A nightly parcel service between London and Brighton began in 1887. The last horse drawn journey was made on 31st May 1905, a motor van taking over the next night. The mail coach is standing outside the main post office in Ship Street, which opened on this site on 26th March 1849, but was expanded and rebuilt in 1892. In 1905 one could send a postcard in the morning which would be received in the afternoon.
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Hi, great picture. Just to add - my Great Grandfather was the coachman who drove the last ever night mail coach from London to Brighton. His name was Tom Tagg.
Good to see the photo. My grandfather told me that he followed it all the way from London to Brighton on his bicycle as it was the end of an era.
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