224 DRIVING. 



Both the Wards, all three Johnsons, Harry Simpson, Jack 

 White, and Charles Tedder, if any were superior where all 

 were so good, might be said to be quite the perfection of 

 coachmen. Oddly enough, Jack White, from no fault of his 

 own, upset the Mail going down Star Hill at the end of Hart- 

 ford Bridge Flat. No one was hurt except the guard, Luke 

 Tabor, who had his leg broken and was laid up at the White 

 Hart Inn, where the Mail changed horses. This inn was then 

 kept by the father of Charles (the well-known dealer in horses, 

 of Brompton Road) and Harry Ward. Tabor was with Charles 

 Ward as guard for many years after his accident. Perhaps, of 

 the Johnsons, Isaac was the prettiest coachman, and had the 

 most wonderful hands. They were equally good and safe 

 coachmen ; but one brother whose Christian name I forget was 

 singularly unlucky, and turned the Mail over two or three 

 times, though never from any fault of his own. 



The ancient city of Oxford turned out many good and cele- 

 brated coachmen. Jack Adams than whom there was none 

 better drove the Defiance from London, and Jemmy Wither- 

 ington l took it on to Cheltenham and vice versa each day. 

 Will Bowers, generally known as * Black Will,' drove the Alert. 

 Tollit, a very celebrated whip, 2 Foreman, and Footman all 

 drove out of Oxford, but I forget now the names of their 

 coaches, for it is very long ago over fifty years. The Age and 

 Royal William coaches ran from Oxford to London through 

 Uxbridge, starting at the same time and racing all the way. 

 Joe and George Tollit horsed and drove the Age ; Colonel 

 Fane often drove, and Perrin, a livery stable-keeper, and Bill 

 and Dick Snowden, horsed the Royal William, the two latter 

 driving it. The Old Blenheim, driven by Charles Holmes, 

 ran from London through Oxford to Woodstock, and I used 

 often to go by it when going to Heythrop. It was a slow 



1 The passengers who travelled from Cheltenham to Oxford gave Jemmy a 

 watch, the twelve letters of his name standing in lieu of the figures on the 

 face. 



2 See p. 215. 



