16 - On the Plymouth Road – Grandmother posting into Cornwall 1836
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Description
‘Family Annals by Road and Rail, By Flood and Field’ By Samuel Tuke Richardson Of Darlington c.1890 ‘Our whole family migrated into Cornwall in the winter of 1840 travelling in our heavy Carriage which required four Horses on the more hilly roads. When we arrived at Ivy Bridge, I suggested in order to lesson the weight & enable them to travel that stage with a pair that I should go to Plymouth by Coach intending to stay there all night & meet my mother again at Truro. Before the carriage was out of sight I recollected that my brother Thomas had the family purse & I was left with the miserable pittance of 1s/2d for a journey of 60 miles. It was too late to recall the Carriage & the Plymouth Coach soon came up but I dare not avail myself of it. Meanwhile a return Chaise made its appearance, I hailed the driver & agreed with him to take me to Plymouth for 1/-. “But you must pay the gates sir”. No no I shall not do that. “Then sir you must keep the blinds up that it may appear as a returned chay which pays no gates.” Ah well all right & in I got but the country being new & interesting I soon put down the blinds, but it required Constant watching to put them up when a toll bar hove in sight. I drove up to the principal Inn in Plymouth & ordered my bed & tea afterwards enquiring the whereabouts of a Mr Fox a Merchant whose card I recollected had once been left at our office by his traveller. Boots conducted me to his house, I felt my position slightly equivocal a perfect stranger in the dusk of a November evening for the express purpose of borrowing money. However I summoned Courage to introduce myself & explain my unhappy circumstances asking him to lend me £5 which he did without a moment’s hesitation in the most generous manner. You may be sure I lost no time in remitting the loan from Penzance with many thanks to my friend in need’. -
Owner
Beamish Museum -
Source
Beamish (Flickr) -
License
What does this mean? All Rights Reserved (Seek permission to reuse)
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Further information
Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/36275059@N02/9527780353/
Resource type: Image
Last modified: 9 years ago
Viewed: 947 times
Picture Taken: Unknown -
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