288 DRIVING. 



however, like the former one, came to nothing, and the season 

 began and ran its course in the ordinary way. 



In 1875 Colonel Chaplin rejoined the Tunbridge Wells 

 . coach, from which Colonel Hathorn retired, so that Lord 

 Bective was Colonel Chaplin's sole partner ; with Jarnes Selby 

 for professional, and A. Fovvnes, instead of H. Cracknell, as 

 guard. At the beginning of the season the day Dorking 

 started as in the previous year, but scarcely had a commence- 

 ment been made ere Colonel Withington, the ' Peter ' of many 

 friends, died, to the honest grief of those who had been asso- 

 ciated with him. This lef: the coach under the dual control 

 of Lord Blandford and Mr. M. Praed, while Mr. Cooper who 

 at the end of the season was presented with a whip by the 

 Clapham and Tooting omnibus men, at the dinner he gave to 

 them every year again made Box Hill his terminus, and bad as 

 professional B. Hubble, who succeeded E. Fownes. Hubble 

 came upon the coaching world with great suddenness. He 

 had been driving a four-horse omnibus, and while acting in 

 that capacity was seen by Mr. Scott, who, when Fownes left, 

 suggested the engagement of Hubble. Mr. Cooper, as an old 

 coachman, was at first rather averse to appointing an unknown 

 man ; but, on the strong recommendation of Mr. Scott, saw for 

 himself, and was satisfied. Colonel de Lancey Kane, an Ameri- 

 can gentleman, took the road to Virginia Water, and to him went 

 E. Fownes on quitting the Box Hill. The Windsor road now 

 passed into the hands of Colonel Greenall, Mr. Hurman, and 

 Captain Chichester, the coach travelling by way of Richmond, 

 Hampton Court, and Staines, with Harry Thorogood and Bob 

 Rear as coachman and guard. On the Guildford road General 

 Dickson was single-handed ; but in the early part of the 

 season he had John Thorogood to help him in the driving ; 

 but the latter was presently replaced by Timms ; E. Spencer 

 was guard. Mr. F. G. Hobson and Captain Ramsay put on the 

 Criterion coach to Maidenhead, and Mr. Stewart Freeman ran 

 to Brighton, via Sutton and Reigate, with Mclntyre as guard 

 and Pope as coachman ; but in mid-season J. Thorogood left 



