Old times : $b A picture of social life at the end of the eighteenth centuryAshton, John
History
Old times : $b A picture of social life at the end of the eighteenth century
Ashton, John
Great Britain -- Social life and customs
"A Constant Reader."
--(_Times, Oct. 17, 1795._)
The following notices will show that, what with over-crowding, and bad
roads, accidents were as frequent by road as they are now by
rail--indeed, the per centage, considering the relative number of
passengers, was much greater. The _basket_ mentioned below, was a huge
wicker work machine attached to the Coach, intended to carry parcels.
"Yesterday the driver of the Chelmsford and London Stage Coach,
was convicted before the Magistrates at the Public Office,
Whitechapel, in three separate penalties of 40_s._ each, for
suffering more than six persons to ride on the roof of the said
Coach.
"The owner and driver of the Bishop Stortford, and London, Stage
Coach, was also convicted in the penalty of £4 for the same
offence: and the driver of the Westham Stage Coach, in the same
penalty, for suffering eight persons to ride on the roof of the
said Coach."--(_Times, Oct. 5, 1795._)
* * * * *
"In despite of continual and fatal accidents, not to mention the
inferior consideration of pains and penalties, the Stage Coaches
still continue to carry extra numbers on the outside. There were
_eleven_ on the coach, and box, of the Gosport Coach, beside the
driver, and _nine_ in the basket, on Thursday last."--(_Times,
Oct. 16, 1795._)
* * * * *
"The pavement in Bridge St. Blackfriars, which has been so long
in a most dangerous state, has sunk near a foot more, within the
last week, so that the roof of the main shore is every hour
expected to give way."--(_Times, Aug. 6, 1794._)
* * * * *
"On Wednesday afternoon, about four o'clock, the Boston Coach
broke down, on the lowest part of Snow Hill, soon after it left
the Saracen's Head Inn. The outside passengers, which were
FOURTEEN in number, and mostly soldiers, were thrown with such
violence on the pavement, that several were bruised, and one
woman was taken to St. Bartholomew's Hospital, where she died, on
Thursday night. The inside passengers, which were five, and a
young child, were not much hurt.
"The frequent accidents which arise from the outsides of coaches
being so overladen, calls highly for reprehension. The laws are
either inadequate to remedy the evil, or they are not properly
enforced: and we sincerely hope that the coachman, and those who
are concerned, will be severely punished, as an example to
prevent the same accidents in future. We think there should be a
fresh Act of Parliament, and, if the inside passengers were
empowered, after taking their seats, to hire a post-chaise where
there was above a stipulated number (at the owner's expence), it
would remedy the evil."--(_Times, Aug. 8, 1795._)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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