From Jerripedia
An excursion car prepares to leave from the Weighbridge
The charabanc - literally translated as carriage with benches, and its pronunciation gradually Anglicised from 'car-a-baw' to 'sharabang' - was the forerunner of today's tourist coach, and was itself the replacement as public transport for smaller horse-drawn carriages
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Early horse-drawn charabancs could carry a significant number of passengers, although the complement of two carriages probably posed for this photograph. Passengers were always properly dressed in suits for the men, long dresses for the ladies, and hats for everyone
Excursions
In the 19th century holidaymakers in Jersey were taken on excursions in horse-drawn carriages and enclosed coaches, and as these coaches got larger, the initial layout of bench seats facing forwards and backwards switched to a continuous bench around the outside of the carriage. Then even longer vehicles had three or more rows of bench seats and the charabanc was born.
Works outings
The name is by no means unique to the Islands, because charabancs were popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries for works outings in England, but it was as a means of carrying a number of passengers to the popular tourist locations in the holiday islands that they were in their element. They were often also known as excursion cars.
The arrival of the motor car brought motorised charabancs, with special open bodies commissioned from coachbuilders. In some parts of the world exceptionally long versions were constructed, but these were not suitable for the islands' narrow roads.
Enclosed bodywork
Gradually charabancs with enclosed bodywork were produced and the modern bus and motor coach were born.
We have now divided this gallery into three sections
- Horse-drawn carriages
- Horse-drawn charabancs, including stage coaches and early omnibuses
- Motorised vehicles
Where dates for the photographs are known we have sorted these images in chronological order. It will be seen that motorised charabancs were very slow to take over from horse-drawn vehicles, which were still in use up to the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, and for a while afterwards.
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A large group on an outing to Plemont in 1868, photographed by Godfray ...
... and the back of the photograph, showing that this was a Royal Paragon excursion
Two pictures of charabanc outings in about 1890, from the Jersey Archive collection. It was suggested that these might be the same outing, and it certainly appears to be the same vehicle in both pictures.
But close examination, although possibly identifying some individuals who appear in both, suggests that the pictures were taken at different times. The prominent man in white trousers is bearded in one picture and not in the other and his outfit differs
And two pictures of charabanc outings some 30-plus years later ...
... these are Paragon charabancs and the renowned guide Baker appears in both pictures
Pictures of charabanc outings are widely available as postcards, because they were frequently taken by photographers for sale to visitors the following day, printed as postcards to send home. It was also common in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for employers to organise outings for their staff, with transport varying between carriages, coaches and charabancs according to the size of the enterprise. We have attempted to arrange this gallery, as far as possible, into chronological order. Later images will be found in our Coaches gallery and you should also visit our Picture gallery of buses for further pictures of public transport vehicles - Click on image to see larger picture
Horse-drawn carriages
One of the passengers on the left of the group posing during a charabanc outing has acquired two very tall Jersey cabbage sticks
A carriage in St Brelade's Bay in 1930
Pony and trap - the simplest horsedrawn carriage
Charabancs on an outing for a large party gather at Plemont
A family carriage photographed by Baudoux in the 1870s
George Little driving a carriage on an excursion to the north coast
An excursion to Rozel in 1881
A carriage ride for two in 1901
In Waterworks Valley in 1914
A picture of a 1914 carriage, inscribed Duval
A Victorian carriage at Greve de Lecq
A pony and trap outside Heathfield, St Saviour
Baker, the famous excursion car guide, in his own smaller carriage
This vehicle photographed by Ernest Baudoux in the 1870s is described as a caleche, being used for a family outing
A carriage, probably a taxi, is inspected in the Parade
A family carriage outing in about 1920
A photograph taken in St James Place
This early 20th century photograph shows a well-to-do family out for a drive, probably in their own carriage, driven by their own chauffeur. On a sunny day in a quiet country lane the opportunity was presented to stop and take a photograph. Perhaps there had been another gentlemen in the carriage with the two ladies, and it was he who took the picture. We suspect that the photograph dates from around 1905, perhaps a little later
Before the charabanc, a simple horse and cart was used for outings
A taxi awaits at the Weighbridge
A smart Edwardian carriage for smart gentlemen
A carriage outing to La Hougue Bie
Luxury transport for three ladies and a gentleman
A small carriage with a group of smart gentlemen. Was the driver actually the individual standing at the back of the carriage?
