unseasonable as it hath happened the last summer, and that the roads to the coal pits, and particularly in Prescot, cannot be sufficiently repaired by the statute work as it will be passable at such times, without the help and assistance of a toll it is now ordered and agreed that application be made to Parliament to obtain an act for that purpose and that the treasurer do advance one-half of the charge."

James Chadwick was employed to survey, measure and map out this road to Prescot;1 for which he was advanced the sum of £3 3s. Yet, after all this, it seems that the two acts of Parliament, dated 1746 and 1753, were passed, and that a period of nearly 30 years elapsed before the road was properly completed from Liverpool to Warrington; for it was only in 1757 that a contract was entered into for making the unfinished part of the road between Prescot and Warrington, to be completed in two years.

There must have been roads of a sort both from Wigan and Warrington into Liverpool by way of St. Helens and Prescot, but they were evidently in a sad state of unrepair, and no doubt until about 1760 most of the goods traffic between Liverpool and other towns was carried by pack horses, and passengers had to go on horseback as far as Warrington and there wait for the stage wagon or post coach to their destination.

From Troughton's History of Liverpool, speaking of the period before coaches were established, we gather that a stage coach from the north of England to London passed through Warrington every week. It was customary for travellers from Liverpool to the capital to go to Warrington on Sunday to be ready to set out in the coach

1 Prescot Road began at the stone bridge which crossed the Pool at the top end of Dale Street, where is now William Brown Street.

at 3 a.m. on the Monday, and they thought themselves fortunate if they arrived in London late on the Saturday. Troughton, who probably wrote about 1805 or 1806, says (page 107): "Vestiges of the old road from Warrington to Liverpool are yet discernible near the nursery at Wavertree, and this road or lane, which is not 4 yards broad, is continued at intervals between the Edge Lane Road and Wavertree Lane to within a short distance of Wavertree Hall."

Such being the difficulties and delays in completing even one good road, how the merchants of those times must have welcomed the great canal system inaugurated by the Duke of Bridgewater and carried out by his engineer, Brindley! In the same spirit of enterprize local business men saw early in the 19th century the enormous advantage of a rail road to enable them to cope with the increasing demands of the traffic to and from the port.

At last, early in 1760, the road through Prescot to Warrington was completed, and Liverpool was united to the great trunk roads running in all directions throughout England. The first mention of a coach in connection with Liverpool occurs in an advertisement in the Liverpool Advertiser of 14 January, 1757, referring probably to a casual arrival in Liverpool for which the proprietors wanted, if possible, to secure a return fare. It runs as follows:

For Birmingham or other parts of Warwickshire, Oxford, London, Bath, or any place adjacent, a returned coach which will set out from Liverpool on the 20th or 21st instant. Apply to the Talbot Inn or Mr. John Crosbie, merchant.

Another three years elapsed before a coach service began; the first advertisement runs as follows:

A machine "sets out on Monday, Sept. 1st, 1760, and on every Monday and Thursday morning at 6 o'clock from Mr. Budworth's, the Bull's Head Inn in Manchester; will call at the Red Lyon Inn in Warrington; at Mr. Reynolds's, the Old Legs of Man, in Prescot; and lies at Mr. Banner's, the Golden Fleece, in Liverpool. Returns from thence every Tuesday and Friday morning at 6 o'clock, and calls at the above places on its way back to Manchester. Each passenger to pay 8s. and so in proportion for any part of the road. To be allowed 14 lb. weight of luggage, and all above to pay 1d. per pound. Perform'd (if God permits) by

JOHN STONEHEWER,
JAMES FRANCE.

