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A typical post-chaise arrangement: carriage, four horses, and two postilions (riders)
A closeup of a post chaise (2005)

A post-chaise is a travelling carriage operated in the 18th and early 19th centuries, travelling from staging post-to-post, and changing horses at each stage. With an enclosed body on four wheels, seating two people, and drawn by two or four horses, it is basically a chariot carriage with the coachman's seat removed. Riders, called postilions, rode the near-side (left) horse of each pair pulling the carriage.[1][2][3][4]

Hired when long-distance travel at speed was very important, a post chaise would be taken with its own postilions and horses. At the next posting station the postilions would most likely return to their base with their own horses but might continue the journey with fresh horses.

Private posting was expensive, and passengers — particularly if the only passenger was a woman — would be accompanied by one or two of their own footmen riding behind the body of the post chaise. The footmen would be responsible for making all travel arrangements.

Private individuals did own their own post chaises; some had their light chariots made with the coachman's seat removable. Designed to withstand rapid long-distance travel, the post chaise should have been utilitarian, but private vehicles might be extravagantly decorated and finished.[5]

History

[edit]

In a 1967 article in The Carriage Journal, published for the Carriage Association of America, Paul H Downing recounts that the word post is derived from the Latin postis which in turn derives from the word which means to place an upright timber (a post) as a convenient place to attach a public notice. The words postal and postage follow from this. Medieval couriers were caballari postarus or riders of the posts. The riders mounted fresh horses at each post on their route and then rode on. The word post came to be applied to the riders, then to the mail they carried, and eventually to the whole system. In England regular posts were set up in the 16th century.[5]

The riders of the posts carried government messages and letters. The local postmasters delivered the letters as well as providing horses to the royal couriers. They also provided horses to other travellers.[5]

The system of "posting" was common in France. An artillery officer, John Trull, entered business in England in 1743 hiring out travelling carriages. At first these carriages had two wheels but they were soon replaced by four wheel carriages given the same name, Post-chaise.[5]

The original French design was amended, a conventional pole was fitted, no driver was provided for — leaving a view through the front window for the passengers — and the horses were ridden by postilions or post-boys. The postilions went from post to post, stayed with their own horses and took them back home at the end of that stage.[5]

America

[edit]

At that time there was no perfected posting system in America. George Washington's tour of the South in 1791 had a target (when there were no other commitments) of an average 35 miles (56 km) a day whereas in England an average speed of 8 to 10 miles per hour (13 to 16 km/h) might be achieved right round the clock.[5]

An actual chaise is an open two-wheeled carriage with a crosswise seat for two passengers. Given two more wheels it would have been, if the name had been used then, a phaeton. A phaeton was for the owner to drive and generally drawn by one or two horses. A four-wheeled chaise would be drawn by at least four horses.[5]

Around the time Trull was introducing post-chaises to England, Americans began to use the same name for what had been called a four-wheeled chaise.[5]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Post chaise

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
A post chaise was a light, enclosed, four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage designed for rapid long-distance , typically seating two to three passengers and driven by postillions who rode the horses rather than from a coachman's . Originating from the French chaise de poste, the post chaise was introduced to in by John Trull and quickly became a staple of the postal and system, evolving into a compact coupé-style harnessed to a pair of horses via a pole. In design, it featured a forward-facing , doors with , a full-width front for unobstructed views, and suspension on leather straps for a smoother ride, often painted in a distinctive canary yellow. These carriages were hired at posting inns along established routes, where travelers could change horses frequently—costing about 18 pence per mile plus fees for the postboys—enabling average speeds of 8 to 10 , the fastest land option available in the early . In Britain and , post chaises served both mail transport via the royal postal network, established since the 1500s, and private journeys, particularly for those of moderate means who sought speed and comfort without owning a full or resorting to slower public stagecoaches. They were commonly used for urgent or extended trips, as depicted in literature of the era, such as Jane Austen's novels, where characters hired them for distances like 50 miles at rates of 1 6 pence per mile for two horses. Across the Atlantic, post chaises gained popularity in colonial America, especially in during the latter half of the after the , when they outnumbered heavier coaches among the for personal travel, visiting, and overseeing plantations. There, they were often imported from , valued at around £25 in inventories like that of Lord Botetourt's estate in 1770, and produced or repaired by local coachmakers such as Deane, who advertised them for sale in Williamsburg in 1774. By the early , post chaises symbolized efficient posting travel but began to decline with the advent of railways in the and , rendering horse relays obsolete for most routes. Their legacy endures in historical recreations, such as the built for the 2005 Trafalgar bicentennial celebrations, highlighting their role in pivotal events like the rapid delivery of news from naval victories.

