Fragments of Two Centuries | Page 7

1 1/2 to 2 miles an hour, including stoppages, as taken from old
time tallies, for their journeys! These ponderous wagons, with their
teams of eight horses and broad wheels, were actually associated with
the idea of "flying," for I find an announcement in the year 1772, that
the Stamford, Grantham, Newark and Gainsboro' wagons began
"flying" on Tuesday, March 24th, &c. Twenty and thirty horses have
been known to be required to extricate these lumbering wagons when
they became embedded in deep ruts, in which not infrequently, the
wagon had to remain all night. Many a struggling, despairing scene of
this kind has been witnessed at the bottom of our hills, such as that at
the bottom of Reed Hill, before the road was raised out of the hollow;
the London Road, before the cutting was made through the hill; and
along the Baldock Road by the Heath, on to which wagons not
infrequently turned and began those deep ruts which are still visible,
and the example, which every one must regret, of driving along the
Heath at the present day, with no such excuse as the "fly wagons" had.
[Illustration: OLD STAGE WAGON, A.D. 1800.]
{9}
Bad as were the conditions of travel, however, it should be understood
that for some time before regular mail coaches were introduced in 1784
(by a Mr. Palmer) there had been some coaching through Royston.
Evidence of this is perhaps afforded by the old sign of the "Coach and
Horses," in Kneesworth Street, Royston. This old public-house is
mentioned in the rate-books for Royston, Cambs., as far back as the
beginning of the reign of George III., or about the middle of last
century, and as its old sign, probably a picture of a coach and four,
hanging over the street, was a reflection of previous custom, we may
take it that public coaches passed up and down our High Street,
occasionally, in the first half of the last century, but the palmy days of
coaching were to come nearly a century after this. It is interesting to
note that Royston itself had a much larger share in contributing to the
coaching of the last century, than it had during the present, and its
interest in the traffic was not confined to the fact of its situation on two

great thoroughfares. The most interesting of all the local coaching
announcements for last century, is one which refers to the existence of
a Royston coach at a much earlier date. In 1796 the following
announcement was made, which I copy verbatim:
* * * * * * * *
TO THE PUBLIC.
THE OLD ROYSTON COACH ONCE MORE REVIVED.
CALLED THE TELEGRAPH.
Will set out on Monday, 2nd May, and will continue to set out during
the summer, every Monday and Friday morning at four o'clock; every
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday at six o'clock, from the
Old Crown Inn, Royston; arrives at the Four Swans Inn, Bishopsgate
Street, London, at ten and twelve o'clock. Returns every day (Sunday
excepted) from the said Inn, precisely at two o'clock, and arrives at
Royston at eight o'clock at night.
The proprietors of this undertaking, being persons who have rose by
their own merit, and being desirous of accommodating the public from
Royston and its environs, they request the favour of all gentlemen
travellers for their support, who wish to encourage the hand of industry,
when their favours will be gratefully acknowledged by their servants
with thanks.
John Sporle, Royston. Thomas Folkes, London, and Co.
Fare as under:--
From Royston to London, inside, L0 12s. 0d. " Buntingford ditto, L0
10s. 0d. " Puckeridge ditto, L0 9s. 0d.
Ware and other places the same as other coaches.
Outsiders, and children in lap, half-price.

N.B.--No parcels accounted for above five pounds, unless paid for and
entered as such.
* * * * * * * *
{10}
A much earlier announcement was that in 1763, of the St. Ives and
Royston Coach, which was announced to run with able horses from the
Bell and Crown, Holborn, at five o'clock in the morning, every Monday
and Friday to the Crown, St. Ives, returning on Tuesday and Saturday.
Fare from London to Royston 8s., St. Ives 13s. This was performed by
John Lomax, of London, and James Gatward, of Royston, and in the
following year the same proprietors extended the route to Chatteris,
March and Wisbech. This James Gatward was probably a brother of the
unfortunate Gatward (son of Mrs. Gatward, for many years landlady of
the Red Lion Inn, at Royston), whose strange career and tragic end will
be referred to presently.
In 1772 I find a prospectus of the Royston, Buntingford, Puckeridge
and Ware "Machine" which set out from the Hull Hotel, Royston,
"every Monday and Friday at half