52 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



Lord Chesterfield on June 2, 1838, which was called the 

 Richmond Driving Club (R. D. C), it being determined 

 to revive in its former glory and splendour this national 

 institution which has served as an encouragement to 

 the breeding of the finest cattle in the world. This 

 club met always at Chesterfield House (Lord Chester- 

 field, the promoter, being the Hon. Sec), and drove to the 

 ' Castle,' at Richmond, where they dined. 



' You may not know,' writes his grace the Duke of 

 Beaufort, ' One member of the R. D. C. was celebrated for 

 being " dangerous," and never could get a passenger. One 

 night after dining at the ' Castle' at Richmond, a passenger 

 of another coach by mistake climbed on to his box. He 

 was so pleased that he started immediately. The passen- 

 ger looked up, and seeing that it was Mr. A who 



had hold of the ribbons, never hesitated an instant, but 

 jumped straight from the box into the middle of the road.' 

 This club had but a short existence. 



Captain Gronow in his ' Celebrities,' writing of these 

 times, says, — ' In the days of which I speak there were 

 amateur coachmen, who drove with unflinching regularity, 

 and in all weathers, the public stage-coaches, and de- 

 lighted in the opportunity of assimilating themselves 

 with professional Jehus. Some young men, heirs of large 

 landed proprietors, mounted the box, handled the ribbons, 

 and bowled along the high road. They touched their 

 hats to their passengers ; and some among them did not 

 disdain even the tip of a shilling or half-a-crown, with 

 which it was the custom to remunerate the coachman. 

 Many persons liked travelling to Brighton in the " Age " 



