Expert: Joseph Logue - 10/23/2007

Question
For example, in HUNT & CO.’S 1850 DIRECTORY & TOPOGRAPHY OF THE TOWN OF WINCANTON, (viewable on the internet)it gives the places where coaches and carriers depart from.  What exactly do they mean by a carrier and did it transport people, what did it look like, what would it be like to travel on one.  

Answer
Hello Elizabeth,

Interesting site (if we're looking at the same one).  I looked at some other sites and it appears to me that a coach would be a method that would carry many people at the same time, while a carrier was something that was used for the transportation of goods.  From http://www3.shropshire-cc.gov.uk/roots/packages/tra/tra_t01.htm

"Carriers were the small businesses responsible for conveying trade freight between towns. They operated carts (generally on short trips) or waggons (for longer hauls)."

Thus, as a waggon or cart, carriers were never designed for getting people from one place to another.  The link above is informative about the subject; paste the URL into your browser address line and read all about it.

I hope this helps, Elizabeth.  Thanks for visiting AllExperts!

Sincerely,

Joseph Logue