MrPunch's history of modern England . ll, we own to a sneakingregret for the old bus driver; to sit next him on the box-seat wasa liberal education in the repartee of the road. The knife-board, as the low partition against which outside passengers satback to back was called, does not appear until after 1852. Theslow speed of travel by bus is a constant source of satire; ajourney to the remoter suburbs, if Punch is to be believed, tookalmost as long as it now takes to go to Exeter. Yet, with familiarinconsistency, he constantly rebukes the busmen for racing,especially on the route from Putney t
MrPunch's history of modern England . ll, we own to a sneakingregret for the old bus driver; to sit next him on the box-seat wasa liberal education in the repartee of the road. The knife-board, as the low partition against which outside passengers satback to back was called, does not appear until after 1852. Theslow speed of travel by bus is a constant source of satire; ajourney to the remoter suburbs, if Punch is to be believed, tookalmost as long as it now takes to go to Exeter. Yet, with familiarinconsistency, he constantly rebukes the busmen for racing,especially on the route from Putney to St. Pauls. The miseriesof the crowded interior, what with dogs, bundles, bird-cages,and wet umbrellas, are vividly described, and it was not until1849 that fixed fares were introduced. Up till then the sumwas left to the caprice of the conductor, or cad. Competitionbrought improvement in the shape of a superior type ofsaloon bus, and towards the end of this period complaintsagainst cabs and buses died down somewhat; but in comfort,. Amy (to Rose): Good gracious, Rose, Im afraid from^the way the man talksthat he is intoxicated! Cabby (impressively): Beg pardon. Miss ! N-n-not (hie) intossi—intossi-catedhie)—itsh only shlight ped-ped-pediment in speesh, Miss! Mr. PuucJis History of Modern England cleanliness, and speed, the difference between the public vehiclesof 1857 ^i^d 1920 is immense. About the former year the readerwill find a good description in The Fine Old English Omni-bus, of its discomforts, stuffiness and perils and the disagree-able qualities of the cad and driver. In one respect only,London was better served—on its waterway. The Thamespassenger steamers were a great feature of the time. Not thatthey were above criticism; collisions were frequent, overloadingwas habitual, the conduct of the passengers was not abovereproach, and in general the service was condemned as bothrisky and inefficient, and ranked along with smallpox and rail-roads as a remedy for ove
Size: 1964px × 1272px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1921
