Seems hard to believe in this age of instant communication, but in the days before social media, telephones & even telegrams, getting news of major historical events was down to a trusted courier.
Take the news of the victory at the Batlle of Waterloo for instance. This is where Napolean was finally defeated by the Duke of Wellington with his Prussian allies. It took days to get the news back to London and it was all down to one-man, Major Henry Percy of the 14th Light Dragoons.
Armed with the dispatch of the famous victory, his journey took him from Brussels to the Belgian channel port of Ostend where he, joined His Majesty’s ship Peruvian bound for Broadstairs in Kent. From here he took a post-chaise (a travelling carriage) to London, changing horses along the way, where he first delivered the important message to the Prime Minister at Grosvenor Square, to finally here at 16 St James Square, where the HRH Prince Regent was attending a soiree. And if anyone dared to disbelieve him, he carried two French Imperial Eagles captured at the battle as proof.
I would have liked to see their triumphant reaction. I hope they offered him a drink for his efforts!
