Coachmen

Coachmen are the drivers of horse-drawn carriages, especially long-distance coaches such as stagecoaches and mail coaches. They were responsible for handling the horses, guiding the coach along its route, and ensuring the safety and comfort of passengers. Depending on the period and region, a coachman might drive the coach himself, oversee a team of horses at relay points, manage stables, and perform basic carriage maintenance. In many cases, they worked for a coaching line or postal service and coordinated with guards, stable hands, and inns along the way.

Historically, coachmen were prominent in Europe and the Americas from the 17th through the 19th centuries, as organized coaching networks formed to carry passengers and mail between towns. The work required strong horsemanship, knowledge of routes and road conditions, weather awareness, and the ability to manage relay horses at staging posts or inns. Some regions regulated wages and hours through employers or guild-like associations, while others operated on contract. The role could involve long, arduous hours and exposure to road hazards, but it also offered steady travel work and a respected trade within the broader coaching economy.

With the rise of railways and motor vehicles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, traditional coach driving declined and eventually disappeared as a common occupation. Today, the term survives mainly in historical accounts, museums, ceremonial contexts, and in modern carriage driving as a preserved or recreational activity.