Stories from the Store: Horse-drawn sleigh in Berkhamsted

CZARIST RELIC

Many residents of Berkhamsted rubbed their eyes and stared when they saw a horse-drawn sleigh progressing down the High Street on Tuesday morning.

The sleigh was formerly owned by the late Mrs. L. A. Foot, of White Hill, Berkhamsted, sister of the late Sir Richard Cooper, Bart.

Richard, son of Dr. and Mrs. Frank Cooper, of Bulbeggars, Potten End, a grandson of Sir Richard, had “had his eye on it” for some time.

On Tuesday he fetched it from Hamberlins Farm, at Northchurch.  He found that the sleigh had no shafts, but this did not present much difficulty to a determined young man.  Other shafts were found, and fitted, and, after the vehicle had been “cleaned and brushed up”, he drove it round to the front door and invited his mother to come with him to Berkhamsted on a shopping expedition.  An ex-milk float pony provided the motive power, and when all was ready his mother journeyed to Berkhamsted by this unconventional mode of transport.

On the way to town there were two halts, the first to enable Mrs. Philip Cooper to join the party, and the second to show their horse-drawn sleigh to Alice, Lady Cooper, who was delighted with this reminder of bygone days.

The sleigh halted at the traffic lights to enable the ladies to descend and start the main object of the expedition – shopping.

Richard had by that time been dropped at the station as he had to go to London.

Mr. Wheelan, a groom from Hamberlins, drove the sleigh back home, making a wide detour through Shootersway, as by that time the main road had been sanded.

The two ladies returned home by car.

We should mention that the sleigh is reputed to be genuinely Russian, and was once used by Mrs. Foot for delivering milk in this area during the winter.  It is of the usual droshky type common in the old Czarist regime.

Transcribed from the Berkhamsted Gazette dated Friday 21 January 1955.

Sourced, edited and transcribed by Pam Gasking

Collections & Research Volunteer, Dacorum Heritage