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It is said, but I must confess failure to trace authority for the
statement, that tandem driving was invented as a convenient and
sporting method of taking the hunter to the meet. History has not
handed down to fame the name of the man who first hit upon the idea of
driving tandem; it was in vogue over a century ago, and at Cambridge
ranked as a grave offence: witness the following edict dated 10th March
1807:--
'WE, THE VICE-CHANCELLOR AND HEADS OF COLLEGES, DO HEREBY ORDER AND
DECREE THAT IF ANY PERSON OR PERSONS _IN STATU PUPILLARI_ SHALL BE
FOUND DRIVING ANY TANDEM AND SHALL BE DULY CONVICTED THEREOF BEFORE
THE VICE-CHANCELLOR, SUCH PERSON OR PERSONS SO OFFENDING SHALL FOR THE
FIRST OFFENCE BE SUSPENDED FROM TAKING HIS DEGREE FOR ONE WHOLE YEAR,
OR BE RUSTICATED, ACCORDING TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CASE; AND FOR
THE SECOND OFFENCE BE LIABLE TO SUCH FURTHER PUNISHMENT AS IT MAY
APPEAR TO DESERVE, OR BE EXPELLED THE UNIVERSITY.'
Extravagantly high gigs were much in favour among the 'bloods' of the
day, and these were often used for tandem driving, a purpose for which
they were by no means unsuitable, always provided the road was fairly
level.
As a matter of course, when tandems became numerous and drivers clever
in handling them, races against time came into fashion. Matches on the
road, whether trotting in saddle or driving, were usually 'against
time' for obvious reasons. On April 14th 1819 the famous whip, Mr.
Buxton, backed himself to drive tandem without letting his horses break
their trot, from Hounslow to Hare Hatch, distance twenty-four miles,
in two hours. His horses, however, were not well matched, and 'broke'
before they had gone six miles. As breaking involved the penalty
of turning the equipage round and starting afresh, and breaks were
frequent, Mr. Buxton occupied over an hour in going ten miles and gave
up, forfeiting the hundred guineas he had staked on the task.