COACHING ON MAY DAY. 101 



CHAPTER XX. 



COACHING ON MAY DAY. BEARING REINS. 



May Day was the great day for stage- coaches to race 

 against time, and some of them with that object in view 

 carried no passengers. From the ' Country Mercury ' 

 (May 8, 1830) we learn that — 'Saturday being May 

 Day, the usual competition took place between the 

 London coaches.' The 'Independent Tallyho,' which 

 ran between London and Birmingham, performed a feat 

 altogether unparalleled in the annals of coaching, having 

 travelled the distance of 109 miles in 7 hours and 39 

 minutes ; thus far surpassing the feat of the ' Quicksilver,' 

 mentioned in the preceding chapter. The following is 

 the correct account of the time it took to perform the 

 distances horsed by the various proprietors : — 



Mr. Home, from London to Colney, 17^ miles, in 

 1 hour 6 minutes. 



Mr. Bowman, from Colney to Redburn, 17^ miles, in 

 1 hour 26 minutes (6 minutes for breakfast). 



Mr. Morrell, Redburn to Hockcliffe, 12J miles, in 

 1 hour 4 minutes. 



Mr. Warden, Hockcliffe to Shenley, 11 miles, in 

 47 minutes. 