Origins and History

Early Development in

The post chaise originated in as a , enclosed designed for swift postal and passenger travel, evolving from earlier two-wheeled chaises within the expanding French postal network during the . The poste aux chevaux, initiated in the 15th century under , was opened to public use in the early , with tariffs and systematization for official dispatches and elite couriers. These early chaises featured simple two-wheeled frames with seating for one or two passengers, suspended on braces for a smoother ride, and drawn by two managed by a , emphasizing speed over luxury for long-distance routes. Invented around by Sieur de la Gruyère under the direction of , the chaise de poste was formalized for the royal mail system, integrated into newly expanded routes radiating from to facilitate rapid communication across the kingdom, with relay stations spaced every few leagues for horse changes. The design emphasized lightweight two-wheeled forms for speed in the late , incorporating enclosed bodies, glass windows—a novelty introduced during Louis XIII's reign—and panelled construction for protection against weather. This evolution marked the post chaise's key role in the poste aux chevaux, serving both state officials and affluent travelers while laying the groundwork for its later adoption elsewhere in .

Introduction and Evolution in England

The post chaise was introduced to in 1743 by John Trull, an artillery officer, who obtained a for a system of hiring traveling carriages inspired by the French chaise de poste, thereby establishing the first widespread hiring service in and marking the vehicle's initial adoption for long-distance travel in Britain. Early models were direct imports of lightweight, two-wheeled French designs, suited for lighter continental roads but quickly adapted to meet English needs. By the , these had evolved into standardized four-wheeled versions, resembling private chariots with enclosed bodies, which provided greater stability for the heavier traffic and longer journeys typical of British routes. The expansion of post chaise services accelerated during the 1760s and 1780s, coinciding with the proliferation of turnpike roads that improved connectivity and reduced travel times across , transforming the vehicle from a novelty into a common mode of elite transport. These networks, numbering over 1,100 trusts by 1770, facilitated faster and more reliable journeys, boosting demand among the and for private and hired chaises. The vehicle's popularity peaked during the (1811–1820), when it became a symbol of swift, comfortable aristocratic travel, often praised for its motion as "home in motion" by contemporaries like . English adaptations focused on durability for local conditions, including reinforced undercarriages with leather braces transitioning to whip springs at the rear and elbow springs at the front by the late , better absorbing shocks from and unpaved roads. Private owners further customized their chaises with decorative elements, such as painted panels and ornate , elevating the as a while hired versions remained more utilitarian. These modifications ensured the post chaise's endurance as a preferred option for over a century, until railways began to supplant it in the 1830s.

Design and Features

Physical Structure

The post chaise was a four-wheeled designed for efficient long-distance travel, featuring a wooden frame constructed to ensure durability while minimizing weight for better performance. The body, typically compact and enclosed for protection against weather, was suspended on straps known as thoroughbraces, which provided basic shock absorption by allowing the carriage to sway gently; later models incorporated or C-springs at the front and rear for improved ride quality. The exterior included a curved covered in or , side doors for access, and a prominent front offering forward visibility, with no external for a as the was controlled by postilions riding the horses. Hired post chaises were often painted in bright colors, such as yellow, to distinguish them for public use. Key mechanical elements comprised large rear wheels, typically 4 to 5 feet in diameter with 12 spokes for enhanced stability on varied roads, paired with smaller front wheels around 3 feet in diameter and 8 spokes, all mounted on iron-reinforced axles to withstand the rigors of frequent travel. This configuration allowed the post chaise to accommodate two passengers comfortably while maintaining a low center of gravity via a crane-neck design.

