The Worcester to London coach changing horses

Edward Sherman was one of the largest coaching companies in the 1820s and 1830s. In 1823 it took over the 'Bull and Mouth' in St. Martin's-le-Grand, the busiest of all London's great coaching inns, and also operated from the Oxford Arms, Newgate, mainly for freight. They specialised in the fast day coach which were usually painted a bright yellow as in the present picture, making them immediately recognisable. Edward Sherman himself had a reputation for being a canny man, generally charging a slightly higher fare than his competitors, and even making a small charge against his partners for the provisions of straw to keep the passengers' feet warm. Despite the success of his business, with the coming of the railways Sherman was said to have lost some £7,000, losses he was ultimately able to stand by the fortuitous arrangement of marrying three rich widows in succession.