io6 THE COACHING AGE. 



of the custom which had arisen from the coach was 

 lost to the innkeepers on the road at places between 

 those where the regular meals were taken. To 

 promote further expedition the time appointed for 

 meals was curtailed, breakfast or dinner being reduced 

 from nearly an hour to five-and-twenty, or at the 

 utmost thirty-five minutes, which was the time 

 allowed on the Shrewsbury ' Wonder ;' while on the 

 Manchester 'Telegraph' twenty minutes only was 

 granted, which was the time they all used to allow 

 for breakfast. 



To give even a short sketch of all the large 

 coach-proprietors who used to be engaged in carrying 

 on coaching business throughout the kingdom, would 

 fill several volumes, if any individual possessed the 

 requisite information, and was sufiiciently well ac- 

 quainted with the coaches on every road in the 

 country. Few if any records are in existence as to 

 the most important circumstances and localities ; few 

 also are the persons who could relate them from 

 memory only, and their recollections would probably 

 apply to very limited localities. 



I purpose giving, as far as I can, some account of 

 the large coach-proprietors of London, and of a few 

 country ones of whom I can speak personally. 



I may venture to mention their names without 

 fear of causing them annoyance, or hurting their 



