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| It was the beginning of a revolution in travel. The date was April 26, 1658. The event - the opening of the first stagecoach route between London and York, a journey which took four days to complete. Twenty years later the age of coach travel was developing rapidly. By 1678 a coach service was operated between York and Hull during the summer. But it was hardly a comfortable way to travel. | |
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| Credit:- WOVEN IN SILK BY THOMAS STEVENS, STEVENGRAPH WORKS,COVENTRY. Timeline History of The Royal Mail 1516 Henry VIII appoints Sir Brian Tuke as his Master of the Posts. Tuke is responsiblefor seeing that the King's mail is carried safely on the main routes in and out ofLondon and arranging temporary posts for the King's travels. The Mail is almostexclusively the King's. Use of the service by the public is not encourage Courtesy:- | |
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| Credit:- WOVEN IN SILK BY THOMAS STEVENS, INVENTOR AND MANUFACTURER,COVENTRY AND LONDON, (REGISTERED) Coaching It was not until the reign of Queen Elizabeth I that regular coaches were introduced into England. The 16th Century saw the establishment of private coaches. The 17th Century saw the introduction of stagecoaches and the 19th Century that of the railway. The early roads were in such an appalling state that the centre was the only firm surface; there were deep ruts full of mud or dust on either side. Before the introduction of coaches, the Thames was the chief highway to London and the coach was looked at with very unfavourable glances by the watermen as later was the steam-engine by the stage-coachmen, who used to sing 'Let the steam pot hiss till it's hot, Give me the speed of the Tantivy Trot.' Courtesy:- | |
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| Credit:- WOVEN IN SILK BY THOMAS STEVENS, STEVENGRAPH WORKS,COVENTRY. The Penny Black, is without doubt the best-known stamp in the world, but it was only the end result of a campaign for cheap postage that had been gaining momentum for more than 100 years. Many people think that before the postage stamp was invented, letters could not be written or posted. This is not true, postage of letters and parcels has a long history in England. The first 'MASTER OF THE POSTS' was Sir Brian Tuke, who held that position from 1516-1545, during the reign of King Henry the Eighth Courtesy:- | |
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| No Credit The Tudors and the Stuarts The first horse-drawn coach in England is said to have belonged to Mary Tudor, and Queen Elizabeth I ordered a stagecoach to be built in 1564. Although decorated with gold and carvings, the coach had no springs and would have been very uncomfortable to travel in. Another vehicle that came onto the road at this time was the stage-wagon. This huge clumsy wagon was pulled by eight or ten horses and could travel no more than a dozen miles a day. It did, however, provide the first regular service carrying goods and a few passengers from town to town. Courtesy:- | |
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| Credit:- WOVEN IN PURE SILK | |
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| Credit:- In Selde gewebt | |
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We wish to buy Stevengraphs. One at a time or collections. We also seek photos, brochures or any item of related history.
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