some info about travelling

[Little Nell]

I know we are all aware that the rapid growth in railroads led to new opportunities for our ancestors to travel about quickly.

But I've been reading "The Tribes of Britain" by archaeologist David Miles and he provides this information about pre-rail travel:

452 separate Acts of Parliament to do with roads were passed in just 14 years 1760-72. These led to more and better roads.

1754 the journey time between Manchester and London by coach was 4 days; by 1780s this had been reduced to 2 days and there were 700 mail coaches a day travelling through Britain.

[Elizabeth Herts]

Nell, when I started family history I was surprised at how mobile they were. I have very few family lines that "stayed put". The search for employment and opportunities made them travel considerable distances.

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

My 3xg-grandfather walked to London to settle a debt because he couldn't afford the stage fare. That was 65 miles or so (each way) in about 1780ish. It took him four days, including walking the streets of Islington for a half day, looking for his creditor.

Rather him that me!!

[Little Nell]

Did he get his money back!

[Merry Monty Montgomery]

Er no, it was him doing the paying!

He had been made bankrupt, but spent the next ten years paying his creditors until they were fully recompensed. The man in Islington was the last man to get his last installment and my ancestor said he couldn't rest until he had paid him. This finished my ancestors first marriage as his wife wanted to go to America but he couldn't afford for them to do that. Good job, from my point of view, as I wouldn't be here now if they had gone! (I'm descended from his second wife )

[Roger in Sussex]

Thought this might be interesting, written in a commonplace book by Charles William Le Geyt in 1824 in his 92nd year. (Pretty good handwriting at his age!)

(Not my relly, I found the book in a Brighton bookseller's shop a few years ago. He was the last British officer then still living who had fought in the battle of Minden, and had later become the first postmaster for Jersey. Even had a stamp issued in his honour by the Jersey Post Office in 1983.)

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