PETERSFIELD.
FRANK FAULKNER'S ‟WHEELING” CAREER.—The wheel of fortune has now turned to the period when the last wheel of the last coach upon this metropolitan and great seaport road, is brought to a stand still, and that our old friend ‟Frank Faulkner” so well known, and respected, is doomed to leave that Box, which he has filled with so much credit to himself, and with such general satisfaction to the public at large. There is really something painful in parting with so ‟old a Stager;” it reminds us of his favorite Burns, who says:—
‟Farewell hours that late did measure
“Sunshine days of joys and pleasure;”
It may not be out of place if we attempt to give a short narrative of the ‟wheeling career” of the captain of the dashing ‟old Rocket” who was in the van (if not the prince) of the best of coachmen.—He was but 17 years old when he commenced with the ‟Light night coach” on the 6th August 1806, and for 8 years, drove the same. In 1814 he took the box on ‟The Hero” from London to Godalming, and back—2 years, and for the next 2 years from London to Portsmouth, making 4 years with ‟The Hero.” Here we must not omit mention that during the above time ‟The Hero” ran against the coach called ‟The Princess Charlotte,” down, when our friend drove from ‟The Spread Eagle, Gracechurch Street” to ‟The Blue Posts Portsmouth,” including stoppages, and exchange of horses, within the short space six hours, being 73 miles. This is probably the quickest run ‟o’er hill and dale,” taking the distance, and all attendant circumstances into consideration upon record in ‟The History of the coach and horses.” 1818 he exchanged to the Box of the ‟Old Rocket” upon which he continued till the opening of the Railway from London to Guildford in the year 1848, being with the above named coach 30 years. And what renders this more remarkable still is that during the whole time without the exception of even a single day, he was on the Box, Sundays included. From the last stated time, has continued with “The Petersfield Rocket” to Godalming and back, daily, being 11 years, making altogether 53 years of public service upon the Box, over this road. And again what makes the good old coachman’s career the most remarkable is that during the whole of this long time, only four accidents—all from broken axle trees, but with never an overturn, and with only one trifling instance of injury to a passenger, simply a shake in the shoulder. Dame Nature, probably, thinking that our friend ‟Frank” ought not to pass his stage through life, entirely free from some of the ills to which human nature is subject to, visited him about 2 years ago, with a carbuncle at the bottom of his great toe which brought our ‟old stager” from his Box, to his sofa, for about 3 weeks, and which is the only instance of a lay up for a day during the whole of his wheeling progress through life. The doomed day of the iron rail concluded the services of our ‟old whip” on Tuesday last January the 4th, and we feel we can with confidence eulogise the good qualities of the subject of our narrative, and say—‟We may never look upon his like again,” for when we entertain all circumstances connected with his long and persevering course, his goodness of heart, obliging and attentive manners, as a coachman, we may say, we had indeed—‟The right man in the right place.” And now that he has entered into a new stage of life, we take our leave, wishing him a happy new year, and many of them to come, to enjoy in his snug elbow chair, reminiscences of the past, and to recount at his leisure the sunny days of his ‟wheeling career,” with comfort and ease.
COACH v. RAIL. It was generally understood, that agreeably to notice, the Petersfield Rocket was to run on Tuesday, the 4th inst., and that was to be the day, on which, the coachman of more than half a century, was to take the last of his daily drives. In consequence of this belief, some gentlemen, with James Baker Esq., of Frenshaw Hall, and attended by the celebrated Haslemere Band, were waiting upon the Hind head, near the ‟Royal Huts,” to take a last ride, and play him from thence to Liphook. But their surprise and disappointment was great, to find ‟our old whip” coming upon them not with ‟the Coach and Horses,” but in a one-horse four-wheel, in which he had conveyed her Majesty’s Mail to Godalming. Being thus prevented taking their last ride, with the last of the coaches they determined to do their best, and formed in procession on foot, Mr. Baker taking the lead, followed by the gentlemen and band, ‟our old whip” in his four wheel bringing up the rear. The band struck up with the appropriate and touching air of Scotland’s noble poet—
‟Should auld acquaintance be forgot,”
in a manner very creditable to this noted band. In this way they proceeded a long distance on the road, and upon stopping, Mr. Baker after kindly complimenting and warmly shaking our old friend by the hand, called his keeper, who was prepared for the purpose, and, presented him with a handsome basket of game. We need not say the old coachman was sensibly affected at this mark of kindness and attention.
Hampshire Telegraph — Saturday 12 February 1859
PETERSFIELD.
Agent—Miss Duplock.
Faulkner Testimonial.—We have much pleasure in directing attention to an advertisement in this day’s Telegraph, from which it will be seen that the subscription list for this worthy object is still open, and it is hoped that those who intend contributing will do so without delay, as we understand the list will shortly be closed.