The Brighton Road Part 2

WHEREAS, Mr. TUBB, by an Advertis.e.m.e.nt in this paper of Monday last, has thought fit to cast some invidious Reflections upon me, in respect of the lowering my Prices and being two days upon the Road, with other low insinuations, I beg leave to submit the following matters to the calm Consideration of the Gentlemen, Ladies, and other Pa.s.sengers, of what Degree soever, who have been pleased to favour me, viz.:

That our Family first set up the Stage Coach from London to Lewes, and have continued it for a long Series of Years, from Father to Son and other Branches of the same Race, and that even before the Turnpikes on the Lewes Road were erected they drove their Stage, in the Summer Season, in one day, and have continued to do ever since, and now in the Winter Season twice in the week. And it is likewise to be considered that many aged and infirm Persons, who did not chuse to rise early in the Morning, were very desirous to be two Days on the Road for their own Ease and Conveniency, therefore there was no obstacle to be removed. And as to lowering my prices, let every one judge whether, when an old Servant of the Country perceives an Endeavour to suppress and supplant him in his Business, he is not well justified in taking all measures in his Power for his own Security, and even to oppose an unfair Adversary as far as he can. 'Tis, therefore, hoped that the descendants of your very ancient Servants will still meet with your farther Encouragement, and leave the Schemes of our little Opponent to their proper Deserts.--I am, Your old and present most obedient Servant,

J. BATCHELOR.

_December 13, 1762._

The rivals both kept to the road until the death of Batchelor, in 1766, when his business was sold to Tubb, who took into partnership a Mr. Davis.

Together they started, in 1767, the first service of a daily coach in the "Lewes and Brighthelmstone Flys," each carrying four pa.s.sengers, one to London and one to Brighton every day.

Tubb and Davis had in 1770 one "machine" and one waggon on this road, fare by "machine" 14_s._ The machine ran daily to and from London, starting at five o'clock in the morning. The waggon was three days on the road.

Another machine was also running, but with the coming of winter these machines performed only three double journeys each a week.

In 1777 another stage-waggon was started by "Lashmar & Co." It loitered between the "King's Head," Southwark, and the "King's Head," Brighton, starting from London every Tuesday at the unearthly hour of 3 a.m., and reaching its destination on Thursday afternoons.

On May 31st, 1784, Tubb and Davis put a "light post-coach" on the road, running to Brighton one day returning to London the next, in addition to their already running "machine" and "post-coach." This new conveyance presumably made good time, four "insides" only being carried.

[Sidenote: GROWTH OF COACHING]

Four years later, when Brighton's sun of splendour was rising, there were on the road between London and the sea three "machines," three light post-coaches, two coaches, and two stage-waggons. Tubb now disappears, and his firm becomes Davis & Co. Other proprietors were Ibberson & Co., Bradford & Co., and Mr. Wesson.

On May 1st, 1791, the first Brighton Mail coach was established. It was a two-horse affair, running by Lewes and East Grinstead, and taking twelve hours to perform the journey. It was not well supported by the public, and as the Post Office would not pay the contractors a higher mileage, it was at some uncertain period withdrawn.

About 1796 coach offices were opened in Brighton for the sole despatch of coaching business, the time having pa.s.sed away for the old custom of starting from inns. Now, too, were different tales to tell of these roads, after the Pavilion had been set in course of building. Royalty and the Court could not endure to travel upon such evil tracks as had hitherto been the lot of travellers to Brighthelmstone. Presently, instead of a dearth of roads and a plethora of ruts, there became a choice of good highways and a plenty of travellers upon them.

Numerous coaches ran to meet the demands of the travelling public, and these continually increased in number and improved in speed. About this time first appear the firms of Henwood, Crossweller, Cuddington, Pockney & Harding, whose office was at No. 44, East Street: and Boulton, Tilt, Hicks, Baulcomb & Co., at No. 1, North Street. The most remarkable thing, to my mind, about those companies is their long-winded names. In addition to the old service, there ran a "night post-coach" on alternate nights, starting at 10 p.m. in the season. One then went to or from London generally in "about" eleven hours, if all went well. If you could afford only a ride in the stage-waggon, why then you were carried the distance by the accelerated (!) waggons of this line in two days and one night.