Capacity and Accommodations

The post chaise was typically designed to accommodate two passengers seated side by side on a single upholstered bench within its enclosed body. Some variants included an occasional third seat, allowing for up to three passengers, particularly in models adapted for family travel or longer journeys. Space for small items of luggage was provided on the or in a rear , while larger trunks could be secured externally with straps and laths to prevent shifting during travel. The interior emphasized basic comfort and functionality, featuring padded seats covered in cloth or , often lined with simple materials like second cloth and trimmed with for a modest elegance. Windows were fitted with protected by cloth-covered frames and shutters or curtains, providing privacy and protection from weather or prying eyes. Private post chaises commissioned by affluent owners might incorporate custom luxuries, such as linings for the walls and seats, fold-down writing desks for correspondence en route, and small lanterns mounted inside for illumination during night travel. Provisions for extended journeys included rear compartments for trunks and occasional storage for food and drink, with some travelers using portable hot-water bottles as foot warmers in colder seasons. Despite these features, the post chaise's compact design often resulted in cramped conditions, especially on multi-day trips, where the single bench and limited legroom contributed to passenger discomfort over prolonged periods. The absence of a separate enclosed area for the driver or , who rode one of the horses, further emphasized the vehicle's focus on efficient, rather than expansive luxury.

The Posting System

Operation and Logistics

The operation of a post chaise was managed by postilions, who rode the left-hand horse of the to guide and control the , as these vehicles lacked an onboard . Typically, a consisted of two or four harnessed in , with the using reins and a short to direct , ensuring the chaise maintained its course over often uneven roads. Postilions, often experienced riders rather than mere boys, were responsible for the 's pace and safety during each leg of the journey, mounting quickly at staging inns to minimize delays. The logistics of the posting network centered on a system of relays at spaced approximately 10 to 15 miles apart, where travelers hired the chaise, horses, and postilions directly from licensed postmasters, who were usually . These relays were pre-arranged to facilitate continuous travel, with fresh horses swapped out at each stop to prevent exhaustion, allowing the chaise to proceed without interruption while the used team remained at the for recovery. Postilions were hired at each posting for the upcoming , ensuring fresh riders along with horses to maintain efficiency across major routes. This network, formalized under royal warrants from the onward, ensured availability on principal roads, with postmasters obligated to provide service upon demand. Travelers frequently brought footmen or personal servants to assist with arrangements, such as negotiating hires, settling payments with postmasters, and managing luggage during stops. Each stage typically lasted 1 to 2 hours, depending on road conditions and horse stamina, after which passengers could alight for meals or rest at the before resuming. Servants handled these practicalities, allowing the principal travelers to focus on comfort within the chaise. For safety and maintenance, postilions underwent to handle high speeds of up to 8 , navigating hazards like or obstacles while keeping the team steady. Emergency repairs, such as fixing broken wheels or harnesses—a common issue on rough terrain—were performed on-site at posting inns, where blacksmiths and stable hands stood ready to address problems swiftly and return the chaise to service. This minimized downtime, though postilions remained vigilant against risks like overturned vehicles during .

Travel Speeds and Costs

Post chaises typically achieved sustained average speeds of 8 to 10 on good roads, enabling travelers to cover 50 to 70 miles in a day depending on stops for relays and rest. Peak speeds could reach up to 12 in short bursts when conditions were optimal and horses were fresh. These rates were facilitated by the frequent changing of horses every 10 to 15 miles at posting inns, which maintained horse freshness but were influenced by road quality, weather, and terrain; poor roads or inclement weather could reduce speeds to 6 or less. For instance, a journey from to Bath, approximately 100 miles, could be completed in 12 to 15 hours by post chaise, significantly faster than the 16 to 20 hours required by on the same route. Hiring a post chaise in late 18th-century cost around 1 6 pence per mile for a with a pair of horses and a , with additional charges for tolls, extra horses, or baggage; four-horse teams doubled the rate to about 3 shillings per mile. This made post chaise travel far more expensive than stagecoaches, which charged about 3 to 5 pence per mile for inside passengers, though the post chaise offered greater speed, privacy, and comfort for those who could afford it. Privately owned post chaises cost £90 to £170 to build or purchase, depending on materials and features like steel springs or , excluding the expense of horses and maintenance. Official mail services using post chaises benefited from government subsidies, which lowered operational costs to as little as 9 pence per mile, enabling reliable and expedited delivery for postal authorities.

