2 14 STAGE-COACH AND MAIL IN DAYS OF YORE 



of this business fell to him. He soon had need 

 of all those fierce energies that Avere his, for, in 

 addition to a watchful eye ui)on the doings of 

 his rivals, he had the stress and turmoil of the 

 rel)uilding of the " Golden Cross " to contend with. 

 To him, indeed, fell the singular experience of 

 having that central place of business rebuilt 

 twice in three years, and the second occasion on 

 another site. AVhen it Avas first reljuilt, in 1830, 

 Trafalgar Square Avas not in existence, and the 

 inn Avas re-erected on the old spot at the rear 

 of Charles I.'s statue, exactly Avhere the south- 

 eastern one of Landseer's lour lions, guarding 

 the Nelson Column, noAV looks across toAvards 

 the Grand Hotel. 



But no sooner Avas tlie j^l'^ce rebuilt than 

 the Metropolitan improvements in tlie meauAvhile 

 decided upon brought about the clearance of the 

 site, and the present " Golden Cross " arose some 

 distance aAvay. At this time fifty-six coaches 

 left that place daily, many of them l)itterly com- 

 petitive Avith those of other proprietors. Equally 

 Avith his father, Benjamin Home Avas an extremely 

 keen business man, ami eager to cut into any 

 paying route. He had sta1)les at Barnet aiul 

 Pinchley, to enable him to compete advantageously 

 on the northern and north- Avestern roads Avith 

 Sherman, of the " Bull and Mouth," and Avith 

 others on thos(; routes. As early as 1823, Avhen 

 the " Tally-Ho ! " fast coach betAveen London and 

 Birmingham Avas first put on the road l)y Mrs. 

 Ann Mountain, of the "Saracen's Head," Snow 



