Scarce books and prints, too, may exist in many libraries, and a list might be made of them; and a record is desirable also of those students of the Art of Coachbuilding who made their mark in the world and have passed away.
Any communication will be thankfully received and kept in an accessible place, to assist any future writer who may have the time to prepare a more complete record than I of the History of Coachbuilding.
G. A. THRUPP.
269 Oxford Street,
April, 1877.
CONTENTS.
| [CHAPTER I.] | |
|---|---|
| PAGE | |
Early Vehicles—Sledges—Solid Wheels—Egyptian Chariots—EarlyVehicles Always had Two Horses—King Solomon’sWedding Chariot—An Egyptian Mummy Wheel—GrecianChariots—Vehicles of Ancient Rome—Scythian and PersianCars—Funeral Car of Alexander the Great—War Chariot ofAncient Britain—Roman Military Roads—Wheels Found atPompeii—Later Vehicles of the Roman Empire—AncientRoman Dray—Carriages of Hindostan—A Carriage of AncientHungary—Turkish Carriages—Welsh and Irish Cars—BristolCoburg | |
| [CHAPTER II.] | |
Whirlicote of the Middle Ages—Charettes—Cars of the MiddleAges—Revival of Carriages—The First Coaches—The GermanWaggon—Ancient Saxon Waggon—The Horse Litter—TheOld Coaches at Coburg—Early Italian Coaches—Coachof Queen Elizabeth—Coach of Charles I.—Coach of HenriQuatre—Time of Louis XIV.—The Brouette and SteelSprings—The Berlin—Old Coaches at Vienna—Horse Litterat the Imperial Mews—Utility of Steel Springs—Mr SamuelPepys’ Diary—Sedan Chairs—Coachbuilding in 1770—Chariotà l’Anglaise—Encyclopædia on Coachbuilding—Cabriolets—LightChariots—The Darnley Chariot | |
| [CHAPTER III.] STATE COACHES. | |
A Coach of Silver—Lord Castlemaine’s Coach—Spanish Ambassador’sCoach—Ancient Spanish Coach—Austrian StateCoach—State Funeral Coach at Vienna—State Coach ofEngland—City State Coach | |
| [CHAPTER IV.] CARRIAGES FROM 1790 TO 1876. | |
Mr Felton’s Opinions—Proper Strength of Carriages—Method ofConstruction—Usual Width of Coaches—The Perch—GreatHeight of Wheels in 1790—The Lord Chancellor’s Coach—TheLandau—Phaetons of 1790—Two-Wheeled Vehicles—Taxationon Carriages—Advance of the Trade—Invention ofElliptical Springs—Carriages of Napoleon Buonaparte—Numberof Vehicles Paying Taxes—The Curricle—Introductionof Undersprings—Mr S. Hobson’s Improvements—TheBriska and the Stanhope—The Tilbury and Dog-Cart—CommercialTravellers’ Gigs—Travelling Carriages—The PonyPhaeton and the Droitska—The Cab Phaeton and the Victoria—DressCarriages—Coronation Procession in 1838—Improvementof the Landau—Introduction of the Brougham—Waggonnettes—Exhibitionsof Carriages—Numbers of Carriagesin 1874 | |
| [CHAPTER V.] ON PUBLIC CARRIAGES. | |
Travelling before A.D. 1600—Great Width of Waggon Wheels—TurnpikeRoads—Post Saddle Horses—Hackneys—StageCoaches—Hackney Coaches—Cheap Rate of Hire—TheYork Coach—The Manchester Flying Coach—The PostChaise—The Diligence—Post-Boys—Mr T. Pennant onTravelling—Increase of Mail Coaches—M‘Adam’s Roads—Four-in-HandClubs—Russian Travelling—Two-WheeledStreet Cabs—Street Cabs need Improvement—Hansom Cabs—Omnibusof Pascal—Omnibus of 1820—Shillibeer’s Omnibuses—GeneralOmnibus Company—American Coachmaking—FastCabs of Vienna | |
| [CHAPTER VI.] | |
Writers on Carriages—Periodical Publications on Coaches—TightHarnessing—Height of the Driver’s Seat—Cover to theDriver’s Seat—American Buggy—American Trotting Waggons—Labour-SavingMachines—Machines Save Time—AmericanMagazines on Carriages—Principles of Draught—Disadvantagesof Two-Wheeled Vehicles—Track of Wheels—Utilityof High Wheels—Side Thrust and Vibration ofWheels—Pitch of Axles and Dish of Wheels—Springs—EllipticSprings—Brake Retarders—India Rubber BrakeBlocks—A Load Should Rest on the Highest Wheel—Dangerto a Stage Coach on Low Front Wheels—Carriage Drawingsof Full Size—Value of being a Good Draughtsman—Mr Gladstoneon Design—Coachmakers’ Company’s Library | |