The Brougham

The Vehicle:
The Brougham (pronounced “brooam”, “broom” or “brohm”) is a familiar sight in Victorian era movies and books. The four-wheeled, one-horse carriage was very popular during the 1800s, owing its name and design to Lord Chancellor Brougham, a fashion forward gentleman. The Lord Chancellor wanted a vehicle for a gentleman, built along the lines of a cab, while stressing that it be light enough for a single horse to pull. With his plans he went off to see his coachbuilders Messrs Sharp and Bland of South Audley Street, London, England. They proved to be too conservative, and so Lord Brougham took his commission to Messrs Robinson and Cook. In the spring of 1838 or 1839 the first Brougham was completed!

Prior to its construction there was no enclosed carriage designed to be pulled by one horse. This carriage also claims the distinction of being the first to have elliptical springs.

The Brougham generally falls into the coach classification. We, however, have tried to make a distinction between servant driven vehicles and other coaches that might have been driven by their owners. In America, this vehicle is often referred to as a Coupe. In Europe, however, the Coupe is generally considered to have a swelled body and a rounded front panel. Notice the straight side and front panel on this coach. Many carriage manufacturing companies built Broughams and most of them produced varying styles and sizes of the vehicle that would accommodate from two to four passengers. Small two-seat Broughams, are sometimes called ‘Pill Boxes’, as they were favored by doctors. They were also called Bachelor Broughams.

In the late 1890’s it was claimed that the Brougham was the lightest of the closed carriages, weighing only 17 cwt (1,904 pounds). At the time, a single horse and Brougham could be hired from a London jobmaster for £200 a year if the hirer promised to keep within a seven-mile radius. This was to prevent horses from being driven for long distances at a fast pace.

Lamps:
The September 1885 edition of Saddlers, Harness Makers, Carriage Builders’ Gazette refers to the lamps as being black in color and square in shape with round heads.

Carriage Accessories:
The Brougham was very adaptable to fit circumstances. A luggage rack could be added to the top to become a Station Brougham. Safety features included an opera board. The purpose of an opera board, when raised, was to protect the rear panel of the vehicle from the pole of a carriage following too closely in the rear. When the board was let down it acted as a footboard for servants. A sword case could be added. Sir Walter Gilbey even devised a means of overhead ventilation so that tobacco smoke could escape without the windows being opened.

Brewster Brougham:

This Brougham was built by Brewster & Co. of New York. Brewster was one of the most respected carriage makers of their time and when they closed they donated many of their records to the New York Public Library and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. This donation has saved what is arguably the most complete set of carriage maker records in the world. The CAA has a copy of the NYPL records that are available to researchers and CAA members.

By looking at the Brewster records we can learn about the type of springs used, their length, and the weight of the vehicle as well as information about the trim and paint.

Resources: The Encyclopedia of Driving by Sallie Walrond and Carriage Terminology: An Historical Dictionary by Berkebile