282 DRIVING. 



journey, i.e. from London to Southend. When it returned it 

 was on the train. 



The spring of 1872 saw the Dorking coach make its first 

 journey for the season on May 1 1. Mr. Godsell joined Sir Henry 

 de Bathe and Colonel Withington in the proprietorship. The 

 new comer, who never drove, found the horses for the Cheam 

 and Epsom ground, and one extra change was made on the 

 road. Notwithstanding that the weather was wretched during 

 the early season, and a seat on a coach apparently the most 

 uncomfortable of perches, the booking office was besieged, 

 and on Whitsun Monday three coaches might have been sent 

 off, so eager were the British public to drive to Dorking. The 

 season lasted till September 26, and the venture had proved 

 so successful that the proposal was mooted of running, when 

 the next season came round, an afternoon ' Dorking,' leaving 

 town after business hours, and setting forth from Dorking 

 early on the following morning. 



The Brighton coach, over which Mr. Chandos Pole, Colonel 

 Stracey-Clitherow, Mr. G. Meek, and Mr. W. H. Cooper 

 still reigned, began their season on May 27, the guard being 

 now clad in scarlet. Colonel Clitherow horsed the coach for the 

 first three stages, to Redhill that is to say ; then came Mr. 

 Cooper and Mr. Meek, while Mr. Chandos Pole looked after 

 the Brighton end. Mr. Charles Hoare had now left the Tun- 

 bridge Wells road, and Lord Bective, who succeeded, carried 

 on the affair with Colonel Hathorn, Colonel Chaplin retiring, 

 the professional being James Selby subsequently of the Old 

 Times who made his debut as a four-in-hand coachman, 

 and kept to the same road for half a dozen seasons. Simmons 

 was guard, but, having the misfortune to break his leg, made 

 way for Cracknell, son of the coachman of the Tantivy. 

 The present Earl of Fife (then Lord Macdufl) and Lord 

 Muncaster put on a new coach to Sunbury, in conjunction 

 with Captain Percival. The original intention was to go as 

 far as Hampton Court only, but that home of holiday-makers 

 being within the Metropolitan district, the coachman would 



