COACH PROPRIETORS. 107 



feelings, for of all those J shall mention not one is 

 now living. I shall, however, bear in mind the old 

 motto,. ' De mortuis nil nisi bonum.' 



At the head of the list I put the name of William 

 Chaplin, being the largest coach and mail proprietor 

 in London, which of course means in the world, 

 as he had three separate coach offices in the City, 

 and, as usual with the City proprietors, an office 

 at the West End for the convenience of passengers 

 proceeding thence and wishing to book their places 

 beforehand. 



Originally a coachman, he eventually raised himself 

 to the position of proprietor of a great number of 

 mails and coaches, was elected , a member of Parlia- 

 ment for Salisbury, and after the coaches were 

 knocked ojff the road, became deputy-chairman of the 

 London and Southampton Eailway, partner of Mr. 

 Benjamin Worthy Home, with whom he carried on 

 an extensive and well-known business as railway 

 agents and carriers to the London and Birmingham 

 Eailway, under the style of Chaplin and Home. 



In alluding, however, to Mr. Chaplin's connection 

 with railways, I am getting on rather too much 

 ahead, as that did not take place until after his 

 coaching business had ceased. At the Swan with 

 Two Necks, in Lad Lane, he succeeded William 

 Waterhouse, who had carried on the business there 



