This is an undivided back postcard dating from the late 1890s and shows either a meet of the Coaching club or the four in hand club. Each club had two meetings in the park every summer, once before Ascot week and once before Goodwood week. Sergeant Edward Owen of the Metropolitan Police who was stationed at Hyde Park describes a meet in his memoirs entitled " Hyde Park Narratives".
"The Meets of the above in Hyde Park are red letter days to the police, and I believe the general public are equally interested, judging from the attendance to witness these fashionable “turn-outs.” They are undoubtedly one of the greatest attractions of the London Season. I am not going to attempt to describe the origin or merits of these particular clubs any more than saying that none but the highest noblemen of the land are members of either; my humble efforts are simply confined to police duty on these occasions. As I said before, we looked forward to these events with anxiousness, as we prided ourselves on having carried out this duty on our own-no assistance from outside divisions, and, judging from the congratulatory letters received by the Commissioner from the Secretary of the Clubs, I believe everything was done satisfactorily. Every man available, of course, was required, for I must say in all my experience there was only one occasion that a greater number of people would come to the Park, and that was on the occasion of Her Majesty the late Queen Victoria driving through the Park in the Season on her return journey from Buckingham Palace to Windsor, usually about 5 p.m.; in the ordinary way the Park is pretty full at that time, but the desire to see Her Majesty and that combined, I must give that occasion precedence. Of course, I am speaking of annual events, not of those that would crop up promiscuously, such as large political demonstrations, etc.
But to return to the principal topic of this chapter. There were usually two Meets each of these clubs during the season, as a rule one each before Ascot and one each before Goodwood Race Meetings. One o’clock was the hour for the Meet to start, and about half an hour before that time they commenced to assemble on a fine piece of carriage roadway, some hundred and fifty yards long and between twenty and thirty wide, in close proximity to the Magazine. We always paraded about twelve o’clock under the trees in front of this spot, and each man told off to his respective post by the inspector in charge. And very soon work commences, for carriages, broughams, landaus, etc., begin to come from all directions to take up their positions; these the police have to rank in as even and close as possible, each side of the road, and take particular notice that only the authorised ranks take up a position, double rank one side and single the other ; but, of course, this all depends upon the width of the road and at the discretion of the inspector in charge, where he considered necessary that every facility be given for the coaches to pass. The route usually taken is, starting at the Magazine, along Ring Road to Hyde Park Corner, turning to right up Carriage Road via Albert, Prince of Wales, and Alexandra Gates, leaving the Park by Queen’s Gate. As the coaches approach the starting or meeting place they are met and escorted by a mounted constable, and placed in their respective positions by the orders of the Secretary, Mr. F. R. Lovegrove, who is on the ground ready waiting for them. I must refer my readers to the members of the Press for a description of these beautiful, high-mettled, prancing “teams”-it is not in my power to give them half the praise they deserve, and I am not going to attempt it; but I certainly read the reports in the newspapers with pleasure, and not only of the horses, but the owner on the box, with reins and whip in hand, and the other occupants are all given in the most minute details by these gentlemen.
No vehicle of any kind is allowed on the space allotted to the “Meet” with one exception-Her Majesty Queen Alexandra (when Princess of Wales) driving in her phaeton and pair. Her Royal Highness was one of the earliest to arrive on the ground, and appeared to take great interest in the teams as they arrived. Equestrians were permitted to rank close to the iron rails on the side of the roadway, and, of course, plenty of pedestrians would get in front of them, and as close to the coaches as the police would allow. My post for several years, in fact up to the time I retired, was on the Serpentine Bridge-myself and two constables, one at each side. My orders were that no vehicle of any kind was to remain on or near the approaches to the bridge; and a harassing time it was, for what with the turning back of the excess traffic when the ranks en route were full, and loitering and grumbling cabmen who persisted they had been instructed to wait for their fares, it was no easy matter to carry out, and I was most thankful when the signal was given the coaches had started. My orders also were that on the last coach leaving the Magazine I should at once proceed with my two men to Queen’s Gate, and prevent any obstruction to the teams leaving the Park on their way to Hurlingham or Ranelagh, and as there were no police to he spared prior to this, we had to lose no time in getting there. I usually cut across the corner of Kensington Gardens, and have run nearly the whole way; and we were not the only ones that hurried up, for when the last coach had left, a rush, almost amounting to a stampede, occurs, for equestrians, pedestrians and vehicles made a pell-mell rush over the bridge for the Alexandra and Queen’s Gates, to see them pass by. This in itself is an amusing spectacle to witness; everyone, seems in a good humour, and takes a delight in this sharp rush for a few minutes, after standing about for so long. I have never known of any accident in consequence, for, as I have said, the bridge and road were comparatively free of traffic, so they had a clear course for their run.
The whole of the coaches do not proceed to Hurlingham; a few of the members, upon arriving at Queen’s Gate, will turn round and drive through the Park again until time to go home for luncheon. There were usually about twenty members-sometimes more, sometimes less-attend their respective club meets".
