Inquiring readers: In early October, Prof Elaine Chalus, Historian of 18-19C British gender, politics & society, sent a link to eight sessions of the Bath 250, A Virtual Conference, The 250th Anniversary of the New Assembly Rooms of Bath, given on 29t & 30th September 2021. I have listened to only a few of the presentations and hope to listen to many more before the two weeks are over. The presentation that resonated the most with me so far was of Stephen Pool’s discussion of the sedan chairmen. I hope my synopsis accurately summarizes his main points.
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After the French Revolution that promoted new ideas about equality, Bath sedan chairmen signed a declaration of fidelity to the King of England and the Constitution. They numbered 326. Interestingly, as a group the general public considered them to be rude and their language offensive, making their support of the King all the more interesting. In their defense, Steve Pool states:
“They worked in all weather. The worse the weather, the more likely they were to be called upon, from morning to night. In standing rain, the chairs became wet, inside and out”
Often, when the weather became intolerable (wind, snow, rain), many chairmen were nowhere to be found, and customers who sought their services were forced to walk towards their destinations through the elements.
Sedan chairmen’s manners were considered by many customers to be insolent in public situations. The fashionable crowd often considered them rude and grating. Cartoonists especially loved to capture these exchanges. Today we should not confuse these Georgian caricatures as objective or realistic observations. (Unfortunately, I could not find the many images in the public domain in Steve Pool’s presentation, except for this one.)

A modern belle going to the rooms at Bath, James Gillray, 1796. Wikimedia Commons. The chairmen are drawn as rough, unhappy, and loutish. The belle is tender and refined. Notice the traditional Bath chairmen outfits.
Rules and regulations by the magistrates regarding the conduct of chairmen give us an insight into the difficulty they encountered in making a decent living.
- Chairmen were required to apply for a license each winter to operate.
- Their clothes and combination of colors were strictly enforced.
- Work began at 6 AM and lasted until midnight.
- The number of stands were enforced with the permits restricted for each site. If the maximum number of permits was reached, the chairmen would have to find another stand in another part of town.
- Only two places in Bath permitted an unregulated and unranked number of chairs: at the upper and lower assembly rooms, and occasionally “at the theater on play night or outside the Guildhall after an entertainment.” (Interestingly, the magistrates made sure that the stands connected the lower town with the newer uptown.)
Costs for licenses and stands were high for a 12-month period. In addition, complaints about the chairmen’s conduct were heard twice a week by the magistrates at lunchtime. Serious offenses included carrying customers without a license (40 shillings) to standing at a stand that was already full (10-20 shillings.)
When one considers that in 1739 chairmen charged only 1 shilling for any journey between 500 yards and a mile, and only 6 pence within city walls, and that this charge did not change for most of the century, one can understand why the chairmen began to object against the rigid, unchanging pricing system.
One other consideration is the customer’s behavior. Anstey, in his poeticals in The New Bath Guide 1780, described this incident in verse:
THIS Morning, dear Mother, as soon as ’twas light,
I was wak’d by a Noise that astonish’d me quite,
For in Tabitha’s Chamber I heard such a Clatter,
I could not conceive what the Deuce was the Matter:
And, would you believe it ? I went up and found her
In a Blanket, with two lusty Fellows around her
Who both seem’d a going to carry her off in
A little black Box just the Size of a Coffin;
Pray tell me, says I, what ye’re doing of there ?’
Why, Master, ’tis hard to be bilk’d of our Fare,
And so we were thrusting her into a Chair:
We don’t see no Reason for using us so,
For she bad us come hither, and now she Won’t go ;
We’ve earn’d all the Fare, for we both came and knock’d her
Up, as soon as ’twas light, by Advice of the Doctor:
And this is a Job that we often go a’ter
For Ladies that choose to go into the Water.”
Can anyone blame the chairmen for their gruff, forward, and insistent manners? The constant tugs of war among the magistrates, workers, and those of the Quality and rising middle classes who required their services, created many conflicts. The magistrates set down precise distances and costs, which were published in Bath Guides. When the city grew outside of traditional boundaries, the chairmens’ grievances for wanting an increase in fares for lengthier trips, and for the steep uphill treks to Landsdowne, north of the city, fell on deaf ears.

Rowland, Comforts of Bath, Plate 12. Notice the bath chair on the left. This hill in front of the Royal Crescent, was a favorite setting for the caricaturist to show the challenges of the sick and aging in getting around Bath’s hilly terrain. Public Domain image. Met Museum.