IV

Erredge, the historian of Brighton, tells something of the social side of Brighton Road coaching at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Social indeed, as you shall see:

"In 1801 two pair-horse coaches ran between London and Brighton on alternate days, one up, the other down, driven by Messrs. Crossweller and Hine. The progress of these coaches was amusing. The one from London left the Blossoms Inn, Lawrence Lane, at 7 a.m., the pa.s.sengers breaking their fast at the c.o.c.k, Sutton, at 9. The next stoppage for the purpose of refreshment was at the Tangier, Banstead Downs--a rural little spot, famous for its elderberry wine, which used to be brought from the cottage 'roking hot,' and on a cold wintry morning few refused to partake of it.

George IV. invariably stopped here and took a gla.s.s from the hand of Miss Jeal as he sat in his carriage. The important business of luncheon took place at Reigate, where sufficient time was allowed the pa.s.sengers to view the Baron's Cave, where, it is said, the barons a.s.sembled the night previous to their meeting King John at Runymeade. The grand halt for dinner was made at Staplefield Common, celebrated for its famous black cherry-trees, under the branches of which, when the fruit was ripe, the coaches were allowed to draw up and the pa.s.sengers to partake of its tempting produce. The hostess of the hostelry here was famed for her rabbit-puddings, which, hot, were always waiting the arrival of the coach, and to which the travellers never failed to do such ample justice, that ordinarily they found it quite impossible to leave at the hour appointed; so grogs, pipes, and ale were ordered in, and, to use the language of the fraternity, 'not a wheel wagged' for two hours. Handcross was a little resting-place, celebrated for its 'neat' liquors, the landlord of the inn standing, bottle in hand, at the door. He and several other bonifaces at Friars' Oak, etc., had the reputation of being on pretty good terms with the smugglers who carried on their operations with such audacity along the Suss.e.x coast.

"After walking up Clayton Hill, a cup of tea was sometimes found to be necessary at Patcham, after which Brighton was safely reached at 7 p.m. It must be understood that it was the custom for the pa.s.sengers to walk up all the hills, and even sometimes in heavy weather to give a push behind to a.s.sist the jaded horses."

[Sidenote: COMPEt.i.tION]

But it was not always so ideal or so idyllic. That there were discomforts and accidents is evident from the wordy warfare of advertis.e.m.e.nts that followed upon the starting of the Royal Brighton Four Horse Company in 1802. As a compet.i.tor with older firms, it seems to have aroused much jealousy and slander, if we may believe the following contemporary advertis.e.m.e.nt:

THE ROYAL BRIGHTON Four Horse Coach Company beg leave to return their sincere thanks to their Friends and the Public in general for the very liberal support they have experienced since the starting of their Coaches, and a.s.sure them it will always be their greatest study to have their Coaches safe, with good Horses and sober careful Coachmen.

They likewise wish to rectify a report in circulation of their Coach having been overturned on Monday last, by which a gentleman's leg was broken, &c., no such thing having ever happened to either of their Coaches. The Fact is it was one of the BLUE COACHES instead of the Royal New Coach.

As several mistakes have happened, of their friends being BOOKED at other Coach offices, they are requested to book themselves at the ROYAL NEW COACH OFFICE, CATHERINE'S HEAD, 47, East Street.

The coaching business grew rapidly, and in an advertis.e.m.e.nt offering for sale a portion of the coaching business at No. 1, North Street, it was stated that the annual returns of this firm were more than 12,000 per annum, yielding from Christmas, 1794, to Christmas, 1808, seven and a half per cent. on the capital invested, besides purchasing the interest of four of the partners in the concern. In this last year two new businesses were started, those of Waldegrave & Co., and Pattenden & Co. Fares now ruled high--23_s._ inside; 13_s._ outside.

