The History of Coaches

by George Athelstane Thrupp

There is at Madrid a very old coach of a similar shape to this, with many small points so similar as, I think, clearly to mark it out as belonging to the same period. The standards both in front and behind of the Spanish coach are, however, of beautifully wrought scroll ironwork. The body and wheels are of carved wood stained black, the whole of the panels and framing are worked over with very elegant carving, the centre of each panel is a medallion containing figures of females of beautiful forms. There is a photograph of this at Coachmakers’ Hall. It is, however, ascribed erroneously to the time of Jeanne La Folle, as Queen Joanna, the mother of Charles V., died in 1555. It is certain that the Spanish tradition of its age is incorrect. The wheels have the spokes turned in spiral form, the rims of the wheels are moulded and carved. The windows, eight in number, I am informed, have been refitted with wooden frames. This coach is deserving of careful study; it is certainly in many points what a State Coach should be. There are no fittings for servants or driver. It was the custom for many years in Spain to drive postillion, because a coachman of the Duke of Olivarez having overheard and betrayed a state secret, the duke ordered that coachmen should no longer be allowed in Spain.

Our excellent ambassador at Madrid, who takes a great interest in antiquarian researches, has kindly sent me the particulars respecting this Spanish coach, and obtained from the king’s librarian the further information that it is not mentioned in any inventory of the royal goods until the early part of the eighteenth century; the librarian’s opinion is that the coach belonged to Charles II. of Spain, who died in 1700, and left his kingdom to Philip V., the grandson of Louis XIV., King of France. The coach in shape so closely resembles the coaches of 1700 [[Plate 17]], that there is no doubt it belonged either to Charles II. or Philip V., Kings of Spain.

One of the most beautiful of State Coaches is that belonging to the Imperial family at Vienna. There are photographs of it in Coachmakers’ Hall, but to be perfectly appreciated it should be seen. The proportions are almost perfect, and the finish of the mouldings and carvings is exquisite. It was built in 1696, and is shaped with all the curves that are familiar to us in cabinets and furniture of the style called Louis Quatorze, and in which a straight line is so carefully avoided. The body is very deep, and longer on the roof than at the elbows; the doorway is depressed to hide the steps. The panels are beautifully painted with nymphs in the style of Rubens; indeed, one is told at Vienna that Rubens painted them himself, but that is another instance of the inaccuracy of many local traditions, as Rubens died in 1640. There is an unusual quantity of plate-glass in the panels of the coach, that help to give it a light and airy appearance. The centre of the roof has a large Imperial crown, and large tassels hang from the four corners of the roof, where modern Coachbuilders would place lamps. The body hangs very low. The carriage has a single perch with double cranes, corresponding very closely with those on Lord Darnley’s chariot at South Kensington. The standards in the front and hind parts are lofty, elegantly shaped and carved, and strengthened with boldly curved iron stays. The body is hung upon eight leather braces, four of which are arranged on the Berlin plan, and four are attached to short elbow springs beneath the bottom of the body. There are six of these little steel springs at each corner. The wheels are about 3 ft. and 4 ft. 9 in. high, and are very elegantly formed with carved rims, and the spokes each of a shape, with three curves in it. There are no fittings for coachman or footman. The whole of the wood and ironwork is gilt, the panels only are in the colour of a landscape with figures.

It is a singular thing that there is a second coach of the same shape and date, but with the wheels and other fittings of a plainer description, and all black inside and out, with the Imperial arms in bronze relief on the doors. This black state coach is for funerals.

There were a number of state coaches built about this period for the different courts of Europe;[4] but without illustrations of each, descriptions would not give much idea of their shapes. The general character of each is that of a rather lumbering body, profusely carved, gilded, and adorned, placed on a very lumbering carriage, on some of which are introduced figures of gods and goddesses or animals, appearing to hold up the heavy body by leather braces.

The last, and probably much the largest of these, is the State Coach of England, built for King George III. It is not known who built it; it was designed by an amateur, who could not be expected, perhaps, to consider so much its usefulness as a certain massive grandeur which he expected to gain from an exaggeration of some of the principal parts, such as the body, the total length, and the hind wheels. This coach, built in 1761, was designed by Sir William Chambers; the length is 24 feet, the height 12 feet, the width 8 feet; the weight is stated as 4 tons. The introduction of the figures of four Tritons, to support the braces, is probably imitated from Lord Castlemaine’s coach of 1687, but it would have been better to have introduced such figures as leaning against the standard-posts, than to make the figures themselves the bearers. Why the coach was not hung upon C springs, or rather whip springs, it is very difficult to say, as they were in common use in 1760.

The City State Coach was built in 1757, about the same time as the royal coach. It is, in some respects, in better taste and proportions, but is very unwieldy still. It deserves some study, recollecting in how many city shows it has borne a conspicuous place. The body is the Louis Quatorze shape. The panels would look better if they were repainted; fresh colours would lighten the whole coach. It is to be regretted that the name of the builder is not on record at Guildhall. But, in the same year, a state coach was supplied to Sir Charles Asgill by Messrs Runciman and Barker for £860; it was refitted the following year for Sir Richard Glyn, and successively for Sir Thomas Chitty, Sir Matthew Blakiston, Sir Samuel Fludyer, and lastly for Mr William Beckford. It was, probably, from the original cost, only a second coach, and appears to have been newly painted and otherwise adorned for each successive Lord Mayor.

If the present City State Coach is to be kept for state use it should be supplied with springs. The city coachmaker, who has for some time had the charge of this coach, could add springs without any difficulty, and without much expense.