Steve Pool’s discussion included the chairmen’s rebellion, in which they refused to pay for licenses or carrying anyone to their destinations. In 1794, the magistrates included a higher scale of charges. They ended the discussion by stating that “This sweeping industrial relations victory was made possible through democratic reform societies, Mason trades unionism, and a measure of the chairman’s collective industrial strength.”
As a contemporary listener, I compare today’s low wage workers, whose minimum wages have not changed for two decades, with the chairmen in Bath’s past. The Bath chairmen revolted; today’s minimum workers are revolting as well. History’s past has turned full circle and is still relevant today in terms of liberty and equality!
Only a few more days remain for readers to view the Bath 250 Virtual Conference (see link in the introduction), which, in the 5 workshops I’ve viewed, has been filled with new information.
Sources:
Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive: Anstey, Christopher, 1724-1805. The new Bath guide: or, memoirs of the B-r-d family. In a series of poetical epistles. [London]: Sold by J. Dodsley; J. Wilson & J. Fell; and J. Almon, London; W. Frederick, at Bath; W. Jackson, at Oxford; T. Fletcher & F. Hodson, at Cambridge; W. Smith, at Dublin; and the booksellers of Bristol, York, and Edinburgh, 1766
Bath: An Adumbration in Rhyme, by John Matthews. A Critical Edition for Readers of Jane Austen. Series Editor: Ben Wiebracht. A book review on Jane Austen’s World blog.
Thomas Rowlandson, Comforts of Bath, Plate 12, Publisher: S. W. Fores (London), January 6, 1798. Public Domain image, Met Museum.
Very good, and accurate as far as I remember and have in my notes. I too compare these men to today’s equivalent: outrageous prices for a medallion in NYC (the equivalent of a license), fares regulated — I think they did have a decent union but what is the case today I do not know. They have been very badly hurt by Uber and Lyft (which get away with low overhead because of the definitions they use of themselves and their employees). Recently the regular cabdrivers went on strike at City Hall. One report I saw cited 9 recent suicides.
Let us hope the situation was not so dire in 18th century Bath, and that the chairmen were holding their own better. Stephen Pool with his words imagined very persuasive scenes. We should remember many people came to spas for their health and there might be numerous aging and unwell people.
Indeed, Ellen. I think that the 20 minute limit for the talks trimmed or curtailed the historic details that might have answered our questions.
Why does the Anstey’s ditty remind of “Twas the Night Before Christmas?”
Absolutely!! I backed up to double check the date to make sure it was before TNBC.
Excellent analogy!!
To Uber or not to Uber. Uber cabs have lowered the cost of cab rides over here too Vic. London also has Uber ferries on the Thames.There is a great example of a sedan chair in the foyer of The Assembly Rooms in Bath. Must send you a copy of it.
London still has its ,”black cabs.” However because they cost so much more than an Uber (how easy are they if you have the app and set up an account on your phone)they have become a niche market. A black cab driver has to do ,”The Knowledge, ” virtually a PHD on London. They are tested before they are licensed and have to know every route possible around London, in their heads. No sat nav for a Black Cab driver. Ha! Ha! They also know a lot of local history and the overall History of London. They are virtually well qualified tour guides. They all seem to be natural conversationalists and could be stand up comedians. Not sure the ,”chairmen,” served exactly the same purpose.
I wonder what it was like to be carried in a sedan chair? Would you get seasick?
Tony, All I can say is that I have been on the back of an elephant and felt seasick from the swaying. I have also been a customer in a rickshaw drawn by a man in Indonesia, where I felt compassion for him. He labored to bring us from place A to place D for a pittance.
Due to a deletion, I’ve resubmitted this comment:
From: SimonandSarah
Date: Fri, Oct 22, 2021 at 11:31 AM
Carrying someone of, shall we say tactfully, ‘generous proportions’ up the hill to Royal Crescent, or even up Milsom Street would be cruel on the calves, I would think. And the distance carried not allowing for the hills. I would hope they made a bit on the side with tips, but it can’t have been easy.
Then the Winged Hussars arrived
http://sarahs-history-place.blogspot.com/ and author of Renaissance murder mysteries and Regency murder mysteries, which may be previewed at https://mywipwriting.blogspot.com/, also to be found at http://sarahs-cat-spot.blogspot.co.uk/ for tales of cats.
How interesting. Thank you for sharing.
denise
This was a fascinating talk; thanks for also telling us about it, Vic!