COACHMEN. 297 



them some years afterwards, they all wore their hats 

 with the brims guiltless of any curl, and as flat as a 

 billiard -table, which was in accordance with the shape 

 of the ' down-the-road ' hats of that period. 



Before going on the Bath mail Jack Stacey drove 



Cooper's 'Old Company' day-coach from London to his 



Cottage at Thatcham for several years, down one day 



and up the next, and lodging at the Cottage. The 



situation was easy and pleasant ; he left Piccadilly 



every other morning, including Sundays, as the 



coach ran every day, at seven o'clock, and reached 



the Cottage at ten minutes to one, when the coach 



stopped for the passengers to dine, and his day's 



work was finished. The next day he got on the 



box again at the Cottage, at two o'clock, and drove 



up to town, reaching Piccadilly at the Old White 



Horse Cellar at ten minutes to eight. That the coach 



travelled at a fast pace may be known by the fact of 



its doing the fifty-three miles in five hours and fifty 



minutes, with six changes, and not any guard to help 



or other horsekeepers than their own. Cooper not 



being connected with any other coach-proprietor on 



the road. . I believe none of the other coachmen 



boarded or lodged at the Cottage. 



The 'York House,' which was the crack day-coach 

 to Bath, left Piccadilly at the same time as the ' Old 

 Company ;' but it was a matter of etiquette between 



