Research - Regency - Water Closets - Coaches

Today, we take lavatories, toilets, loos - call them what you will - and public conveniences for granted, unless we are 'in the back of beyond'.

While reading A Visitor's Guild to:Jane Austen's England by Sue Wilkes, I made a note of the following. After all, one never knows what will come in useful when writing historical fiction.

"Many people love travelling despite the discomforts, but you'll have to endure some discomforts if travelling far off the beaten track. A writer in 'The Monthly Magazine' advised their readers to ask their coach builder to fit a substitute 'for a water closet' when having a new closed-carriage built. In remote places like the Scottish Highlands some of the smaller stages have no privy attached; even the inns in little towns often have no conveniences where you can relieve yourself, except 'a dirty exposed' place."