124 STAGE-COACH AAW AT AIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



the beginning's of the business go back to that 

 time when the original firm of packhorse carriers 

 ■was established, to whose trade the Pickfords 

 succeeded, by purchase or otherAvise, about 1730. 

 Traditions only survive of those long-absorbed 

 carriers, Avhose packliorse trains originally plied 

 on the hilly tracks between Derby and Manchester 

 " about two hundred and fifty or throe hundred 

 years ago," as we vaguely learn. No documentary 

 or other evidence exists on which to found an 

 account of them. What would Ave not give to 

 be able to recoAcr from the romantic past the 

 story of those old-time carriers, contemjiorary Avith 

 the famous Hobson himself, beyond comparison 

 the most celebrated of all these old men of the 

 road ! 



But all records have been destroyed. When 

 the several changes Avere made that from time to 

 time altered the constitution of the business, the 

 papers and documents relating to past transactions 

 Avere cast aside as waste-paper, and there Avas none 

 among the people of those times AAdio thought it 

 worth Avhile, for the interest and instruction 

 of j^osterity, to set doAvn Avhat he kncAV of the 

 current history of the concern. That this should 

 have been the case is no matter for surprise. The 

 past or the future interests many to Avhoni the 

 present is only something from Avhicli to escape, 

 as commonplace and dull. That man a\ ho is not 

 glad, Avlien the business day is done, to leave for 

 home and straightAvay dismiss all thoughts of his 

 business from his mind is rare indcnnl ; and still 



