No Credit Woven at the Exhibition Dick Turpin was born in 1706 in rural Essex, the son of John Turpin, a small farmer and some-time keeper of the Crown Inn. Some biographers say he was born in Thackstead, others name Hempstead. Young Dick probably served an apprenticeship with a butcher in Whitechapel- in those days, a village on the fringes of the capital. During his apprenticeship he "conducted himself in a loose and disorderly manner." When his apprenticeship was over, he opened a butcher shop, and began to steal sheep, lamb and cattle. Caught in the act of stealing two oxen, he fled into the depths of the Essex countryside to save himself. After resurfacing, he tried his hand at smuggling, but proved as inept at this venture as he had at cattle rustling. Before long customs agents compelled Turpin and his gang to lay low. Many people think of Dick Turpin as a lone highwayman, however for the majority of his criminal career he was a member of the Essex Gang (also known as the Gregory Gang). Members of Turpin's gang are known to have included: Thomas Barnfield, Mary Brazier, John Fielder, Jasper Gregory, Jeremy Gregory, Samual Gregory, Herbert Haines, John Jones, James Parkinson, Joseph Rose, Thomas Rowden, Ned Rust, William Saunders, Richard Turpin, Humphry Walker, and John Wheeler. There may have been other members who were either not identified or who were only occasional associates of the Gang. Courtesy:- See Sprake page 68 "freak version seen with 5 horses and no background" It was the beginning of a revolution in travel. The date was April 26, 1658. The event - the opening of the first stagecoach route between London and York, a journey which took four days to complete. Twenty years later the age of coach travel was developing rapidly. By 1678 a coach service was operated between York and Hull during the summer. But it was hardly a comfortable way to travel. Top of left and right corner credits are about level with bottom of ".....From Stockton to Darlington" To solve the problem they offered a premium of £500 for the best locomotive engine which should satisfy certain conditions. It was not to exceed £550 in price and six tons in weight; it was also to draw three times its own weight, at a speed of ten miles an hour on level ground. The famous Rainhill trial (October 8, 1829), when Stephenson's Rocket won the prize, sealed the fate of canals and inaugurated the triumph of railways. Pincus' best horses included Glenelg, winner of the 1869 Travers, and Eagle and Richmond, both Jersey Derby winners. In 1881 Lorillard sent Pincus to England where he trained Iroquois, the first American-bred to win the prestigious Epsom Derby. Courtesy:- A series of exhibitions, under the presidency of the then prince of Wales, and managed by Sir Cunliffe Owen, was commenced at South Kensington in 1883. The first was devoted to a display of the various industries connected with fishing; the second, in 1884, to objects connected with hygiene; the third, in 1885, to inventions; and the fourth, in 1886, to the British colonies and India. These exhibitions attracted a large number of visitors and realized a substantial profit. They might have been continued indefinitely if it had not been that the buildings in which they were held had become very dilapidated, and that the ground covered by them was required for other purposes. There was no examination of the exhibits by juries, but a tolerably liberal supply of instrumental music was supplied by military and civil bands. The Crystal Palace held a successful International Exhibition in 1884, and there was an Italian Exhibition at Turin, and a Forestry Exhibition at Edinburgh, during the same year. A World’s Industrial Fair was held at New Orleans in 1884—1885, and there were universal Exhibitions at Montenegro and Antwerp in 1885, at Edinburgh in 1886, Liverpool, Adelaide, Newcastle and Manchester in 1887, and at Glasgow, Barcelona and Brussels in 1888. Melbourne held an International Exhibition in 1888— 1889 to celebrate the Centenary of Australia. Great Britain, Germany, France, Austria and the United States were officially represented, and an expenditure of £237,784 was incurred by the local government. Courtesy:- Credit:- WOVEN IN SILK BY THOMAS STEVENS, STEVENGRAPH WORKS,COVENTRY. Timeline History of The Royal Mail 1516 Henry VIII appoints Sir Brian Tuke as his Master of the Posts. Tuke is responsiblefor seeing that the King's mail is carried safely on the main routes in and out ofLondon and arranging temporary posts for the King's travels. The Mail is almostexclusively the King's. Use of the service by the public is not encourage Courtesy:- Rifle Brigade - Prince Consorts Own (cap badge) The Second Boer War The Boers began to arm themselves with modern weapons, including the German Mauser Rifle (deadly at 2500 yards). British Army Corps in South Africa at this time totalled 46000 men whereas the Boer Army totalled 87000 men. On the 9th October 1899 the Boer generals sent an ultimatum to the British in Cape Colony. Two days lapsed, the British had not replied and war was formally declared by the Boers of Transvaal and Orange Free State on Britain. It was the 11th October 1899. The Boers attack swiftly, laying siege to Ladysmith, Mafeking and Kimberley. The Boers defeated British troops at Stormberg, Magersfontein, Dundee, Newcastle and Colenso. These early victories did not last. The Boers were too ill-informed and had half of their troops laying siege. The Boers lost their strategic offence early because they restrained at the sieges at Ladysmith, Mafeking and Kimberley. Australia openly supported Britain and were quick to offer assistance. They were joined by Canada, New Zealand, Celyon and India. The first British victory came at Elandslaagte on the 21st of October 1899. In 1900 Lord Roberts went back to Britain thinking the war was over. Courtesy:- You can click on most images to see larger images or more information. We wish to buy Stevengraphs. One at a time or collections. We also seek photos, brochures or any item of related history. Malcolm J Roebuck, Copyright © 1999-2009 Stevengraphs Bookmarks & Postcards Etc.