The mail-coach procession

23 April · London

No longer kept

King George IV, born on 12 August, moved the keeping of his birthday to St George’s Day, and on the king’s birthday the London mail coaches went in yearly procession. At noon the horses in new harness, with the postmen and postboys in new scarlet coats, rode from Lombard Street to Millbank to dine while the coaches were freshly painted. At five the procession set off behind the general postmen on horseback, the coaches full of the coachmen’s and guards’ wives, children and friends and the postboys at the rear sounding bugles and cracking whips. Church bells rang the whole way through Parliament Street, the Strand, Fleet Street and Cheapside to the General Post Office, and crowds lined the streets.

each with a large bouquet of flowers in his bright scarlet coat

From Hone's Every-Day Book, vol. 1, cols. 503-504. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

The St George’s Day bells at Chester No longer kept CheshireIn 1609 or 1610 the sheriff of Chester, Robert Amory, had three silver bells made to be run for by horses on the Roodee every St George's Day, the winner keeping the best bell for a year.
The swan against the wind Lore and belief SurreyA man living on the Thames at Kingston told Hone that when a swan flew any distance against the wind, however fine the weather looked, a wind of almost hurricane strength was certain within twenty-four hours, and usually within twelve.
When the bull leads the herd Lore and belief EnglandHone quotes an old book on husbandry for signs of rain in cattle.
Blue coats for St George No longer kept EnglandHone recorded that until the beginning of the nineteenth century people of fashion wore coats of blue cloth on St George's Day.
Riding the George at Leicester No longer kept LeicestershireAt Leicester the riding of the George was one of the chief ceremonies of the town year.
The St George pageant at Dublin No longer kept LeinsterThe chain book of the city of Dublin laid down who was to provide what for the St George's Day pageant.
St George cries go, St Mark cries ho Lore and belief WiltshireAubrey noted a Wiltshire proverb pairing two April saints' days two days apart, St George's on the 23rd and St Mark's on the 25th.
Harebells for St George Lore and belief EnglandThe wild bluebell covered the fields about St George's Day, and was held a fitting emblem of England's patron saint, since blue was worn on his feast.
Horse-skins for St George at Reading No longer kept BerkshireIn 1536 the churchwardens of Reading paid for a St George and his horse to be made up in the church, with a loft for the saint to stand on.

The mail-coach procession

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