Chapter XXXVII

A new era for Brighton and the Brighton Road opened in November, 1896, with the coming of the motor-car. Already the old period of the coaching inns had waned, and that of gigantic and palatial hotels, much more luxurious than anything ever imagined by the builders of the Pavilion, had dawned; and then, as though to fitly emphasize the transition, the old Chain Pier made a dramatic end.

The Chain Pier just missed belonging to the Georgian era, for it was not begun until October, 1822, but, opened the following year, it had so long been a feature of Brighton--and so peculiar a feature--that it had come, with many, to typify the town, quite as much as the Pavilion itself. It was, moreover, additionally remarkable as being the first pleasure-pier built in England. It had long been failing and, condemned as dangerous, would soon have been demolished; but the storm of December 4th, 1896, spared that trouble. It was standing when day closed in, but when the next morning dawned, its place was vacant.

Since then, those who have long known Brighton have never visited it without a sense of loss; and the Palace Pier, opposite the Aquarium, does not fill the void. It is a vulgarity for one thing, and for another typifies the Hebraic week-end, when the sons and daughters of Judah descend upon the town. Moreover, it is absolutely uncharacteristic, and has its counterparts in many other places.

But Brighton itself is eternal. It suffers change, it grows continually; but while the sea remains and the air is clean and the sun shines, it, and the road to it, will be the most popular resorts in England.

INDEX.

Ainsworth, W. Harrison, 209-222

Albourne, 248

Ansty Cross, 93, 222

Aram, Eugene, 172

"Autopsy," Steam Carriage, 37, 63, 88

Banks, Sir Edward, 136

Banstead Downs, 159-161

Barrymore, The, 6, 192, 267

Belmont, 159

Benhilton, 156

Bicycles, 64-71, 74-79, 85-91

Bird, Lieutenant Edward, murderer, 169-172

Bolney, 200, 243, 246

"Boneshakers", 65

Brighton, 2, 12, 37, 255-272
Railway opened, 42
Road Records tabulated, 88-91
Routes to, 1-4

Brixton, 92, 97-100
Hill, 68, 93, 98, 105

Broad Green, 108, 129

Burgess Hill, 223

Burgh Heath, 159-161

Carriers, The, 11-14

Charles II., 270

Charlwood, 175

Chipstead, 135-138

Clayton, 93, 102, 231, 250
Hill, 25, 229, 231-232
Tunnel, 229-231

Coaches:--
Accommodation, 26
Age, 29, 30, 35
1852-1862, 42, 45, 47
1875-1880, 1882-3, 46
Alert, 33, 34
Coburg, 30
Comet, 33
1887-1899, 1900, 46, 49, 55
Coronet, 33
Criterion, 41, 64, 74, 88
Dart, 33
Defiance, 28, 46
1880, --
Duke of Beaufort, 31
"Flying Machine," coach, 18-22
Life-Preserver, 30
Magnet, 33
Mails, The, 23, 26, 28, 33, 34, 42
Old Times, 1866, 45
1888, 49-51
Quicksilver, 38
Red Rover, 41, 63, 88
Regent, 33
Sovereign, 33
Times, 33
Union, 33
Venture (A. G. Vanderbilt), 61
Victoria, 42
Vigilant, 1900-05, --
Wonder, 38

Coaching, 5, 11-14, 18-34, 37-49, 228

Coaching Notabilities:--
Angel, B. J., 45, 46
Armytage, Col., 45
Batchelor, Jas., 14
Beaufort, Duke of, 45, 46
Beckett, Capt. H. L., 46
Blyth, Capt., 46
Bradford, "Miller", 26
Clark, George, 45
Cotton, Sir St. Vincent, 29, 45
Fitzgerald, Mr., 45
Fownes, Edwin, 46
Freeman, Stewart, 46, 49
Gwynne, Sackville Frederick, 29
Harbour, Charles, 41, 64
Haworth, Capt., 45, 46
Jerningham, Hon. Fred., 29
Lawrie, Capt., 45
Londesborough, Earl of, 46
McCalmont, Hugh, 46
Meek, George, 46
Pole, E. S. Chandos, 45, 46
Pole-Gell, Mr., 46
Sandys, Hon. H., 49
Selby, Jas., 41, 49, 64, 73, 74, 75, 89
Stevenson, Henry, 29, 30
Stracey-Clitherow, Col., 46
Thynne, Lord H., 45
Tiffany, Mr., 46
Vanderbilt, Alfred Gwynne, 61
Wemyss, Randolph, 49
Wiltshire, Earl of, 46
Worcester, Marquis of, 29, 38

