56 THE COACHING AGE. 



an omnibus, closed in for conveyance of goods only, 

 and travelling at a trotting pace. A large stone, from 

 which probably Whetstone took its name, is still 

 to be seen there, but the turnpike gate and house 

 are both gone. 



It was a busy time at Whetstone Gate about 

 Barnet Fair in the beginning of September, before 

 the London and North- Western, better known at its 

 origin as the London and Birmingham Eailway, 

 opened, and before the cattle disease caused siich 

 havoc among stock. 



The mails and coaches on the northern roads filled 

 well with persons having business at the fair. As 

 one of the largest in the kingdom, it necessarily drew 

 together an immense concourse of people. Irish 

 horses,' Welsh ponies, black Scotch and Welsh cattle, 

 Herefords and Devons, ; were all numerously repre- 

 sented. Buyers and sellers from all parts of England, 

 Wales, Scotland, and Ireland^ had to travel by road, 

 and generally remained in the town four or five 

 days, the fair lasting three ; the afternoon of the last 

 winding up with a pleasure fair, including a Welsh- 

 men's race for a saddle and bridle, the stakes being 

 raised by subscriptions previously collected from 

 residents. The race certainly was unique in its 

 way, the horses being such as the drovers or cattle- 

 dealers had ridden up to the fair, and the riders 



