Sarah Ann Mountain
Sarah Ann Mountain | |
|---|---|
| Born | circa 1770 |
| Died | 1842-02-08 Croydon, United Kingdom |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, coach operator, mail service provider, innkeeper |
| Known for | Managing the Saracen's Head; running the final coach route from Bristol to London |
Sarah Ann Mountain (circa 1769/70 – 8 February 1842) was a British entrepreneur known for her roles as a coach operator, mail service provider, and innkeeper. She managed the Saracen's Head and ran the final coach route connecting Bristol to London.
Early life and career
Around 1770, Sarah Ann was born in the United Kingdom. By 1790, she had married Butler William Mountain, whose family owned the coaching inn known as the Swan with Two Necks. By 1808, the couple had acquired ownership of the Saracen's Head located in Snow Hill, London.
Following her husband's passing in February 1818, Sarah Ann assumed full control of the enterprise. Although her son Peter asserted he was overseeing operations after his father’s death, he was only fifteen years old at that time. In 1823, she introduced the "Tally-Ho" coach service to Birmingham, which sparked competitive offerings such as William Horne's "Independent Tally-Ho," resulting in multiple rival stagecoaches adopting similar names.
By 1827, Peter had taken over management of the company, which constructed coaches on its premises, operated fifteen daily departures, and maintained a stable of 200 horses. The firm also leased coaches to other operators at a rate of 3.5 pennies per mile. While not among the largest providers, it held a mid-level position in the market and was recognized for its stagecoach routes to Birmingham and Leeds under the brands Mountain's Tally-Ho and the Rockingham. The Tally-Ho left at 7:45 am and completed the journey to Birmingham’s Swan Hotel in eleven hours.
Despite increasing competition from railways, Mountain continued to operate coach services for as long as feasible; she part-owned the last passenger coach running between Bristol and London. In 1839, she lived at the Saracen's Head, which was featured in Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby, serialized during 1838–1839.
Sarah Ann Mountain passed away in Croydon in 1842, leaving her business to her son Peter.
Family life
Between 1790 and 1812, she and her husband had more than six children.