6d. weekly, i. 253;
“tips” render appointments valuable, i. 253;
illegal purveyors of game, i. 254;
trusted and confidential messengers, i. 255;
as smugglers, i. 256;
bravery of, and devotion to duty, i. 256;
number of, i. 256;
responsibilities of, i. 258;
purveyors of news, i. 259;
their duties, i. 261;
instructions to, i. 262;
prosperity of, i. 262;
position poor on cross-country mails, i. 263;
salaries raised, 1842, i. 263;
forbidden to play key-bugle, i. 280;
devoted to duty, ii. 160;
rashness of, ii. 165

Guards of mails:--
Couldery, --, i. 265; ii. 120
Kent, Luke, ii. 319
Murrell, “Cocky,” i. 271
Nobbs, Moses J., i. 264–71; ii. 119

Guards of stage-coaches, i. 272–81;
stages not always provided with, i. 272;
versatile accomplishments of, i. 273;
annual festivities of, i. 275–8;
snowbound at Dunchurch, ii. 162

Guards of stage-coaches:--
Faulkner, Francis, ii. 320
Goodwin, Jack, ii. 162
Hadley, Robert, i. 274, 276
Lord, Joe, ii. 152
Russell, Thomas, i. 281
Young, George, i. 273

Guide-posts obligatory, 1690, i. 112

Gurney, Sir Goldsworthy, inventor of steam-carriages, ii. 261–5, 285

Hackney coaches, denounced by Taylor, i. 9;
established 1605, i. 9–13

“Hammercloth,” derivation of the term, i. 68, 97

Hancock, Walter, inventor of steam-carriages, ii. 261, 264–8, 285

Hazlett, Robert, highwayman, ii. 53

Highwaymen, the, i. 85, 116, 120–23, 157, 186, 332–5; ii. 53, 59–61,
144–50, 326, 327–9

Hobson, Thomas, the Cambridge carrier, i. 65, 103–5, 205; ii. 124

Hoby, Sir Thos., sets up a carriage, 1566, i. 4

Horsemen, the, i. 14–56

Horses, generally six to a coach until about 1783–90, i. 85, 86, 90;
usually same horses from beginning to end of journey until
1734, i. 63, 87;
the “Double Horse,” i. 53;
“parliamentary horse,” i. 218;
fast coaches wear horses out quickly, 1824, ii. 173;
average price paid for, 1824, ii. 176;
system of working improved, 1824, ii. 176;
bad-tempered, bought cheap, ii. 177

Informers, i. 213–18

Inns (mentioned at length):--
Bell and Crown, Holborn, ii. 235
Belle Sauvage, Ludgate Hill, i. 323, 324; ii. 229, 237
Blossoms, Lawrence Lane, ii. 185, 229, 237
Boar and Castle, Oxford Street, ii. 189
Bolt-in-Tun, Fleet Street, ii. 215, 237
Bull, Whitechapel, i. 324; ii. 227, 232–5, 343
Bull and Mouth, St. Martin’s-le-Grand, i. 323, 324; ii. 67, 68, 147,
178, 214, 215, 226, 231, 273, 277
Four Crosses, Willoughby, i. 46
George, Huntingdon, ii. 74
Golden Cross, Charing Cross, i. 322, 323, 324, 329; ii. 210,
213, 214
Goose and Gridiron, St. Paul’s Churchyard, ii. 189, 296
Green Man and Still, Oxford Street, ii. 190
Hardwicke Arms, Arrington Bridge, ii. 73
King’s Arms, Snow Hill, ii. 237
Lion, Shrewsbury, ii. 215
Old Bell, Holborn, ii. 190, 282
Pelican, Speenhamland, ii. 340, 343
Saracen’s Head, Snow Hill, i. 324; ii. 67, 214, 236
Swan with Two Necks, Lad Lane, i. 323, 324; ii. 178, 195–9, 204, 228
Talbot, Shrewsbury, ii. 215
Three Tuns, Durham, ii. 340
Wheatsheaf, Rushyford Bridge, ii. 94
Winterslow Hut, ii. 151

