From Cruttwell's Sherborne, Shaftesbury, and Dorchester Journal, or Yeovil, Taunton, and Bridgewater Chronicle, of Friday, February 6th, 12th, and 20th, 1767.
"Taunton Flying Machine,
Hung on Steel Springs, in Two DaysSets out from the Saracen's Head Inn in Friday Street, London, and Taunton, every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at Three o'clock in the morning: and returns every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, lays at the Antelope in Salisbury, going Up and Down; To carry Six inside Passengers, each to pay
£ s. d.
To Taunton 1 16 0
Ilminster 1 14 0
Yeovil 1 8 0
Sherborne 1 6 0
Shaftesbury 1 4 0Outside Passengers and Children in the Lap, Half-Fare as above, each Inside Passenger allowed Fourteen Pounds Luggage; all above, to Taunton Two-pence per Pound and so in Proportion to any Part of the road.
Note. No Money, Plate, Jewels, or Writings, will be accounted for if Lost, unless Entered as such, and Paid for accordingly.
Performed by {JOHN WHITMASH, THOMAS LILEY.}"
From the same Paper of Friday, April 17th, 24th, and May 1st, 1767:--
"Frome, 1767.
The Proprietors of the
FROME STAGE MACHINEIn Order to make it more agreeable to their Friends in the West, have engaged to set out Post Chaises from the Christopher Inn, in Wells, every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday Evenings, at Five o'clock, to stop at the George Inn, at Shepton Mallet, and set out from thence at a Quarter past Six, to carry Passengers and Parcels to Frome, to be forwarded from thence to London in the One Day Flying Machine, which began on Sunday the 12th of April, 1767; Also a Chaise from Frome every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Evenings to Shepton and Wells, as soon as the Coach arrives from London, if any Passengers, etc. go down, at the following Prices:--from Wells to Frome Four Shillings, from Shepton Three Shillings, small parcels from Wells to Frome 6d. each, from Shepton 4d., large ditto a Halfpenny per Pound from each place. All Passengers who intend taking the Advantage of this method of travelling, are desired to take their Places at the above Inns in Wells and Shepton as follows: viz. those who intend going on Sunday enter the Tuesday before going, those who go on Tuesday enter the Thursday before, and for Thursday the Sunday before, that proper notice may be given at Frome to secure the places: If at any time more than three Passengers an extra Chaise to be provided.
Fare to and from London £1 8s. 0d. Trowbridge, £1 6s. 0d. Devizes £1 2s. 6d. One half to be paid at Booking, the other at entering the machine. Inside passengers allowed 10lb. wt., all above Three Half-pence per pound from Frome as usual. The Coach will set out from the Crown Inn in Frome, at Ten o'clock in the evening of every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday; and from the Bull Inn in Holborne, London, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Evening, at the same Hour.--Books are kept, Places taken, and Parcels received, at the Christopher in Wells, the George in Shepton, the Crown in Frome, the Woolpack in Trowbridge, and the Bull in Holborne, London; calls going in and coming out, at the White Bear Inn, Piccadilly, and the new White Horse Cellar.
Perform'd by
R. MESSETER, at the Crown, at Thatcham,
and
J. HITCHCOCK, at the Catherine Wheel, Beckhampton."N.B. No Jewels, Plate, Money, Writings, or other things of Value, will be paid for if lost, unless enter'd as such, and paid for accordingly."
With regard to G.G.'s Query as to the time occupied in the journey of Schultz from Colchester to London, do not the circumstances sufficiently prove that by some means six must have been written for sixteen? Sixteen hours would give a rate of travelling nearer the average of those days, and was about the time occupied on the return to Colchester. For if we allow a due time after twelve for dinner, settling accounts, and going to the inn whence the "Stäts-Kutsche" started, and for partaking of the meal there provided, we shall very easily get to seven or eight in the evening; sixteen hours after that time would be "towards noon" in the following day.
A.D.M