The year 1809 marked the beginning of a new and strenuous coaching era on this road. Then Crossweller & Co. commenced to run their "morning and night" coaches, and William "Miller" Bradford formed his company. This was an a.s.sociation of twelve members, contributing 100 each, for the purpose of establishing a "double" coach--that is to say, one up and one down, each day. The idea was to "lick creation" on the Brighton Road by accelerating the speed, and to this end they acquired some forty-five horses then sold out of the Inniskilling Dragoons, at that time stationed at Brighton. On May Day, 1810, the Brighton Mail was re-established. These "Royal Night Mail Coaches" as they were grandiloquently announced, were started by arrangement with the Postmaster-General. The speed, although much improved, was not yet so very great, eight hours being occupied on the way, although these coaches went by what was then the new cut _via_ Croydon. Like the Dover. Hastings, and Portsmouth mails, the Brighton Mail was two-horsed. It ran to and from the "Blossoms" Inn, Lawrence Lane, Cheapside, and never attained a better performance than 7 hours 20 minutes, a speed of 7-1/2 miles an hour. It had, however, _this_ distinction, if it may so be called: it was the slowest mail in the kingdom.

It was on June 25th, 1810, that an accident befell Waldegrave's "Accommodation" coach on its up journey. Near Brixton Causeway its hind wheels collapsed, owing to the heavy weight of the loaded vehicle. By one of those strange chances when truth appears stranger than fiction, there chanced to be a farmer's waggon pa.s.sing the coach at the instant of its overturning. Into it were shot the "outsiders," fortunate in this comparatively easy fall. Still, shocks and bruises were not few, and one gentleman had his thigh broken.

[Sidenote: A COACH ROBBERY]

By June, 1811, traffic had so increased that there were then no fewer than twenty-eight coaches running between Brighton and London. On February 5th in the following year occurred the only great road robbery known on this road. This was the theft from the "Blue" coach of a package of bank-notes representing a sum of between three and four thousand pounds sterling.

Crosswellers were proprietors of the coach, and from them Messrs. Brown, Lashmar & West, of the Brighton Union Bank, had hired a box beneath the seat for the conveyance of remittances to and from London. On this day the Bank's London correspondents placed these notes in the box for transmission to London, but on arrival the box was found to have been broken open and the notes all stolen. It would seem that a carefully planned conspiracy had been entered into by several persons, who must have had a thorough knowledge of the means by which the Union Bank sent and received money to and from the metropolis. On this morning six persons were booked for inside places. Of this number two only made an appearance--a gentleman and a lady. Two gentlemen were picked up as the coach proceeded. The lady was taken suddenly ill when Sutton was reached, and she and her husband were left at the inn there. When the coach arrived at Reigate the two remaining pa.s.sengers went to inquire for a friend.

Returning shortly, they told the coachman that the friend whom they had supposed to be at Brighton had returned to town, therefore it was of no use proceeding further.

Thus the coachman and guard had the remainder of the journey to themselves, while the cash-box, as was discovered at the journey's end, was minus its cash. A reward of 300 was immediately offered for information that would lead to recovery of the notes. This was subsequently altered to an offer of 100 guineas for information of the offender, in addition to 300 upon recovery of the total amount, or "ten per cent. upon the amount of so much thereof as shall be recovered." No reward money was ever paid, for the notes were never recovered, and the thieves escaped with their booty.

In 1813 the "Defiance" was started, to run to and from Brighton and London in the daytime, each way six hours. This produced the rival "Eclipse,"

which belied the suggestion of its name and did not eclipse, but only equalled, the performance of its model. But compet.i.tion had now grown very severe, and fares in consequence were reduced to--inside, ten shillings; outside, five shillings. Indeed, in 1816, a number of Jews started a coach to run from London to Brighton in six hours: or, failing to keep time, to forfeit all fares. Needless to say, under such Hebrew management, and with that liability, it was punctuality itself; but Nemesis awaited it, in the shape of an information laid for furious driving.

The Mail, meanwhile, maintained its ancient pace of a little over six miles an hour--a dignified, no-hurry, governmental rate of progression.

There was, in fact, no need for the Brighton Mail to make speed, for the road from the General Post Office is only fifty-three miles in length, and all the night and the early morning, from eight o'clock until five or six o'clock a.m., lay before it.

