John Isaac Marfleet
and a journey on
The Champion Stage-coach
9th June 1824.

This replica of the Champion was hand-build by Mark Evans of Pasture Farm and Victorian Carriages, Kirton, Nottinghamshire, and is seen here being driven by him on an outing in 1997.

Early in the morning of Wednesday the 9th June 1824 a letter arrived by the overnight mail-coach from London and was delivered to his house. The letter, from his solicitor Beevor regarding some of the land of the Somerton Castle estate which was being sold, warranted an immediate reply. Setting pen to paper whilst the 'postman' waited, John timed his letter at 4 a.m. and he scribbled at the bottom of the page, "I am in the greatest haste, as I am afraid (of) being to late for the Champion Coach to Manchester ... " The Champion left the Castle and Falcon in Beaumont Street (now London Road), Newark, at 5.30 a.m. There were very important differences between the stage-coach and the mail-coach, both in design and construction, and also in operation. Mail-coaches were lighter for extra speed and they could not (or should not, on pain of a heavy fine for the gate-keeper) be stopped at the toll-gates - hence the origin of the coaching horn to announce their impending arrival! Stage-coaches could be stopped although in practice they seldom were. The Champion was a stage-coach and being constructed and in operation before 1835, the year the 'bent perch' was introduced to lower the centre of gravity and produce a safer more comfortable ride, it would of had a very high appearance sitting on a straight perch (the bar that joined the front and rear axles) with the consequence that the coaches were top heavy and very prone to overturning. As far as can be determined, although not from any specific substantiate records, it would seem that the livery was probably yellow. The fare, again as yet unsubstantiated, would probably of been about 3d (three old pence) per mile outside, 5d (five old pence) per mile inside. Thus, the fare for the impending journey of some 76 miles would probably be around £1..10s (one pound ten shillings) [150p] inside and 18s (eighteen shillings) [90p] outside. It is debatable whether the more comfortable ride was inside, on slatted uncushioned seats and the stench of travel sickness, or outside on cushioned seats but open to the weather, for the 10½ hour journey at an average speed of 7 miles per hour. 1824 was a very interesting year. On the 30th January the coach was one of around twenty operating out of Manchester by LEARY & CO. but Mr. Leary had recently died and the company continued to operate "for the benefit of his widow and children". By the 19th March that same year these services were operated by JOHN JONES & CO. A contemporary Manchester newspaper includes the entry: NOTTINGHAM, NEWARK, &c. - The Champion, every morning at Half-past Six o'clock, through Stockport, Disley, Chapel-en-le-Frith, Stoney Middleton, Baslow, Chesterfield, Mansfield, to the White Lion Inn, Nottingham, and Castle and Falcon Inn, Newark.

(A personal observation: I do not see how both Nottingham and Newark could be served unless it was by two coaches, perhaps meeting up, or splitting, if necessary at Mansfield. - the name refers to the route, not specifically the coach.) The Manchester office was the Mosely Arms & Eagle-offices, Market-street.

Leaving the Castle and Falcon at 5.30 a.m., the Champion passed through the Newark gate before crossing the River Trent when John would be able to look across on his right-hand side and see his house at Winthorpe Grove set among the trees. He would be able to think of his pregnant wife whom he had just left and who would be going into labour any day now. Over the river and on through the Kelham and Muskham Lanes junction gate where the Great North Road veered away to the right. Taking the left fork the Champion continued to the newly built Crown Hotel at Southwell, on the corner just across the road from the famous and ancient Saracen's Head. A change of the team and the coach heads north-west. On through Edingley gate and the villages of Edingley, Farnsfield and Rainworth before beginning the long climb through the Rainworth gate (a six or eight sided house with a large cedar tree and known latterly as the pen and ink-pot). Pressing on - no time to loose - must be in Mansfield for an 8.30 a.m. departure. If we're late there'll be no breakfast! Mansfield was in turmoil. A huge re-development programme (it's not only a twentieth century phenomenon) including the installation of gas lighting which was reputed to be the finest in the kingdom, was under way. Indeed, the 10th July 1824, just one month after our journey, the first gas lamps were lit. Arriving in the centre of Mansfield, the coachman skillfully negotiated the narrow entrance into Swan Yard and Samuel Stirrup's Coach Office. The Swan was one of a number of coaching inns in the vicinity and it alone had stabling for a thousand horses. The logistics of dealing with something like thirty coaches a day each requiring four horses must have called for split-second precision.

Still chewing the remnants of breakfast our passengers are summoned to embark by a blast from coachman's horn, a crack of the whip as the clock chimes the half-hour and we're off again, the sound of the horses hooves and the metal-tyred coach wheels rattling over the cobbled courtyard reached a crescendo, vying with the braying horses and the shouts of the ostler boys as they hurried about their business. Out of town, through the Mansfield gate and on to Mansfield Woodhouse. The Glapwell gate brings Lea, Heath and Normanton nearer and through the Hasland gate which signals the downhill run into Chesterfield with its church with the crooked spire and the Angel Inn. It is now 10 a.m. and another quick change (it was not unusual for a team of four to be changed in 90 seconds!) almost without stopping, before heading off through the peaks to Baslow and on to Stoney Middleton at 12 noon.

It is here that we meet the downward coach - halfway through the journey. After a twenty minute lunch we're off again. The going is getting harder now as we cross the Pennines. Through the Tideswell gate and on to Chapel-en-le-Frith at 2 p.m. Through Whaley Bridge gate to the Rams Head at Disley for 3 p.m. Only twelve miles to go now. The gate at Bullock Smithy beckons Stockport at 3.30 p.m. and Heaton Norris sees the final run down into Manchester where we arrive, hopefully safe and sound, a little shaken if not stirred, at about 4 p.m.

During our journey of seventy-six miles we have witnessed around twelve team changes - 48 horses for one journey - each team being worked for nearly an hour and covering about six miles.

It is possible that John's visit to Manchester was to see his brother-in-law, no doubt giving him news, amongst other things, of his sister's happy condition.

© Marfleet Family History
	The Champion Stage-coach LAST UPDATED: 13th May 2011.

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