# What is...



## Lavender (Jun 23, 2012)

...The title of a person who drives a pony and trap or horse and carriage? You know, the guy you see in films who sits on a little seat in front of the carriage with a whip and drives the horses on? What are they called?
Thanks guys.

P.S. Back on the forum after a long time away!


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## Lawfire (Jun 23, 2012)

I believe "coachman" is the proper term. In the Old West the seat next to him was considered "riding shotgun," due to the weapon that person usually held.


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## Devor (Jun 23, 2012)

There's also nothing wrong with "driver."


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## Caged Maiden (Jun 23, 2012)

I use both interchangeably, but prefer driver.  It's weird how you write people into books with mundane jobs and never stop to think about what you call them and why, you just go with what feels right.


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## Lawfire (Jun 24, 2012)

You piqued my curiosity with the question. I was wondering what the other attendants were called.

According to Wikipedia (for what it is worth):



> A man whose business was to drive a carriage was a coachman. A servant in livery called a footman or piquer formerly served in attendance upon a rider or was required to run before his master's carriage to clear the way. An attendant on horseback called an outrider often rode ahead of or next to a carriage. A carriage starter directed the flow of vehicles taking on passengers at the curbside. A hackneyman hired out horses and carriages.


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## lawrence (Jun 24, 2012)

The Post Office coaches were fascinating. Back when the Postal service started, these coaches would hurtle along very hazardous roads, they sounded trumpet-like horns and carried an assortment of weapons including flintlock pistols. Loads of great story material in there. It was really cool hearing how something now so mundane as the post (mail) was a frontier of danger and bravery. Actually...still is, all postmen have to face dogs and many have the bite marks to show. Guess it's better than a bullet hole though. Sorry, bit off-topic.


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## Eeirail (Jun 24, 2012)

It is a coachman as far as I am aware.


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## grahamguitarman (Jun 24, 2012)

Definitely a Coachman here in the UK, may be different in USA but I doubt it.  I live just off the old Great North Road which was the main primary coaching road from London to Edingburgh, and we actually have a ghost coachman haunting our house!


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## Lavender (Jun 24, 2012)

Some great info here guys, thanks for replying. I may go with "driver", for the simplicity. Very interesting to know that a person who hired out horses is called a "hackneyman" too,


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## ThinkerX (Jun 24, 2012)

'Teamster' or 'carter' might also be acceptable in some instances, especially if it is a wagon or cart carrying goods, rather than people.


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## SeverinR (Jun 26, 2012)

ThinkerX got what I was trying to think of.  
Teamster, driver, 
but looking up teamster, seems to be iron and steel workers, not just drivers.
What did people do in a Medieval City?
Found this: 
Wagoner-drives wagons.
Drayman-drives the cart.
Carman-one who drives a vehicle for transporting goods 
teamster - one who drives a team of oxen or horses 



Thanks for this thread, I have found a good list of occupations. Stewsman-keeper of a brothel.

Coachman - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The term "coachman" is correctly applied to the driver of any type of coach, but it had a specialized meaning before the advent of motor vehicles"


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## Lawfire (Jun 26, 2012)

Perhaps a stickied master list of occupations would be in order?


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## Devor (Jun 26, 2012)

Lawfire said:


> Perhaps a stickied master list of occupations would be in order?



If someone would put one together, I think it would be worth a sticky.


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## SeverinR (Jun 27, 2012)

Lawfire said:


> Perhaps a stickied master list of occupations would be in order?





Devor said:


> If someone would put one together, I think it would be worth a sticky.



I sent this site for consideration of including in the Research resouce list. http://mythicscribes.com/forums/research/2458-websites-resource-list.html 
****for those that have not notcied it, there are several 'sticky's at the top of the research page, each one contains information submitted by MS members, that others might find interesting.
If you have something that might fit in one please send to Ravana for consideration.
for example, the picture described earlier might be a good link to submit for inspiration in images section.


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