Stanhope (carriage)

Overview

Stanhope designed several carriages, each bearing his name as was typical of the time period, and built by the London coachbuilder Tilbury. The first design, the Stanhope Gig built in the 1810s, was a gig with a storage boot under the seat, a crosswise seat for two, no hood or top, bent shafts reinforced with ironwork, and four springs.The next design was the Stanhope Buggy, an English buggy which is basically a lighter weight gig with a falling hood. He also designed the Stanhope Phaeton, a lightweight four-wheeled Phaeton carriage with two crosswise seats, a falling hood over the front seat, and the rear seat was for a servant or liveried groom. The shortened form "Stanhope" refers to the gig style, which by 1830 was the most common two-wheeled carriage seen around London. Many modern gigs are designed around the original Stanhope.

The Stanhope Gig's new spring design consisted of "four springs, two side and two cross, forming a square; these supported the body of the vehicle". The Stanhope springs configuration was used on many gigs and carriages. Fitzroy Stanhope also designed the Tilbury gig, this time named after the builder, which omitted the storage boot and had a seven-spring configuration.

File:310815Tandem-Stanhope-Gig-1901030Geert-Bongers.jpg|Stanhope Gig File:310815Stanhope-Gig-1900059Bert-de-Mooij.jpg|Stanhope Buggy File:Design for Demi Mail or Stanhope Phaeton, no. 3980 MET DP882446.jpg|Stanhope Phaeton

Notes

References

References

1. Berkebile, Donald H.. (1978). "Carriage Terminology: An Historical Dictionary". Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press.
2. Gilbey, Sir Walter. (1905). "Modern Carriages". Vinton & Co.
3. Smith, D.J.M.. (1988). "A Dictionary of Horse Drawn Vehicles". J. A. Allen & Co. Ltd..
4. Straus, Ralph. (1912). "Carriages & Coaches: Their history & their evolution". Martin Secker.
5. Walrond, Sallie. (1979). "The Encyclopaedia of Driving". Country Life Books.
6. Walrond, Sallie. (1980). "Looking at Carriages". Pelham Books.