note | Carriages

[This note will be developed later.]

  • 1790 Kentish Gazette, February 26, p.4:

A new carriage, that will astonish the gazing town, whenever it appears, is the superlative one, now compleating for Lord Courtenay!

  • 1790 Public Advertiser, March 12:

The new carriage of Lord Courtenay is considered as a matrimonial preparation:— indeed nothing but a Lady can be the excuse for so much splendour. The hammer-cloth only is estimated at 300 guineas!

  • 1790 Times, March 16:

Lord Courtney’s New Carriage will cut a fine figure at Morocco, where it is said his Lordship is soon to go; — the appearance of a magnificent English Nobleman, for the first time at that neglected Court, as an Ambassador Extraordinary, cannot fail to be of great service to the garrison of Gibraltar. By accepting the appointment, his Lordship may have more private amusement, and be of more public utility, than any traveller has yet been of his rank and age.

  • 1790 Times, June 7:

The new carriages on the Birth-day, were fewer than ever remembered, and except the elegant vis a vis of Lord Courtney’s, and a new coach likewise belonging to his Lordship, none were worthy of any particular notice.

  • 1790 Kentish Gazette, June 8, p.3:

[King’s birth-day] Of the equipages a few only were new; among the most elegant were two carriages of Lord Courtenay; one his own, the other for his sisters.

  • 1791 Kentish Gazette, April 29:

Lord Courtenay. | This nobleman, whose taste in carriages has long been eminent, has given another proof of it in a new viz a-viz, which is just finished in a style of elegance we seldom have witnessed. | The body of this elegant vehicle is of patent yellow, and gold stripes alternate, the door, front and hind pannels, and the foot-board, are ornamented with the arms proper in a mantle, with a coronet small, the side quarter pannels bear the cypher C in a mantle, with the coronet proper. | It has beautiful ornaments in or moulu, and is altogether the most beautiful thing of the kind — the lining is particularly striking and beautiful.

  • 1792 Evening Mail, June 4:

King’s Birthday. | […] Equipages. | There were no other new carriages of particular fashion but what have been already noticed in this Paper. The equipage of the Duke and Duchess of York should be noticed for its taste and good appointment. The Prince of Wales’s servants were all in new liveries, with his Royal Highness’s crest embroidered on the seams, and on the lace of the hats. — Lord Courtney’s equipage, though not new, was one of the most splen­did that went to Court; and was not a little graced by having his beautiful sisters in it. — Of the sedans and footmen, the Marchioness of Abercorn appeared in the greatest state.

  • 1793 Ipswich Journal, January 26:

Lord Courtenay’s equipage was the most splendid and expensive of any other. The liveries and hats were magnificent. The latter coft 15l. each, and had a broad gold lace on them, embroidered with fleurs-de-lys, and were ornamented with scarlet feathers and large tassels.

  • 1800 Kentish Gazette, March 21:

Lord Courteney has just launched a new landau, not in the very tip top, but rather in the depth of fashion. It is light blue and yellow, lined with scarlet; scarlet hammercloth, with three rows of very rich fringe, and three rows of lace, with his arms. — lt is made on an entire new plan, the perch 11 inches from the ground, and the coach only 16 inches from the ground.

  • 1800 Bath Journal, March 24:

Lord Courtney has just launched a new landau, not in the very tip top, but rather in the depth of fashion. It is made on an entire new plan, the perch 11 inches from the ground, and the coach only 16 inches from the ground! | These new carriages are now called Muddies, on account of their scavengering quality of sweeping the ground.

  • 1800 Exeter Flying Post, August 14;

To be Sold, at the Courtenay Arms, Starcross, a very genteel good Post-chaise, together with two Sets of Harness, one of which is plated; it has a Pair of Patent Lamps, and a small neat Seat to drive on, which may be put on or off occassionally, in a small Time; is well adapted for a Diligence, as it has particular Conveniences for carrying outside Passengers, and is very light and strong.

  • 1803 Salisbury and Winchester Journal, 13 June, p.1:

The Duke and Duchess of York, Duke of Gloucester, and Princess Sophia, went to Court in State, escorted by the Life Guards. The rest of the Royal Family went privately. | The Duchess of Northumberland’s chair was preceded by a running footman, in the ancient style, carrying a rich silver stick, and followed by six footmen, in the rich family liveries. The Countess of Antrim, in an elegant new chair, was attended by six footmen, in rich liveries. But Lord Courtney’s carriage and liveries, as usual, in splendor eclipsed all others.

