Coaching, with Anecdotes of the RoadLennox, William Pitt, Lord
History
Coaching, with Anecdotes of the Road
Lennox, William Pitt, Lord
Coaching (Transportation)
At a later period we have had the Dukes of Beaufort, the Marquis of
Waterford, the Earls of Chesterfield, Londesborough, Waldegrave,
Sefton, and Rosslyn; Lords Alfred Paget, Alford, Rivers, Worcester,
Macdonald, Powerscourt, Colonel Copeland, Sir St. Vincent Cotton, Sir
E. Smythe, George Payne, Esq., H. Villebois, Esq., Prince Batthyany,
A. W. Hervey Aston, Esq., J. Angerstein, Esq., and T. Barnard, Esq.
And here I am reminded of one who, as an amateur coachman and
vocalist, was second to none. I allude to the late Honourable
Fitzroy Stanhope, than whom a kinder-hearted creature never existed.
Few men had seen more of the world in all its phases than poor
Stanhope; but under whatever circumstances you met him, whether at
the social board, on the racecourse, on the box of a "drag," in the
snuggery of the Garrick Club, or in the shooting-field, he was ever
the high-bred gentleman. His nerve and head when on the box were
wonderfully good. I well recollect sitting behind him on the late
Hervey Aston's coach at Ascot races, when the owner, who was rather
short-sighted, drove his leaders against some very strong ropes that
surrounded the booths; and, as the team was very skittish, we must
have come to grief had not Fitzroy, in the coolest manner, helped us
out of the scrape by catching hold of the reins. This he did in a
most quiet and good-humoured manner, and with so much tact that Aston
was pleased instead of being offended.
"You are an excellent coachman," said Stanhope, "but a little too
venturesome; there, take the ribbons again, no one handles them
better."
The above was the second escape from accident that befell us that
day. In driving out of the Knightsbridge Barracks, Aston managed to
get his leaders and wheelers huddled together, and, the salute of the
sentry at the gate frightening them, the wheel came in contact with
the post and the pole snapped in two. Fortunately, assistance was at
hand, and the only ill result was a delay of some twenty minutes. I
was on the box at the time; and, thinking probably other difficulties
might arise on the road, I urged Fitzroy Stanhope to change places.
Stanhope's vocal powers were of the first-rate order, as all will
bear testimony who listened to his merry and musical voice when he
carolled forth "The Swell Dragsman," "The Bonny Owl," "The days that
we got tipsy in, a long time ago," and other convivial songs. Poor
Fitzroy! his loss was deeply felt by a large circle of friends.
And here let me place before my readers a description of the
four-in-hand club of 1808. This club was in the habit of meeting
once or twice a month in London, and then proceeding some fifteen
or twenty miles into the country to dine, returning at night. It
was called the "Driving Club," and the carriages turned out in the
following order:--
Sir Henry Peyton's barouche-landau, four bays.
Mr. Annesley's barouche-landau, four roans, thoroughbred.
Mr. Stephen Glynn's barouche-landau, four bays.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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