The Keeper of the Coach

It is in historical romance novels that the different types of jobs that were available in the 19^th century are referenced. As there was still a distinct division of classes, such positions provided opportunities for employment for men who were not high born.

The most common positions that historical romance characters encounter deal with the stable, horses and the coach or other forms of transportation. In the examples referred to below, the stories refer to the utilization of the coach and staff (coachman and footman).

Example #1: "No Place for a Lady", Katherine Greyle (Leisure Books)

The heroine, Fantine "sprang lightly into the carriage, gave Jacob (the coachman) directions," and proceeded to her destination.

Example: #2: "Say You Love Me", Johanna Lindsey (Avon Books)

"The carriage continued to rattle along the city streets, which were heavily congested at that time of the morning with delivery carts and wagons…."

Example #3: "Mistress", Amanda Quick (Bantam Books)

"The door of the carriage was opened by a footman garbed in black livery. Marcus carried Iphiginia into the cab. The door was closed….."

The upper classes could not have functioned without the assistance of their servants. A gentleman relied on his footman, his coachman, and stable staff to maintain his carriage and horses.

Coachman: The coachman was the individual who drove the coach. The coachman could also be referred to as a "whip."

Footman: A footman was the individual that was employed by a wealthy family. This individual rode on the back section of the coach in the dickey seat. The footman assisted in opening the coach doors for passengers. He was also responsible for loading and unloading luggage, packages, and the like.

Hackman/Hack Driver: This position is commonly seen in the historical romance novels of Amanda Quick. Often, the heroines utilize a "hackney", which essentially was a coach for hire.

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