Usage in Different Regions

In Britain

In Britain, the post chaise served primarily as a mode of private travel for the upper classes during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, offering a swift and comfortable alternative to stagecoaches for journeys to spas, country estates, or the social centers of . Affluent travelers prized its enclosed design and capacity for two to four passengers, achieving speeds of 7-8 miles per hour, which underscored their amid heavy taxation on ownership that restricted such luxuries to the wealthy. This vehicle became iconic in Regency-era literature, symbolizing urgency and discretion in narratives of elopements or hasty visits, as seen in Jane Austen's works where characters like in endure the indignity of a hired hack chaise to reflect shifting social fortunes, or where post chaises denote refined mobility over cheaper options like stagecoaches. The post chaise integrated deeply with Britain's evolving road infrastructure, particularly after the expansion of turnpike roads, which by the covered about 25,000 kilometers and facilitated faster overland travel by imposing tolls for maintenance. These improved highways supported the , with post chaises relying on a network of inns—many operated under contracts with the Royal Mail after its reforms in 1784—for fresh horses every 10-15 miles. Usage peaked between the and , coinciding with the era's height, when hundreds of posting inns dotted major routes, enabling elite travelers to cover distances like to Bath in under 24 hours. Social customs reinforced this exclusivity; upper-class voyagers typically carried letters of credit from bankers to settle posting fees at inns, avoiding the need for large cash sums and aligning with the era's emphasis on credit-based gentility. During the , post chaises played a critical role in , with armed variants transporting urgent dispatches across Britain to maintain strategic secrecy and speed. A notable example occurred in 1815, when Major Henry Percy raced from to in a post chaise, delivering the Duke of Wellington's Waterloo victory dispatch after a Channel crossing, covering the final leg in under 24 hours via changes at posting houses. Such expedited runs highlighted the vehicle's reliability for high-stakes national matters, often under guard to thwart .

In America

Post chaises were introduced to colonial America in the mid- to late through imports from , primarily for use by affluent individuals lacking the organized infrastructure of the European . In , they became popular after the , outnumbering heavier coaches among the for personal travel, visiting, and overseeing plantations; for example, Lord Botetourt's estate inventory in 1770 listed one valued at £25, complete with harness, and local coachmaker Deane advertised them for sale in Williamsburg in 1774. Unlike in Britain and , where relay stations facilitated rapid long-distance travel, American usage was sporadic and decentralized, relying on private ownership or arrangements by wealthy planters, merchants, and government officials in regions like and the . A notable example of post chaise travel in the early occurred during George Washington's 1791 southern tour, where he journeyed in a custom-built, lightweight , averaging approximately 35 miles per day across roughly 1,900 miles through , , , and Georgia. This pace was considerably slower than the 8-10 miles per hour norms achievable in with frequent horse changes, reflecting the challenges of American terrain and limited relays. Washington's diaries detail daily distances, such as 32.6 miles from to Head of Elk on March 11 and 27.6 miles to the following day, underscoring the tour's reliance on such vehicles for presidential visibility in the young . American post chaises underwent adaptations to suit the rough, unpaved colonial roads, featuring lighter constructions with reinforced suspensions and often employing local horse hires rather than dedicated postilions. These modifications made them suitable for the uneven paths of the eastern seaboard, though they remained a luxury primarily owned or commissioned by elites like Washington, who ordered a post from in 1768 as part of his collection of several such vehicles acquired over his lifetime. Their popularity peaked in the early republic from the to the , particularly for official presidential travels that symbolized national unity. The vehicle's limitations in America stemmed from the scarcity of inns and posting houses, necessitating improvised horse relays at farms or private estates, which disrupted efficient travel. This, combined with the continent's vast distances and the rise of more economical stagecoaches in the 1820s, accelerated the post chaise's decline, rendering it obsolete for long journeys by the mid-19th century as public stage lines offered regular, .

