taple. The
public are respectfully informed that the Royal mail will in future
leave the Bush coach office daily, nine a.m., via Bridgwater, Taunton,
Wellington, Collumpton, and arrive in Exeter six p.m., leaving for
Plymouth six-thirty p.m. and arriving there eleven p.m. 'same night,'
making the journey, Bristol to Plymouth, in 'only fourteen hours.'

"Also Royal mail to Barnstaple, daily, nine-thirty a.m., via Taunton,
Wiveliscombe, Bampton and South Molton.

"Each mail will arrive at Bristol at five p.m., in time for the London
mail at five-twenty p.m., and of the 'Sovereign' four-inside coach to
London six p.m."

April 21, 1832:--"From the Bush Coach Office, the day coach, the
'Regulator,' daily (except Sundays) at six-thirty p.m., and arrives at
the White Horse Cellars, Piccadilly, and the Bull and Mouth, St.
Martin's-le-Grand, precisely at eight o'clock."

"The Weston-super-Mare coach, the 'Magnet,' left Weston nine a.m., and
on return left the Bush three-forty-five p.m., through Congresbury,
Cleeve, and Backwell.

"The 'Hope' left Weston-super-Mare on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at
eight-thirty a.m., and returned from the Plume of Feathers at
four-thirty p.m. same day."

[Illustration: [_By permission of Mr. F.E. Baines, C.B. From "On the
Track of the Mail Coach."_

THE BRISTOL, BATH AND LONDON COACH TAKING UP MAILS WITHOUT HALTING.]

"Royal mail to Portsmouth, daily, five-fifteen p.m., return journey,
Portsmouth seven p.m., arrive White Lion eight-thirty next day."

In 1830, the "Bull and Mouth" in St. Martin's-le-Grand was a great coach
rendezvous. A strong and penetrating aroma of horses and straw pervaded
its neighbourhood, in Bull-and-Mouth Street.

The Gloucester and Aberystwith mail-coach continued to run until the
year 1854, and it is believed that was the last regular main road
mail-coach which was kept on the road. Its guard from 1836 to its
abolition in 1854 was Moses James Nobbs.

The London mail coaches of the period loaded up at about half-past seven
at their respective inns, and then assembled at the Post Office yard in
St. Martin's-le-Grand to receive the bags. All, that is to say, except
seven coaches carrying West of England mails--the Bath, Bristol,
Devonport, Exeter, Gloucester, Southampton, and Stroud--which started
from Piccadilly.

A contemporary writer said:--"Wonderful building, the new General Post
Office, opened in 1829, nearly opposite. They say the Government has
go