This is another memory of the former Charter House pupil. Travelling to and from Eton on the Stamford Regent Coach at the beginning and end of each term, he had clearly become known to all the drivers and had another champion in Tom Henessy, who drove the Regent Coach at the London end of its journey:-

“It happened between Hatfield and Welwyn and Tom Hennesy very nearly got into trouble over it. This is what happened:

A young gentleman, named Reynardson, who had longed to be a coach driver from an early age – and has lived to write a book about his experiences – was seated on the box next to Tom Hennesy on one of his numerous journeys from London to Stamford. He was, as usual, burning to be Jehu*, and Hennesy, who was an agreeable and vivacious driver, said, “Now then, sir, you must take them a bit.” Mr. Reynardson did not need asking twice. Far from it. He changed seats with Mr. Hennesy and “took them a bit.”

It all went well between Hatfield and Welwyn, which is where the coach next changed horses, and then Tom Hennesy said that he had better take them down the hill. Taking a coach and four downhill was obviously more difficult than driving on the level, but his wasn’t the reason Tom suggested it.

It was because he was afraid of a “three-cornered old chap named Barker, who would kick up a devil of a row if he saw you driving!”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he saw the very “three-cornered old chap” spoken of, advancing up the hill to meet them. The situation was tense. There was no point in attempting to the fact that Mr. Reynardson was driving so Hennesy told him to drive on and not look at him — by which he meant Barker. 

Perhaps he hoped to escape by a quick change at the inn below. But before the fresh horses had been put in, Mr. Barker appeared with a very unpleasant expression on his face. In fact it was so unpleasant that Tom Hennesy saw that it meant trouble, so he decided to get in first.

With a cheerful smile, he said “Good morning, Mr. Barker, sir! Did you ever see a young gentleman take a coach steadier down a hill?”

Mr. Barker, showing no sign of answering, the glib Tom continued, “ ’Pon my word, sir, he could not have done it better. He’s a pupil of mine, and I’m blessed if he didn't do it capital! Don't you think he did, sir, for you seed him?” 

For a tense moment they wondered how Mr Barker would respond. In the end he muttered something about it being “against the rules, and “don't do it again.” And so Tom and Mr. Reynardson got off very lightly from what could have been a difficult situation.

Tom Hennesy should have been grateful to Mr Barker for once, but I am sorry to say, he was not. 

“Well, that was very civil – for him,” he said as soon as they had set off again, “but as I said before, he's a cross-grained, three-cornered old chap at the best of times, and if I could only catch him lying drunk in the road, I’d run over him and kill him, blessed if I wouldn't.”

And now comes the reason for Tom’s anger: “What business did he have to be walking up the hill? I suppose he was hoping to catch me shouldering.”

“Shouldering” was a term used by coachmen and guards. It meant taking a fare that not on the way-bill – and therefore unknown to the proprietor – and pocketing it.”


*Jehu was a common term for coach drivers during the age of coaching.


Next: ‘Shouldering’


This story can be read as written here

Section 1:

Living Memories

Introduction
Introducing the real life stories collected in the late 1800s

London to Stamford

What was it like to travel by coach on a winter’s day? Come on the first stage of a journey from London to Stamford.

Driving a Mail Coach
Mail coaches were the high speed elite. What was it like to drive them?

Then and Now

Comparing rail and coach travel in 1888!

An Incident at Wansford

Things didn’t always go smoothly and this amusing incident took place on the Great North Road.

Charlies and Hackneys

A recollection of life in London before taxi cabs, policemen and even electricity.

Perils by Water

One of the many hazards that could be encountered was flood water. This is near St Neots.

Latin

The people who could afford to travel were educated in - among other things - Latin!

Red Kites

Yes, they were common in the early 1800s. They’d all gone by the 1880s. Attitudes were different then!

The Cost of Travel by Coach

What did it cost to make a long distance coach journey?

The Desire to Drive a Coach

Young gentlemen often fancied themselves as coachmen. Unlike today, you could often ‘have a go’ with the reins.

Two Short Videos
Although we have no films from the time, modern producers have imagined coach travel for us.

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Part 1: Living Memories

Anecdotes written by people who actually travelled on the coaches

Part 2: The Age of Coaching

The coachmen, the inns, the coach proprietors - they’re all here. Come in and meet them

Part 3: The Roads

Britain’s roads were pretty impassable for most of our history.  Coach travel was very difficult until they improved

Part 4: The Coaches

Wheeled transport evolved over many years. Find out how coaches developed

Background

Sources and information about how I came to create this website

Home Page

Home Page of the Coaching Website