V

We come now to the "Era of the Amateur," who not only flourished pre-eminently on the Brighton Road, but may be said to have originated on it. The coaching amateur and the nineteenth century came into existence almost contemporaneously. Very soon after 1800 it became "the thing" to drive a coach, and shortly after this became such a definite ambition, there arose that contradiction in terms, that horsey paradox, the Amateur Professional, generally a sporting gentleman brought to utter ruin by Corinthian gambols, and taking to the one trade on earth at which he could earn a wage. That is why the Golden Age of coaching won on the Brighton Road a refinement it only aped elsewhere.

[Sidenote: ARISTOCRATIC COACHMEN]

It is curious to see how coaching has always been, even in its serious days, before steam was thought of, the chosen amus.e.m.e.nt of wealthy and aristocratic whips. Of those who affected the Brighton Road may be mentioned the Marquis of Worcester, who drove the "Duke of Beaufort," Sir St. Vincent Cotton of the "Age," and the Hon. Fred Jerningham, who drove the Day Mail. The "Age," too, had been driven by Mr. Stevenson, a gentleman and a graduate of Cambridge, whose "pa.s.sion for the _bench_," as "Nimrod" says, superseded all other worldly ambitions. He became a coachman by profession, and a good professional he made; but he had not forgotten his education and early training, and he was, as a whip, singularly refined and courteous. He caused, at a certain change of horses on the road, a silver sandwich-box to be handed round to the pa.s.sengers by his servant, with an offer of a gla.s.s of sherry, should any desire one.

Another gentleman, "connected with the first families in Wales," whose father long represented his native county in Parliament, horsed and drove one side of this ground with Mr. Stevenson.

This was "Sackie," Sackville Frederick Gwynne, of Carmarthenshire, who quarrelled with his relatives and took to the road; became part proprietor of the "Age," broke off from Stevenson, and eventually lived and died at Liverpool as a cabdriver. He drove a cab till 1874, when he died, aged seventy-three.

Harry Stevenson's connection with the Brighton Road began in 1827, when, as a young man fresh from Cambridge, he brought with him such a social atmosphere and such full-fledged expertness in driving a coach that Cripps, a coachmaster of Brighton and proprietor of the "Coronet," not only was overjoyed to have him on the box, but went so far as to paint his name on the coach as one of the licensees, for which false declaration Cripps was fined in November, 1827.

The parentage and circ.u.mstances of Harry Stevenson are alike mysterious.

We are told that he "went the pace," and was already penniless at twenty-two years of age, about the time of his advent upon the Brighton Road. In 1828 his famous "Age" was put on the road, built for him by Aldebert, the foremost coach-builder of the period, and appointed in every way with unexampled luxury. The gold- and silver-embroidered horse-cloths of the "Age" are very properly preserved in the Brighton Museum.

Stevenson's career was short, for he died in February, 1830.

Coaching authorities give the palm for artistry to whips of other roads: they considered the excellence of this as fatal to the production of those qualities that went to make an historic name. This road had become "perhaps the most nearly perfect, and certainly the most fashionable, of all."

With the introduction of this sporting and irresponsible element, racing between rival coaches--and not the mere conveying of pa.s.sengers--became the real interest of the coachmen, and proprietors were obliged to issue notices to a.s.sure the timid that this form of rivalry would be discouraged. A slow coach, the "Life Preserver," was even put on the road to win the support of old ladies and the timid, who, as the record of accidents tells us, did well to be timorous. But accidents _would_ happen to fast and slow alike. The "Coburg" was upset at Cuckfield in August, 1819. Six of the pa.s.sengers were so much injured that they could not proceed, and one died the following day at the "King's Head." The "Coburg"

was an old-fashioned coach, heavy, clumsy, and slow, carrying six pa.s.sengers inside and twelve outside. This type gave place to coaches of lighter build about 1823.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE "DUKE OF BEAUFORT" COACH STARTING FROM THE "BULL AND MOUTH" OFFICE, PICCADILLY CIRCUS, 1826. _From an aquatint after W. J.

Shayer._]