Great Britain
1800 > The truth of Coach Travel, where stamps lead one.
Currently reading "Years of Victory" Arthur Bryant 1945
The following caught my eye
(Following a call to arms, regarding Napoleon 1805)
Ensign Boothby of the Royal Engineers went bowling down to Portsmouth on the outside of the Mail in such ardent spirits and buoyant health that when,
"The night being very foggy with misting rain and the lamps not penetrating further into the mist than the rumps of the wheelers,"
the coach ran into a team of horses standing slantwise across the road and overturned, he bounced happily on to the road without so much as a scratch or a bruise.
"Outside of the Mail" = Travelling by the Mail Coach (More expensive) and sat on the outside of the coach on the roof, or benches.
"Rumps of the wheelers" = Horses, usually Coach and 3? for Mail
or perhaps coach and 5.
Travelling by "Stage Coach" was cheaper but more confined.
Further reading on Coach travel, as seen by those that were there
Jane Austen (Pride and Prejudice) her travels
Fascinating stuff..
https://www.mollands.net/etexts/mit...mitton8.htmlWhom knew? Tipping in 1800 England
As for hotels, they were worse than to-day, for it must be remembered money was of greater relative value. In a letter from a "Constant Reader" to The Times in October 1795, the vexed subject of tips is discussed--
"If a man who has a horse, puts up at an inn, besides the usual bill, he must at least give 1s, to the waiter, 6d. to the chambermaid, 6d. to the ostler, and 6d. to the jack-boot, making together 2s. 6d. At breakfast you must give at least 6d. between the waiter and Hostler. If the traveller only puts up to have a refreshment, besides paying for his horses standing he must give 3d. to the hostler, at dinner 6d. to the waiter and 3d. to the hostler; at tea 6d. between them, so that he gives away in the day 2s. 6d., which, added to the 2s. 6d. for the night, makes 5s. per day on an average to servants."
Posted 07/29/2021 10:22 pm
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