Coaching Records, 41, 64, 73, 74, 88, 89

Cold Blow, 159

Colliers' Water, 108

Colliers of Croydon, 108

Coulsdon, 131, 133

County Oak, 178

Covert, Family of, 238-244

Crawley, 93, 173, 182-195

Crawley Downs, 191-193

Croydon, 106-123

Cuckfield, 30, 202-209
Place, 209-222, 242

Cycling, 64-71, 74-79, 85-91

Cycling Notabilities:--
Edge, Selwyn Francis, 75, 76, 89
Holbein, M. A., 74
Mayall, John, Junior, 66-69, 70, 88
Shorland, F. W., 74, 89
Smith, C. A., 75, 76, 77, 89
Turner, Rowley B., 66, 67, 69

Cycling Records, 68-79, 85-91

Dale, 93, 248, 250

Dance, Sir Charles, 37, 39

Ditchling, 224

Driving Records, 63, 73, 194

Earlswood Common, 93, 146, 148

Fauntleroy, Henry, 196

Foxley Hatch, 93, 126

Frenches, 93, 145

Friar's Oak, 226

Gatton, 141-145, 164

Gatwick, 155

George IV., Prince Regent and King, 3, 6, 8-11, 24, 62, 88, 132,
191-194, 256-262, 266

Hancock, Walter, 34, 88

Hand Cross, 24, 93, 195, 198-201
Hill, 61

Hassall, Phoebe, 268

Hassocks, 226

Hayward's Heath, 205

Hickstead, 200, 245

"Hobby-horses", 65

Holmesdale, 172

Hooley, 136

Horley, 93, 149, 151-155, 173

Ifield, 175, 178-182, 188

"Infant," Steam Carriage, 37

Inns (mentioned at length):--
Black Swan, Pease Pottage, 195
Chequers, Horley, 152
Cock, Sutton, 159
Friar's Oak, 24, 226
George, Borough, 12-14
Crawley, 114, 187, 189
Golden Cross, Charing Cross, 20, 33
Green Cross, Ansty Cross, 222
Greyhound, Croydon, 114
Sutton, 159
Hatchett's (_see_ White Horse Cellar).
Old King's Head, Croydon, 115
Old Ship, Brighton, 12
Red Lion, Hand Cross, 200
Six Bells, Horley, 153
Surrey Oaks, Parkgate, 179
Tabard, Borough (_see_ Talbot).
Talbot, Borough, 12-14, 17
Talbot, Cuckfield, 206
Tangier, Banstead Downs, 160
White Horse Cellar, Piccadilly, 34

Jacob's Post, 224

Johnson, Dr. Samuel, 102-105, 257

Kennersley, 173

Kennington, 92-96

Kimberham Bridge, 173

Kingswood, 162

Lade, Sir John, 267

Lemon, Mark, 190

Little Hell, 159

Lowfield Heath, 173-175, 182

Merstham, 93, 134, 138-141

Milestones, 126-130, 159, 163

Mitcham, 155

Mole, River, 149, 152, 173-175, 196

Motor-cars, 50, 53, 54, 57-61, 63

Motor-car Day, Nov. 14th, 1896, 53-60

Motor-omnibus, Accident to, 60

Newdigate, 176

Newtimber, 247, 248

Norbury, 195

Old-time Travellers:--
Burton, Dr. John, 16
Cobbett, William, 161, 165, 168, 178
George IV., Prince Regent and King (_see_ "George the Fourth.")
Walpole, Horace, 16-18

Pangdean, 253

Patcham, 25, 93, 250, 251-255

Pavilion, The, 256-261, 268

Pease Pottage, 195, 197

Pedestrian Records, 64, 69, 72, 75, 79-91

Pilgrims' Way, The, 164

Povey Cross, 155, 173, 175

Preston, 93, 250, 255

Prize-fighting, 5, 191, 248-250

Pugilistic Notabilities:--
Cribb, Tom, 190
Fewterel, 132
Hickman, "The Gas-Light Man", 192
Jackson, "Gentleman", 132, 159
Martin, "Master of the Rolls", 5, 192
Randall, Jack, "the Nonpareil", 5, 192
Sayers, Tom, 248

Purley, 93, 121-125, 130, 176

Pyecombe, 200, 249, 250

Railway to Brighton opened, 42, 131

"Records", 61-91
(_See_ severally, Coaching, Cycling, Driving, Pedestrian, and Riding).
Tabulated, 88-91