“Journey,” original meaning of word, i. 107

Key-bugles, popular with guards, i. 279–81

Legislation, i. 194–220

Long coaches (an intermediate class of vehicle, between stage-coaches
and waggons), i. 95, 119, 210, 286

Long Coach, Birmingham and Shrewsbury, 1753, 3½ days to London, i. 119

“Machines” introduced 1667, i. 68;
the term in general use about 1740, i. 69, 120, 282;
a favourite term, i. 286

Mail-coaches--_see_ “Coaches: Mail-coaches”

Mary, Queen, her State Coach, 1553, i. 3

Matthews’ Patent Safety Coach, i. 312

Milton, Rev. W., inventor of Patent Safety Coach, 1805, i. 309; ii. 96

Motor-cars, early (1823–38), ii. 260–68;
modern, ii. 285–9, 347

Northumberland, Earl of, sets up a carriage, 1619, i. 8

Nunn, James, buyer of horses for Chaplin, ii. 204–7

Old-time travellers:--
Brome, Rev.--, tour of, 1700, ii. 333
Calderwood, Mrs., of Bolton and Coltness, 1756, ii. 334
Cary, Robert, rides from London to Edinburgh, 1603, i. 16
Charles VI., Emperor, visits Petworth, ii. 332
Clarendon, Henry, Earl of, travels from Chester to Holyhead, 1685,
i. 21
Cobbett, Richard, rides horseback, i. 55;
on coaches, ii. 181
Denmark, Prince George of, visits Petworth, ii. 332
De Quincey, Thomas, on contempt of inside passengers for outsides,
i. 210, 351–3;
prefers outside of coaches, ii. 67
Dugdale, Sir William, mentions Birmingham coach of 1697, i. 77
Fiennes, Celia, in Lancashire, 1691, surprised at finding
sign-posts, i. 115
Gay, John (the poet) _A Journey to Exeter_, 1715, i. 28–33
Hawker, Col., on travelling in 1812, i. 245;
on cost of journey, London to Glasgow, 1812, ii. 1–3, 4;
on “Bull and Mouth” inn, 1812, ii. 227
Johnson, Dr., i. 52–3
Macready, William C. (the actor), on incredibly slow journey,
Liverpool to London, 1811, i. 294
Moritz, Rev. C. H., on miseries of outside passengers, 1782,
i. 98–102
Murray, Rev. James, describes a journey from Newcastle-on-Tyne to
London, 1772, ii. 48–65
Parker, Edward, on miseries of coach journey from Preston,
Lancashire, 1662, i. 25–63
Pepys, Samuel, often loses the road, i. 112
Somerset, Dukes of, and Petworth, ii. 332
Sopwith, Thomas, on discontinuance of York Mail, ii. 39
Sorbière, Samuel de, on waggoners, 1663, i. 127
Swift, Jonathan, Dean, his couplets for inn signs on Penmaenmawr,
i. 21;
on horseback journey, Chester to London, 1710, i. 33, 73;
on journey London to Holyhead and Dublin, 1726, i. 33;
diary of journey, London to Holyhead, 1727, i. 34–47;
epigram at Willoughby, i. 46;
travels by stage-waggon, i. 132;
on travelling, ii. 330
Taylor, John (the “Water Poet”), travels to Southampton,
1648, i. 58–60
Thoresby, Ralph, travels by York stage to London, 1683, i. 27, 73;
finds the Hull to York stage discontinued for winter season,
1678, i. 74;
going horseback, often misses his way, i. 112;
describes custom of treating lady passengers in coaches,
1714, i. 335;
on spring festivities, 1714, ii. 346
Wesley, John, generally travelled horseback, i. 47;
describes his adventures, i. 47–52;
finds unpleasant company in a coach, i. 293

Omnibuses, displace “short stages,” ii. 193;
“Wellington,” Stratford and Westbourne Grove, ii. 235;
of Richmond Conveyance Co., ii. 296

Outside passengers first heard of, and probable origin of carrying,
i. 95;
miseries of, i. 98–102;
first provided with seats, i. 181;
treated with contempt by inside passengers, i. 210, 351–3; ii. 181

Pack-horses, i. 106–9, 111, 118;
partly replaced by waggons about 1730, i. 117;
pack-horse trains, ii. 124

