Travel and transport

First check your facts, M. Conty

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In 1888, the 4th edition of Conty’s guide to London was rushed onto the streets of Paris so that any M. and Mme Dupont could venture safely across la Manche [the English Channel]. As part of their trip, Conty strongly recommends that they spend a day in Brighton.

Source: gallica.bnf.fr / BnF

Source: gallica.bnf.fr / BnF

[To leave London without having seen Brighton (pronounced Brahaictonne) and its splendid aquarium would, in our minds, make for an incomplete trip.

Let’s just note for the record that Brighton, the land of pretty English girls, is the Dieppe of England and that, on a sunny November day, it reminds us somewhat of our beautiful town of Nice.]

Is that what they call a back-handed compliment?

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Free champage for all passengers!

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The Eclipse drawing

Source: The British Newspaper Archive

The Eclipse and the Talbot

Journal des débats politiques 7 June 1831. Source: gallica.bnf.fr / BnF

[The steamers Eclipse and Talbot plying between Brighton and Dieppe belong to the General Steam Navigation Company.  The company … not only asks for no fare but feeds the passengers during the crossing, and includes a bottle of Champagne.]

Too good to be true? Not if you were travelling in June 1831.  The General Steam Navigation Company was anxious about serious competition from the Camilla and the Earl of Liverpool steamers, both based in Southampton.  The author of the article predicted that l’une des deux entreprises ne peut tarder à crouler [it won’t be long until one of the companies goes under].  He then went on to warn: alors, les passagers futurs rebourseront les frais des galanteries faites aux passagers actuels [so future passengers will pay the cost of the perquisites afforded to today’s passengers]. 

BTW.  Is any of the above true?  Or is it a figment of the French imagination?  An expression of French admiration / scorn of the English market economy?  There is no trace of any such ‘bargain’ in the English newspapers of the time.

 

Thomas Thornton’s Trip to France – 1802

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Thomas Thornton - Copy

Frontispiece to ‘A Sporting Tour through Various Parts of France, in the Year 1802’ by Colonel Thomas Thornton

Colonel Thomas Thornton was a keen hunter.  To France he would go, to hunt and kill wolves, foxes, wild boar and virtually anything with wings.  To reach France for his hunting holiday, Colonel Thornton travelled from his home in Yorkshire to take ship at Brighton.  He was not impressed by the town: Continue reading →

Dieppe to Brighton (1)

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Source: Musée Carnavalet

In 1821 Charles Nodier, poet, novelist and librarian, was 41 years old and happily married.  He set off to travel from his home in Paris to make the long journey to Scotland.

The journey from Dieppe to Brighton was so rough that the sailboat ferry was blown off course.  Nodier and his fellow passengers endured a crossing of thirty-two hours.  It should have taken a mere ten. Continue reading →

The Dome – 1822

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Thomas Traverse wrote about Brighton to his brother Charles – in verse.
Would you dare rhyme ‘silly’ with Chantilly?

It is not only today’s enthusiasts for animal welfare who are against French ‘foie gras’ and the inhumane way of producing it.  Even in 1822, geese were seen as suffering as they were force fed and hot-housed to produce the meaty delicacy.  But perhaps they were not suffering as much as George IV’s horses cooped up in the stables, now known as The Dome.