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318
The Royal Mail: Its Curiosities and Romance
·
James Wilson Hyde
68
"Heading
the
procession
was
the
oldest-established
mail,
which
would
be
the
Bristol.
On
the
King's
birthday,
1834,
there
were
27
coaches
in
the
procession.
They
all
wore
hammer-cloths,
and
both
guard
and
coachman
were
in
red
liveries,
the
latter
being
furnished
by
the
mail
contractor.
They
wore
beaver
hats
with
gold
lace
and
cockades.
Such
a
thing
as
a
low
billycock
hat
was
not
to
be
seen
on
any
coach
anywhere.
Sherman's
mails
were
drawn
by
black
horses,
and
on
these
occasions
their
harness
was
of
red
morocco.
"The
coaches
were
new
each
year.
In
these
days
brass
mountings
were
rarely
known;
plated
or
silver
only
were
in
use.
On
the
starting
of
the
procession,
the
bells
of
the
neighbouring
churches
rang
out
merrily,
continuing
their
rejoicing
peals
till
it
arrived
at
the
General
Post-office.
Many
country
squires,
who
were
always
anxious
that
their
best
horses
should
have
a
few
turns
in
the
mail-coaches
in
travelling,
sent
up
their
horses
to
figure
in
the
procession.
"From
Millbank
the
procession
passed
by
St
James's
Palace,
at
the
windows
of
which,
above
the
porch,
stood
King
William
and
his
Queen.
The
Duke
of
Richmond
(then
Postmaster-General)
and
the
Duke
of
Wellington
stood
there
also.
Each
coach
as
it
passed
saluted
the
King,
the
coachman
and
guard
standing
up
and
taking
off
their
hats.
The
appearance
of
the
smart
coaches,
emblazoned
with
the
Royal
arms,
orders,
&c.,
coachman
and
guard
got
up
to
every
advantage,
with
their
nosegays
stuck
in
their
brand-new
scarlet
liveries,
was
at
this
point
strikingly
grand.
The
inspectors
of
mail-coaches
rode
in
front
of
the
procession
on
horseback."
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