Palmer, John, Post Office reformer, account of, i. 148–80 (Appendix,
Vol. I., p. 359);
proposes a service of mail-coaches, i. 155;
plan for, matured 1782, i. 156;
establishes first mail-coach, 1784, i. 158;
proposes to extend system to France, i. 163;
appointed Comptroller-General 1786, i. 164;
contentions with Postmasters-General, i. 165–72;
his character, i. 166;
betrayed by Bonnor, i. 168;
dismissed, i. 172;
grant to, i. 173;
death of, i. 174;
ancestry of, Appendix, Vol. I., p. 359;
descendants, 359

“Parliamentary Horse,” the, i. 218

“Patent Safety” coaches, i. 309–16; ii. 109

Pepys, Samuel, sets up a carriage, 1668, i. 11;
in travelling, often loses the road, i. 112

“Pickaxe” team, _i.e._ three horses, ii. 270

Pickford & Co., i. 139; ii. 123–43, 208
” Matthew, ii. 125–7
” Thomas, ii. 125–7

Poor people, how they travelled, i. 115, 131–3, 139;
find it cheaper to go by rail, i. 144

Postboys, _i.e._ mail-carriers, i. 146, 152;
went toll-free, ii. 5

Postes, Master of the, i. 14

Post-horses, State monopoly of, i. 14–23;
monopoly abolished, 1780, i. 23;
mileage charges for, i. 15;
increased, i. 18

Postmaster-General, office of created, 1657, i. 18

Postmasters, _i.e._ keepers of post-horses, i. 15–18, 147

“Post Office of England” created, 1657, i. 17;
re-established, 1660, i. 22

Post Office, General, i. 14–19, 20, 22–4, 46–180;
declines Hancock’s offer to convey mails by steam-carriage, ii. 268

Railways:--
Mails first carried by, 1830, ii. 16;
authorised to convey mails, 1838, ii. 16;
run York coaches off road, 1840, ii. 39;
run waggons off, ii. 138;
threaten coaching, ii. 208;
projected railways criticised, 1838, ii. 209;
ruin the early steam-carriages, ii. 268;
ridiculed, 1837, ii. 268;
cut up the coach routes, ii. 270–74;
bad service of trains, 1838, ii. 274;
insolence of officials, ii. 274–7;
public dissatisfaction with, 1838, ii. 274–7;
tube railways foreshadowed by George Eliot, ii. 282–5
Grand Junction, ii. 141, 274
Highland, ii. 40
Liverpool and Manchester, ii. 16, 96, 138
London and Birmingham (now London and North-Western), ii. 141, 208,
222–5, 273, 278
London and Manchester, ii. 16, 96, 138
London and Southampton (now London and South-Western), ii. 17,
36, 209, 299
Metropolitan extended to Aylesbury 1892, ii. 281
North British, ii. 40

“Ride and Tie,” custom of, i. 54

Rippon, Walter, carriage-maker to Queen Mary, i. 4

Roads, bad state of, 1568, i. 5;
dreadful condition in North Wales in eighteenth century, i. 20–22;
Exeter Road described in 1752 as “dreadful,” i. 91;
first General Highway Act, 1555, i. 106;
mere tracks and unenclosed, 1739, i. 111;
not safe for solitary travellers, i. 115;
gradually improve from 1700, i. 117;
growth of heavy traffic cuts them up, i. 123;
ignorance of road-surveyors, i. 123;
legislation to protect, 1760, i. 123–6;
1622–29, 194–6;
1752, i. 199–202;
General Turnpike Act, 1766, i. 202–5;
improve generally, ii. 3;
shocking state of, between Carlisle and Glasgow, 1812, ii. 4;
wear and tear of, by mails, ii. 4–9;
and early steam-carriages, ii. 262;
vulgarised by modern “improvements,” ii. 326;
terrible state of, in Sussex, ii. 332;
picturesqueness of, threatened by coming changes, ii. 347

