132 ON THE TRACK OF THE MAIL-COACH 



agent, Mr. T. M. Musgrave, had seen a varied career 

 — at one time in the Treasury and Lord Mahnesbury's 

 private secretary, then in the Ahen Department of the 

 Secretary of State's office, next packet agent at 

 Lisbon, and then packet agent at Falmouth, w^here 

 he was expected to extend civilities to distinguished 

 strangers and ' speed the parting guest.' On the 

 abolition of the agency, Mr. Musgrave was transferred 

 to the Controllership of the Twopenny Post in London, 

 in Gerard Street, Soho, and ultimately was appointed 

 to be Postmaster of Bath. 



Afterwards, at Falmouth, came as postmaster Mr. 

 Gay, whose son attained great popularity as a sur- 

 veyor. Between the two the Gays' service in the 

 department extended over more than seventy years. 

 Gay senior was followed in office by Miss Jane 

 Seymour Wood, who almost invariably witnessed the 

 transfer of mails between packet and coach. 



It is said that when the first outward Indian mail 

 was put on board the packet at Falmouth, it was 

 carried under the arm of Williams, coxswain to 

 Admiral Ellis, superintendent of the port. 



William Eufus Ellis, in the fifties, succeeded Miss 

 Wood. Could William Eufus but have married Jane 

 Seymour, there would have been a concurrence of 

 royal names not usual in postal experience. 



There are still numerous head offices in charge of 

 postmistresses. The most considerable, I think, are 

 Folkestone, under Miss Spearpoint, and Dorking, 

 under Miss Lanham. 



