| |
Asses | |

Clears Gates on the other side

[Illustration: OLD TOLL-BAR HOUSE, NEAR THE RIDGE, WOTTON-UNDER-EDGE.]

[Illustration: [_From an old Talbot-type Photograph in the possession of
Miss P.A. Fry, of Tower House, Cotham._

ST. MICHAEL'S HILL TURNPIKE, BRISTOL.]

The other Bristol "Gates" were known as Clifton, Redland, White Ladies,
Horfield, St. Michael's Hill, Cutler's Mills, Gallows Acre, Barrow's
Lane, Stapleton Bridge, Pack Horse Lane, Fire-Engine Lane, George's
Lane, West Street, Cherry Garden, Fire-Engine, Blackbirds, one full toll
in each case.

Thomas Brooks was the last toll-keeper at St. Michael's Hill, Bristol.
He held the office until it was abolished in 1867. In the following year
he was appointed sub-postmaster of Cotham, and removed from the old Toll
House to a house nearer the city. The Toll House stood at the corner of
Hampton Road and Cotham Hill, where the fountain is now.

Benjamin Gray, the last keeper of the "Stop Gate" which stood near the
Royal Oak Inn at Horfield, held the office for 30 years. The gate was to
stop travellers entering the city by way of Ashley Down Road, and thus
escape paying the tolls at the Zetland Road end of Gloucester Road.
There is a family connection between the Gray and the Brooks families,
and the daughter of Benjamin now resides with Samuel Brooks, the old
sexton of Horfield Church. A model of the Horfield Stop Gate may be seen
at Robin Hood's Retreat near Berkeley Road, Bristol.

The last barrier on the great London to Bristol Road was removed when
the bridge crossing the Thames at Maidenhead was freed from toll at
midnight, on November 30th, 1903. There was a remarkable demonstration
on the occasion. Five hundred people waded through the flooded streets
to see the toll-gate removed from the bridge which was erected so far
back as in 1772.

Precisely at twelve by the toll-house clock Corporation employes
proceeded to remove the gate, amid loud cheering. Many of the crowd
closed in, and finally seizing the huge gate, carried it to the top of
Maidenhead Bridge and threw it into the river.

[Illustration: STANTON DREW TURNPIKE GATE HOUSE.]

CHAPTER X.

DARING ROBBERIES OF THE BRISTOL MAIL BY HIGHWAYMEN, 1726-1781.--BILL
NASH, MAIL COACH ROBBER, CONVICT AND RICH COLONIST, 1832.--BURGLARIES AT
POST OFFICES IN LONDON AND BRISTOL, 1881-1901.

The mail services between Bristol and the Southern Counties came in