2-791-695 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

Mr. Emidy driving 28 horses to Greenwich, 1844. 'Extraordinary Feat of Driving... Mr Emidy, "master of the horse" to Mr. Batty, the proprietor of "Astley's Amphitheatre," undertook for a wager to drive 14 pair, or 28 horses, from Westminster-road to Greenwich and back, in the space ot two hours and a half. The novelty of the bet gathered crowds of spectators in the neighbourhood of the theatre, and throughout the line of road. Precisely at five minutes to one o'clock, two outriders, mounted on handsome piebald palfreys, started from the theatre. They were immediately followed by 28 horses, driven by Mr. Emidy, and drawing a car, containing a large party of persons connected with the amphitheatre: there were also two other outriders, on white horses, right and left, to keep the horses in order. They started at a steady pace up the York-road, whence they turned down Waterloo-road, proceeded thence to the London-road, and onward to Greenwich. Mr. Emidy appeared to have no difficulty whatever in the management of the horses, but held the reins with as much ease and confidence as an omnibus driver would with his single pair. Not the slightest accident occurred, with the exception of the breaking of the traces; and at twenty minutes past three o'clock (five minutes within the allotted time) the carriage returned to the doors of Astley's Theatre. The locality of our sketch is close to the "Elephant and Castle," on the return from Greenwich'. From "Illustrated London News", 1844, Vol I.