John Stonehewer was apparently the driver of this first venture for at least six or seven years, for I find a foot-note in Troughton's History of Liverpool which gives this extract from the Liverpool Chronicle of 21 January, 1768:

John Stonehewer, driver of the stage coach between Liverpool and Manchester, having been thrown off the box had his thigh broken by the fall, begs his thanks may be acceptable to his benefactors at Warrington for their generous contributions to the support of his wife and 4 children during his illness. John is a careful, honest man, a good driver, and takes care of his horses. Those whose business requires frequent passing between Liverpool and Manchester have lost in him for a time a good servant, but they may accelerate his cure and make his misfortune easier by their donations at the Bull and Punch Bowl, Dale Street, where the poor man still continues very ill.

Communication between Liverpool and Manchester, while very important, was only one step on the way for bringing Liverpool into touch with all the great towns; and of these, the most important was a good service with the Metropolis. So, in the spring of the next year, 20 March, 1761, the following interesting announcement appeared in the press :

The Liverpool, Warrington and Litchfield Flying Machine to London in 3 days, and as soon as the weather permits in 2 days, sets out from the Golden Lyon in Liverpool

every Monday and Thursday morning, and from the Bell Inn in Wood Street, London, every Monday and Thursday morning likewise; and arrives at the above places

Wednesday and Saturday.

Prices from Liverpool, £2 6s.; Warrington, £2 2s. ; Litchfield, £1 7s. Half the money to be paid at taking place and other half on taking coach. 14 lbs. luggage; all above to pay 3d. per lb. Outside passengers and child on lap to pay half-price. And so in proportion for any part of the road.

In June, 1763, the Flying Machine accomplished the journey in two days, travelling three days a week. But the times were difficult, and coach owners soon found that to maintain anything like a regularity in arriving at their destinations, it was absolutely necessary to have far better roads. Winter, with its flooding rain and snow, must have caused great inconvenience at the least to the travellers of those days, and one is inclined to think that a journey to London, especially in the winter months, required considerable fortitude. For instance, on 23 January, 1767, the proprietors of the local paper say:

Since our last the London mails have come in here very irregularly owing to the prodigious fall of snow, which has been much greater upwards than here. The mail which, had it come as usual, would have been here on Thursday 15th, did not arrive till late on Sunday following; that for Friday 16th, and Sunday 18th, both on Wednesday. As the frost is now broke with rain we are fearful that the waters are so much out as to cause a further delay to yesterday's and this day's mails, which were not arrived this morning at 10 o'clock. Therefore we publish the papers without waiting any longer for them.

Again, in February the following year, 1768: Owing to heavy rains which have fallen this week, the River Ribble at Walton Bridge was never known so high by 10 inches. The London mail, which should have come in here yesterday morning, did not arrive till 5 o'clock in the evening; and as we fear, from the rains which fell

The LIVERPOOL, WARRINGTON, & LITCHFIELD FLYING MACHINE, To LONDON in three Days, and as foon as the Weather permits in two Days,

ETS out from the Golden Lyon, in Liverpool, every Monday and Thurfday Morning; and from the Bell Iun, in Wood-Itreet, London, every Monday and Thursday Morning likewife, and arrives at the above Places every Wednesday and Saturday.

PRICES: From Liverpool, 2 I. 6s. from Warrington, 2 1. 2 s. and from Litchfield, 1 1. 7 5. Half the Money to be paid at taking Place, and the other Half on taking Coach.

Each Pallenger to be allow'd 14 lb. of Luggage; all above to pay three Pence a Pound. Out-fide l'engers, and Children on Lap, to pay Half Price; and fo in Proportion for any Part of the Road.

d

No Plate, Money, Watches, or any Thing of Value, will be ac counted for, unless enter'd as fuch, and paid for accordingly.

TALBOT INN, WATER-taper I. IVERPOOL
The CLD- and WELL-ACCUSTOMED

LONDON and LIVERPOOL
STAGE-COACH,

In ao hours, with a GUARD, which is eight hours lefs time than the ufual performance

HROUGH Warrington, Northwich, Middlewich,

belt and much near 2 toad, every Sunday morning, at half paft eight o'clock; and every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurfday, and Friday, at s in the evening.

EARLY COACH ADVERTISEMENTS.