  • 1804 Felix Farley’s Bristol Journal, May 12:

Of the extravagancies of fashion, a tolerable idea may be formed from the report of a cause which lately occupied the attention of the Court of Chancery. A bill was filed by Lord Viscount Courtenay against Mr. Godsall, coach maker, in Long-acre, and against the Sheriff of Devonshire, praying that the Sheriff may be restrained from selling the effects of his Lordship under a fieri facias isued by Mr. Godsall, and that the demand and accounts of the latter might previously be examined by a Master. It was stated that Lord Courtenay had employed Mr. Godsall as his coach maker from 1789 to 1793, in which time Mr. G.’s bill amounted to 11,147l. and in one year exceeded 5000l.! No less than 1680l. had been charged for one landau, and 1260l. for one coach: 170 gs. for a hammercloth, and 265l. for a set of harness. These extraordinary charges, and the accounts never having been adjusted, his Lordship’s counsel contended, furnished sufficient grounds for the injunction. — On the other hand, Mr. Godsall’s counsel argued, that the amount of the charges furnished no ground for the application: that the extraordinary charges objected to, arose from the extraordinary taste and vanity of the plaintiff — the carriages were lined with real gold and silver lace, had coronets of solid silver round the tops, the emblazonings were painted by the most skilful artists, with mottos even on the spokes of the wheels, and were every way finished in the most sumptuous and costly manner: that his Lordship had confirmed the fairness of the demand, by paying part of the money, and by giving security for the remainder: and further, by returning to employ Mr Godsall in 1798, after he had quitted him for five years; in reply to which, Lord C’s counsel said, his Lordship did not return as a volunteer, but from the apprehension of Mr Godsall’s taking out an execution against him On which the Lord-Chancellor remarked, that in this case his Lordship was a volunteer who had not a right to resign. The Chancellor added, he would give his opinion on the case some other day; which he did on Friday by refusing the injunction.

  • 1804 Ipswich Journal, May 12:

In the Court of Chancery, Lord Viscount Courtenay v. Godsall. […] Mr. Richards and Mr. Leigh for the defendant, argued that the mere account of the charges in this case, can furnish no ground for the Court’s granting this injunction. Lord Courtenay is well known as a man of extraordinary taste, and the gratification of it must necessarily be attended with extraordinary expence. His carriages, as Mr. Godsall swears, were of the most sumptuous description. They were lined with real gold and silver lace, with coronets of solid silver round the top, and the most eminent artists were employed in every part of the work. […] The Lord Chancellor in delivering his final opinion the following day, says: […] These splendid carriages are perhaps now rolling through the streets in the humble guise of a hackney coach, and the men, by whose ingenuity and taste they were constructed, dead and gone. Upon the whole, I am clearly of opinion, that this injunction cannot be granted. The only doubt which I have is, upon the point of the interest, and the doubt is, whether, in the popular use of these terms, they mean 6 months credit upon a bill from the time of its delivery of the current year, or 18 months from the time of delivery of each article. This may be easily ascertained upon affidavit, and it may be mentioned on Monday. Upon the great points I have no doubt. Injunction refused.

  • 1807 Exeter Flying Post, July 9:

To be Sold, an elegant fashionable Barouche, built by Barker; and a Chariot, by Leader; with an entire new set of Wheels, never used. | For particulars, apply at Powderham-Castle.

  • 1807 Exeter Flying Post, October 8:

To be Sold, an elegant fashionable Barouche, built by Barker. | For particulars, apply at Powderham-Castle.

  • 1809  letter from lord Byron to Francis Hodgson, Falmouth June 25:

[Village in Hampshire on the road from London to Falmouth] On Hartford Bridge we changed horses at an Inn where the great Apostle of Paederasty Beckford! sojourned for the night. We tried in vain to see the Martyr of prejudice, but could not; what we thought singular, though perhaps you will not, was that Ld. Courtney [sic] travelled the same night on the same road only one stage behind him.

  • 1810 British Press, August 30:

Southampton, August 28. […] Yesterday was the first day of our Races; and although the sport was not so excellent as last year’s, the assemblage of beauty and fashion was not less brilliant. We noticed the following distinguished persons on the course: […] Lord Courtney, in a phaeton, the postilions dressed in splendid liveries […]

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Page history

  • 2023 December 20: first published online.
  • 2024 January 6: several items added.
  • 2024 January 29: 1810, British Press added.
  • 2024 February 1: 1800, Exeter Flying Post and Kentish Gazette added.
  • 2025 May 18: 1803, Salisbury and Winchester Journal added.