July 17, 2012
Thanks to Allyn for sending the link to this fabulous old photo.
In this 1905 view of New York’s Fifth Avenue are pedestrians, horse-drawn delivery vehicles, a mounted policeman, a Hansom Cab, and Alfred Vanderbilt’s Belmont coach, all passing in front of the Holland House Hotel.
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June 8, 2012
I’m cleaning up my office a bit this afternoon … and (finally!) finishing the project of moving in to this office, which I began when Jill and I swapped offices a few several months ago.
And while unpacking some things that had come out of my old desk drawers, I found this wonderful old postcard of a coaching party on Boulevard Drive in Duluth, Minnesota. The image was taken in 1904, and the postcard was sent to its recipient, Miss Frances Kearnes, on February 11, 1907. As the postcard-sender, ACC, wrote, “How would you like to [be] one of this party?”
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May 18, 2012
Earlier this week, I posted Jill’s report from the CAA group’s first day at John Parker & Susan Townsend’s Swingletree, when everyone went on a coaching run through the Norfolk countryside.
Today, we received photos from Susan, which she took during the group’s two-day visit:
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the group enjoyed lunch in the meeting room at Swingletree
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Bev Marley enjoyed a lesson with Shadow and Phillipa Kemp Welch
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Bruce Hausser also enjoyed a lesson with Shadow
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Jim Spangler took a lesson in driving a unicorn
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May 15, 2012
Most of us who were on the CAA trip to Windsor have now returned home, but a small group stayed in England and traveled this morning up to Norfolk to spend a few days.
Jill sent this report from the group’s first day in Norfolk:
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Yesterday, fifteen of the original ninety-five CAA participants boarded our own private mini-coach for a three-hour drive up to Norfolk (northeast of London). We arrived around 12:30 p.m. — in time to enjoy a great ploughman’s lunch prepared especially for us at Swingletree Farm in the village of Wingfield. John Parker then showed us around the carriage collection and stables, spending lots of time with each horse or pony. It is clear that he is very fond of them all!
Then it was off to the Cornwallis Hotel nearby to check in, rest, and meet for drinks at 7:00 p.m. in the hotel bar. We were joined by John and Susan, plus three of the girls who work at Swingletree, plus Jimmy & Harriet Lawes, who also live nearby and own a large private carriage collection and one of the largest collections of Gypsy Wagons anywhere. We spent a lively evening enjoying some good food and wine, and each other’s company.
In the morning, two of the group left early to go to the farm for their private driving lesson, then the rest of us came along at 10:00 a.m. Promptly at 11:00 a.m. the Mail Coach and was pulled out, and the four white coach horses were put to. We divided the group in two, then drew lots as to who got to sit where. Lucky Bruce Hauser drew #1 for the first leg of the coach run, and he got to sit on the box seat next to John. Off they went for a coach run through the Norfolk countryside and after about an hour, the balance of the group met up with them just outside a private home built in 1077 (that’s right, 1077!). The groups switched off and this time Bev Marley was lucky enough to draw #1 and she choose to sit on the box seat.
Once back, the horses were tended to by the great girls of Swingletree and then we sat down to a special “coaching lunch” of game pie, steak and kidney pie, mounds of new potatoes, carrots, and peas, all washed down by some local beer or wine. Wonderful. Jenny then presented a selection of fabulous desserts.
More private driving lessons, a visit to the harness room, and we are all back at the hotel for a rest after a fantastic day. Yes, it rained at times and even hailed, but we did not care.
April 13, 2012
A CAA member sent us this old photo from the Rochester (New York) Horse Show. Unfortunately, we don’t know the date … but it’s an impressive set of horse teams nonetheless.
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The Slower Road 