Redhill, 93, 145

Reigate, 27, 93, 164-172
Hill, 162-164

Riding Records, 62, 88

Roman Roads, 102

"Rookwood", 209-222

Routes to Brighton, 1-4

Rowlandson, Thomas, 157, 185, 187, 203, 263

Ruskin, John, 106, 115

Russell of Killowen, Baron, 161

Russell (_or_ Russel), Dr. Richard, 262

St. John's Common, 103, 223

St. Leonard's Forest, 196, 199

Salfords, 93, 149, 173

Sayers Common, 248

Sidlow Bridge, 173

Slaugham, 238-246
Place, 240-242

Slough Green, 93

Smitham Bottom, 68, 129, 131-133, 136

Southwark, 12-14

Staplefield Common, 200

Steam Carriages, 34, 37, 50, 63

Stoat's Nest, 132

Stock Exchange Walk, 80-82

Stonepound, 93, 227, 231

Streatham, 100, 103-105, 107

Surrey Iron Railway, The, 122, 136

Sussex Roads, 15, 178, 237, 242, 237, 242

Sutton, 93, 156-159, 161

Tadworth Court, 161

Tettersell, Captain, 268, 270

Thackeray, W. M., 9, 10, 266

Thornton Heath, 103, 105-108

Thrale Place, 103-105

Thrales, The, 103-105

Thunderfield Castle, 149-152

Tilgate Forest Row, 173, 196

Tooke, John Horne, 124

Turnpike Gates, 92, 126, 145, 195, 226-228, 253

Velocipedes, 65-69

Walking Records (_see_ Pedestrian Records).

Westminster Bridge, 1, 3, 14, 129

Whiteman's Green, 202

Whitgift, Archbishop, 109-114

Wilderness Bottom, 161

Withdean, 253, 255

Wivelsfield, 224

Woodhatch, 93

Wray Park, 93

FOOTNOTES:

[1] He was a baker; hence the nickname.

[2] Henry Barry, Earl of Barrymore, in the peerage of Ireland.

[3] _Hiatus_ in the Journals, arranged by the editor for benefit of the Young Person!

[4] Kirkpatrick Macmillan, in 1839-40, invented a dwarf, rear-driving machine of the "safety" type, and was fined at Glasgow for "furiously riding." He made and sold several, but they attained nothing more than local and temporary success.

[5]

"There's nothing brings you round
Like the trumpet's martial sound."--W. S. GILBERT.
"The Pirates of Penzance."

[6] In 1829 there were three additional gates: one at Crawley, another at Hand Cross, before you came to the "Red Lion," and one more at Slough Green. Meanwhile the Horley gate on this route had disappeared. At a later period another gate was added, at Merstham, just past the "Feathers." On the other routes there were, of course, yet more gates--e.g., those of Sutton, Reigate, Wray Park, Woodhatch, Dale, and many more.

Salfords gate was the last on the main Brighton Road. It remained until midnight, October 31st. 1881, when the Reigate Turnpike Trust expired, after an existence of 126 years. Not until then did this most famous highway become free and open throughout its whole distance.

[7] Preface to "Praeterita," dated May 10th, 1885.

[8] The name derives from a farm so called, marked on a map of 1716 "Stotes Ness."

[9] "Sir Edward Banks, Knight, of Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, and Adelphi Terrace, Strand, Middlesex, whose remains are deposited in the family vault in this churchyard. Blessed by Divine Providence with an honest heart, a clear head, and an extraordinary degree of perseverance, he rose superior to all difficulties, and was the founder of his own fortune; and although of self-cultivated talent, he in early life became contractor for public works, and was actively and successfully engaged during forty years in the execution of some of the most useful, extensive, and splendid works of his time; amongst which may be mentioned the Waterloo, Southwark, London, and Staines Bridges over the Thames, the Naval Works at Sheerness Dockyard, and the new channels for the rivers Ouse, Nene, and Witham in Norfolk and Lincolnshire. He was eminently distinguished for the simplicity of his manners and the benevolence of his heart; respected for his inflexible integrity and his pure and unaffected piety; in all the relations of his life he was candid, diligent, and humane; just in purpose, firm in execution; his liberality and indulgence to his numerous coadjutors were alone equalled by his generosity and charity displayed in the disposal of his honourably-acquired wealth. He departed this life at Tilgate, Sussex ... on the 5th day of July, 1835, in the sixty-sixth year of his age."

[10] Matthew Buckle, Admiral of the Blue; born 1716, died 1784.

[11] He really drove the other way; from Carlton House to Brighton.

Transcriber's Notes:

Passages in italics are indicated by _italics_.

Letters printed in reverse are indicated by =X=.

Superscripted characters are indicated by {superscript}.

The original text contains a few letters with diacritical marks that are not represented in this text version.

The original text includes Greek characters. For this text version these letters have been replaced with transliterations.