Sir Morton Peto; A Memorial Sketch

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1893. Excerpt: ... IV. PERSONAL. Mr. Peto in 1831 married his cousin Mary, eldest daughter of Thomas de la Garde Grissell, and sister of his then partner, Thomas Grissell. On the honeymoon they visited Oxford, Blenheim, Gloucester and Cheltenham. He wrote from the land of stone hedges, blue stockings and frocks: 'That finding a steam coach had been running from Cheltenham to Gloucester, we thought we would like to travel by steam. We found the steam coach only went about the rate of twelve miles an hour, and at the least declivity about four. We did not like going in the first coach, on the machinery, so we got into the one attached to it. We left Cheltenham at eleven, arrived at Gloucester five minutes past twelve--one hour, five minutes in going nine miles. We saw the cathedral, pin manufactory, and Severn, and, as the steamer left at three, returned by coach. The charge was two shillings. We could not get up the hill out of Gloucester without stopping once; then we went on pretty well until the place about half-way where the water was taken in. The steam is not generated in one boiler, but in several small ones. One of them burst; the hot water ran into the fire. 'W hat with explosion, steam, smoke, and smell, I never was in anything like it. All were soon off the coach, and we were soon out of it. Fortunately no harm was done; but we were left to get home as we could. The passengers were obliged to walk four or five miles, but, happy fellow! I had a wife. A coach-load of electors returning from an election took in my wife, but as she could not go without her helpmate, took him in also.' Mr. Peto's first home in married life was in Albany Terrace, York Eoad, Lambeth. The house is now joined by a bridge with the opposite house. The home was broken up early in 1842 by the ...