Decline and Legacy

Factors Contributing to Decline

The advent of railways in Britain during the fundamentally undermined the post chaise system by enabling faster, more reliable, and cost-effective long-distance travel. The , operational from 1825 as the first public steam-powered passenger line, achieved average speeds of 15-20 , dwarfing the post chaise's typical 8-10 and reducing journey times dramatically—for instance, the to route, previously served by multiple daily stagecoaches, saw all road services replaced shortly after the line's 1830 opening. By the 1840s, expanding rail networks like the Great Western Railway further accelerated this trend, with trains reaching 20-30 and fares dropping relative to wages, making rail travel accessible to broader social classes. This shift rendered the labor-intensive obsolete for most routes, confining post chaises to rural or short-haul use by the 1830s. Concurrent advancements in alternative road and water transport exacerbated the post chaise's decline by offering cheaper group options for passengers unwilling to pay premium private fares. Improved stagecoaches, benefiting from better road surfaces via turnpike trusts, and the rise of omnibuses in urban areas from the provided affordable collective travel at similar or lower costs per person. In parallel, steamships emerged for coastal and riverine routes by the , particularly in Britain for cross-channel services and in America for inland waterways, bypassing road-based chaises for certain passenger and freight movements. These innovations diverted traffic from the exclusive post chaise model, which relied on frequent horse changes at posting inns—a network that began collapsing as rail and steam alternatives proliferated. Economic pressures from industrialization further hastened the post chaise's , as surging demand for in , , and urban freight drove up maintenance costs amid rising . By the mid-19th century, the price of keeping teams of —essential for the posting system's operations—escalated in densely populated areas, making private chaise travel more expensive compared to rail's fixed . In Britain, major posting routes faded by the outside remote rural districts, with inns converting to rail-related services. Across the Atlantic, the U.S. , constructed from 1811 onward, prioritized durable wagons and stagecoaches for freight and migration, sidelining lighter chaises ill-suited to its rugged conditions. By , post chaises in America were largely limited to ceremonial events or private estates, supplanted by expanding railroads like the and line.

Cultural and Historical Significance

The post chaise emerged as a potent of speed and in 18th- and 19th-century , often representing urgency and the privileges of the elite. In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (1813), the of Lydia Bennet and exemplifies this, as they flee in a hired post chaise, underscoring the vehicle's role in clandestine haste and the risks of unregulated mobility for young women of middling rank. Similarly, frequently employed the post chaise as a metaphor for rapid, chaotic travel in his novels; in (1836–37), the protagonists' journeys in post chaises highlight comedic misadventures and the era's evolving transport culture, while in (1837–39), a speeding post chaise conveys pursuit and escape, amplifying themes of social disruption. Artistic representations further cemented the post chaise's cultural resonance, capturing its dynamic motion and association with adventure in the Romantic era. Satirical prints by , such as A Comfortable Nap in a Post Chaise (1788), depict passengers dozing amid the vehicle's sway, blending humor with the thrill of long-distance and critiquing bourgeois comforts. Later works, like Charles Cooper Henderson's Changing Horses to a Post-Chaise outside the 'George' Posting-house (c. 1830–40), portray the logistical bustle at inns, evoking the excitement of Romantic narratives where the chaise symbolized and transient freedom, as seen in period accounts of continental tours. The post chaise's historical legacy endures through preservation efforts and its influence on contemporary interpretations of heritage. Surviving examples and period artifacts, such as an original 18th-century post chaise held in the Mossman Collection, allow for detailed study of its construction and use, while the houses related drawings like John Jackson's A post-chaise, on the road to (1816), illustrating its role in early 19th-century European travel. This preservation has inspired modern carriage designs in heritage vehicles and tourism recreations, such as replica post chaises used in historical events like the Trafalgar Way commemorations, where participants replicate 1805 journeys to evoke the era's postal and passenger systems. The post chaise supported efficient travel for the upper classes in the , as documented in specialized historical publications like The Carriage Journal of the Carriage Association of America, which chronicles the vehicle's contributions to transport evolution since its founding in 1963.

References

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  27. https://railway-history.walkingclub.org.uk/2010/01/golden-age-of-railways.html
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  41. https://www.carriageassociationofamerica.com/the-carriage-journal/
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