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435
Her Majesty's Mails
·
William Lewins
116
It
only
remains
to
notice,
in
conclusion,
the
annual
procession
of
mail-coaches
on
the
king's
birthday,
which
contemporaries
assure
us
was
a
gay
and
lively
sight.
One
writer
in
the
early
part
of
the
century
goes
so
far
as
to
say
that
the
cavalcade
of
mail-coaches
was
"a
far
more
agreeable
and
interesting
sight
to
the
eye
and
the
mind
than
the
gaud
and
glitter
of
the
Lord
Mayor's
show,"
because
the
former
"made
you
reflect
on
the
advantages
derived
to
trade
and
commerce
and
social
intercourse
by
this
magnificent
establishment"
(the
Post-Office).
Hone,
in
his
Every-day
Book,
writing
of
1822,
tells
us
that
George
IV.,
who
was
born
on
the
12th
of
August,
changed
the
annual
celebration
of
his
birthday
to
St.
George's-day,
April
23d.
"According
to
custom,"
says
he,
"the
mail-coaches
went
in
procession
from
Millbank
to
Lombard
Street.
About
twelve
o'clock,
the
horses
belonging
to
the
different
mails
with
entire
new
harness,
and
the
postmen
and
postboys
on
horseback
arrayed
in
their
new
scarlet
coats
and
jackets,
proceed
from
Lombard
Street
to
Millbank
and
there
dine;
from
thence,
the
procession
being
re-arranged,
begins
to
march
about
five
o'clock
in
the
afternoon,
headed
by
the
general
post
letter-carriers
on
horseback.
The
coaches
follow
them,
filled
with
the
wives
and
children,
friends
and
relations,
of
the
guards
or
coachmen;
while
the
postboys
sounding
their
bugles
and
cracking
their
whips
bring
up
the
rear.
From
the
commencement
of
the
procession,
the
bells
of
the
different
churches
ring
out
merrily
and
continue
their
rejoicing
peals
till
it
arrives
at
the
Post-Office
again,
from
whence
the
mails
depart
for
different
parts
of
the
kingdom."
Great
numbers
assembled
to
witness
the
cavalcade
as
it
passed
through
the
principal
streets
of
the
metropolis.
The
appearance
of
the
coachmen
and
guards,
got
up
to
every
advantage,
and
each
with
a
large
bouquet
of
flowers
in
his
scarlet
uniform,
was
of
course
greatly
heightened
by
the
brilliancy
of
the
newly-painted
coach,
emblazoned
with
the
royal
arms.
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