THE BRIGHTON ROAD 197 



of 1 82 1 gives mc the names of some eighteen — all 

 celebrated, and many of which I recollect hearing spoken 

 of. by one who had travelled in most of them, long 

 before I ever thought it would be my lot to revive their 

 memories. There started then in the prime era of 

 coaching — circa 1821 — from the Angel, St. Clement's, 

 Strand, at 9.30 every morning for Brighton, the Light 

 Post Coach, which went by Reigate and Cuckfield ; from 

 the Bell and Crown, Holborn, the Alert (Safety) Coach, 

 which started daily at 8.30 A.M., and arrived at Brighton 

 at 4 ; from the Old Bell, Holborn, the Meteor daily at 

 10.30 ; the True Blue, from the Blossoms Inn, Cheapside, 

 started dail}^ at 9 A.M., and did the journey in six hours ; 

 as also did the Night Coach, from the same inn — which 

 was extremely good travelling. Amongst other cele- 

 brated coaches whose names were once household words 

 may be mentioned the Royal Eagle, which left the Boar 

 and Castle Inn at midday ; the Royal Clarence, from 

 the Bull, Bishopsgate, at 8.30 every morning, and which 

 took a still different route from any that I have yet 

 named — going by Lindfield and Ditchling ; the Life Pre- 

 server, daily at 8.45 from the Cross Keys, Cheapside ; the 

 Regent, daily at 8 A.M., from the Flower Pot, Bishopsgate 

 Street ; the Original Red Coach — via Croydon, Reigate, 

 and Crawley — from the Golden Cross, Charing Cross, 

 at 9 every morning ; the Eclipse, at 2 in the afternoon, 

 from the same celebrated house ; and to make an end, 

 from the Spread Eagle, Gracechurch Street, the Dart, at 

 2.45 P.M., and the Sovereign at 6.45 in the morning ; 

 the Royal Brunswick at 2.30 daily from the Spur in the 

 Borough ; the Rocket at 9.30 A.M., and the Tally-ho at 

 10 A.M. daily from the White Bear, Piccadilly ; the 

 Princess Charlotte, which left the White Horse, Fetter 

 Lane, at 9.30, and going the favourite route through 

 Croydon, Reigate, Crawley, and Cuckfield, reached 

 the Old Ship at Brighton at 5 in the afternoon ; and 

 finally in the post of honour the celebrated Vivid, 

 which did the journey in five hours and a quarter. 