Robberies from coaches, ii. 144–50

“Rumble-tumble,” i. 96, 97, 99;
miseries of travelling in the, i. 101, 139

Rutland, Earl of, sets up a carriage, 1555

Shillibeer, George, his “Brighton Diligence,” i. 290–92;
his omnibuses, ii. 193

Short stages, the, ii. 188–93

“Short Tommy,” the, ii. 175

“Shouldering,” _i.e._ stealing, fares, ii. 200–203

Sign-posts obligatory, 1690, i. 112

Silver, Anthony, carriage-maker to Queen Mary, i. 3

Smollett, Tobias, i. 108, 110;
on travelling in 1748, i. 115–17, 334

Snowstorms, i. 261, 264–9; ii. 137, 157, 159–62, 166–9

Stage-coaches--_see_ “Coaches: stage-coaches”

Stage-waggons, established about 1500, i. 2: _see_ “Waggons”

Steam-carriages, 1823–38, ii. 217, 260–68

Sunday, a day of rest, i. 29, 90

” Trading Acts, i. 196–9; ii. 148

“Swallowing,” _i.e._ stealing, fares, ii. 200–203

Talbot, the old English hound, i. 109

“Tantivy,” meaning of the word, ii. 185

“Tantivy Trot,” coaching song, ii. 185

Telegraph coaches established, from about 1781, i. 300–303

Telegraph springs introduced, ii. 228

“Tipping,” origin and progress of, i. 228–30;
of mail-guards, i. 253, 262;
forbidden, i. 263;
of coachmen, i. 345; ii. 1

_Tom Brown’s Schooldays_, i. 347

“Travel,” origin of the word, i. 107

“Truckamuck,” a kind of sledge, i. 107

Turnpike Acts, growth of, 1700–1770, i. 117;
penalise narrow and encourage broad wheels, i. 124–6, 202–205;
General Turnpike Act, 1766, i. 202–205

Turnpike keepers, i. 24, 208, 212;
prosecuted by informers, i. 217;
sleepy, ii. 79

Turnpike roads, not in favour with waggoners, i. 126

Turnpike tolls, i. 124;
levied on waggons, i. 200–205;
doubled on Sundays about 1780, ii. 147;
heavy discriminatory charges against steam-carriages, ii. 262, 263

Turnpike Trusts, grievances of, against Post Office, ii. 4–9;
action of, against steam-carriages, ii. 262, 263

“Unicorn” team, _i.e._ three horses, ii. 270

Van, origin of the name, ii. 129

Van proprietors:--
Chaplin & Horne, ii. 209, 229
Pickford & Co., i. 123–43
Russell & Co., i. 136–9

Van proprietors prosecuted for technical offences, i. 216

Vidler & Parratt, mail-coach manufacturers, i. 178; ii. 17, 18, 44

Waggons, i. 103–45;
established about 1500, i. 103;
increase in number and weight about 1760, i. 123;
legislation directed against 1766, i. 124–6, 202–204;
only disappear so late as 1860, i. 144;
four-wheeled waggons forbidden 1622, i. 194;
loads over 20 cwt. forbidden 1622, i. 195;
restrictions on teams, i. 195–200;
on loads, i. 200

Waggoners, character of the, i. 126–31;
forbidden to ride on their waggons, i. 205;
preyed upon by informers, i. 212–14

Waude, ----, coach-builder, ii. 16, 43–7, 228

Weller, Tony, as typical coachman, i. 221

Witherings, Thomas, Master of the Postes, i. 17

Yard-porters, status of, ii. 178

York, James, Duke of, sets up a “glass coach,” 1661, i. 11, 66

_Printed by Hazett, Watson & Viney, Ld., London and Aylesbury._

Transcriber’s Notes

Punctuation and spelling were made consistent when a predominant preference was found in this book; otherwise they were not changed.

Simple typographical errors were corrected; unbalanced quotation marks remedied.

Ambiguous hyphens at the ends of lines were retained; occurrences of inconsistent hyphenation have not been changed.

Index not checked for proper alphabetization or correct page references.

The symbol on page 278 is a hand, pointing to the right (“white right-pointing index”).

Shillings and pence abbreviations (s. and d.) were italicized in the original book but, for readability, that is not indicated here. Other italicized text is enclosed in _underscores_.

Volume I is available at Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) as eBook number 58667 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/58667).