This carriage was for hire from Mr de l'Isle
An outing by horse and cart
A carriage in St Helier town
Horse-drawn charabancs
This picture of a horse-drawn charabanc was taken in 1918, nearly 20 years after the first motor car arrived in an island which was very slow to adapt to the major 19th century inventions, including electric light, the telephone and motorised road transport
A typical picture by Albert Smith of a charabanc outing - he must have taken thousands
Gregory's Royal Blue in 1868
A photograph of a Paragon excursion in 1868
A Paragon excursion in the 1870s
A charabanc in 1880, probably, but not certainly, in Jersey
A coach outside Pooley's, Greve de Lecq in the 1880s
A Baudoux picture from 1887
A coach outside Pooley's at Greve de Lecq in 1890
A colourised version of a photograph by
J R G Stroud, who took many pictures of charabanc outings in the 19th century
A charabanc photographed by Smith in the 1890s
Livermore coach in the 1890s
A photograph by Philip Godfray of a very ornate Victorian charabanc in the 1890s
Paragon excursion in the 19th century
A newly married couple on a charabanc outing in 1896
A Paragon excursion. These popular outings in the late 19th century were regularly photographed by Philip Godfray
One of our earliest photographs of a carriage excursion - a Paragon outing in 1868
A charabanc in September 1902, the image inscribed Piquer
An excursion at Greve de Lecq in 1902
Carriages at the Harbour in 1903
A 1903 outing supervised by guide Baker
A charabanc from the 1910s
A charabanc at Le Colombier in 1911
A chapel outing by charabanc in 1912
A Bethel Chapel outing in 1912
A photograph by Percival Dunham of a 1913 outing
Christmas Eve 1913 - horse-drawn charabanc still in service
A very smartly dressed Edwardian group. Tour guide Harry Baker can be seen standing at the front on the right
A charabanc outing, probably in the late 19th century
A charabanc about to depart from Gorey
A Down's coach outside the Stopford Hotel
A stagecoach on the road to Rozel
A Paragon charabanc photographed by Albert Smith leaving the Halkett Place depot which was in the grounds of the Paragon Hotel
A coach photographed by Albert Smith
An outing led by the popular guide Baker
A large group of carriages about to depart on an outing from the Esplanade
Charabanc passengers with Jersey cabbage sticks
A horse-drawn charabanc in the 19th century
A charabanc waits at Gorey
An outing for a group of children
The Weighbridge, a main starting point for charabanc outings
A large group pauses for a photograph during an outing
Carriages at the Town Hall
A very smartly dressed group on an outing
An Albert Smith photograph
Charabancs outside Hallewell's Hotel on the Esplanade
An Albert Smith photograph
A picture by Albert Smith
A covered charabanc, also photographed by Smith
Harry the guide (third from right at front) has lent his bag and sash to the lady standing next to him
Carriages for a church outing
A horse-drawn charabanc in St Helier
A grand outing for 32 people
And another Tantivy outing
A well-dressed group on an outing
An Edwardian era charabanc outing
A very smart group of passengers
Tourists on a charabanc with Jersey cabbage sticks
A charabanc outing for a very smartly dressed group - photograph by D E Smith, of Beaumont
Carriages collect arriving passengers on the Victoria Pier
Roy, Paragon travel guide in the 1890s
Gregory Royal Blue Excursion postcard
Gregory Royal Blue Excursion card reverse
A Down's excursion advert
Paragon excursion photographs advert
The back of a Paragon photograph
Mc Farling charabanc in 1928
Mc Farling charabanc in 1915
Mc Farling charabanc in 1915
Motorised charabancs
A Gordon Bennett Paragon Cars charabanc in 1921. The vehicle was undoubtedly several years old at the time
Harry the guide leads another outing
A men's outing complete with horn gramophone
Paragon were one of the main operators of charabancs and motorised coaches
How many horsepower is this new charabanc?
Jerripedia editor Mike Bisson's grand aunt and grandmother are closest to the camera in the second row from the back
A Gloucester Hotel guests' outing in 1914
Gordon Bennett's Paragon excursion
A picture by Albert Smith
A Pitchers Tantivy charabanc
A charabanc outing for a picnic
A Blue Coach Tours charabanc
A charabanc carrying passengers to the August Bank Holiday race meeting at Don Bridge
A charabanc outing to Portelet
Blue Coach Tours charabanc
In Rouge Bouillon in 1929
A line of tourist buses in the 1920s
The Mascot fleet in 1938 or 1939. The Germans shipped the vehicles to France before June 1944
Musical accompaniment on the ukelele
A charabanc at Bouley Bay in 1922
One of the earliest charabanc outings from the Merton Hotel in May 1922
A motorised charabanc in 1925
A Methodist outing in 1926
A 1926 outing in a Jersey charabanc
A charabanc outing in 1926
Mascot charabancs on Victoria Avenue in 1928 or 1929
Visiting Swedish sailors on a charabanc outing in 1934
1918, and guide Baker is still active. It's hard to tell whether this is a horse-drawn chara, or a conversion to motorised power
A Jersey party photographed by an Albert Smith staff photographer in St Malo in 1929
A charabanc on Victoria Avenue in 1929 - picture courtesy of Temps Passe