WHAT BECAME OF THE COACHMEN 315 



places, and the " Talh-llo " was converted into a 

 mail, and ran for a number of years until the 

 railway Avas opened to Truro, in May 1859. 

 Then, and then only, did Ward's career as a 

 coachman end, for although for some years, Ijeing 

 proprietor, he had seldom driven, he had not 

 hitherto deserted the hox-seat, despite the calls 

 upon his time of the horse-mart and driving- 

 school business he had meanwhile estal3lislied at 

 Plymouth. 



Charles Ward, more fortunate, more business- 

 like and far-seeing than the majority of his 

 fellows, ended as the j^rosperous jiroprietor of 

 livery stables in the Erompton Road, in whose 

 yard he might Ijc seen on sunny days during his 

 last years sitting on a bench against the Avarm 

 brick Avail, and dozing the afternoons aAvay. 



Even as this page is Avritten, in January 1903, 

 another old coachman — again " the last " ! — has 

 died. This Avas Sampson BrcAver, avIio, living 

 in his later years at Cedar Cottage, Vancouver, 

 declared himself to be the last survivor of the 

 old coaching days. Born in 1809, he Avas, there- 

 fore, ninety-four years of age at his death. 

 He said he drove on its final journey " the last 

 regularly-running mail in England" : that betAveen 

 Plymouth and Ealmouth, by Avay of Liskeard and 

 St. Austell. He must thus have been in the 

 employ of Charles Ward. 



Tavo, at least, of the coachmen committed 

 suicide. One of these Avas Dick Yickcrs, Avho had 

 driven the Holyhead Mail. In an evil hour he 



