Back on May 1, I talked about the difference types of carriages one might find in the Regency Era. Today, I want to address how the carriages were made. When we read Regency books, our characters often spend a great deal of time in their carriages, but have you ever wondered about how they were made? Were they warm in the winter months? Stiffling in the summer months?

First, let us start with the ins and outs of a carriage during that time period. In 1813 England, the outside of carriages was covered with various weather-resistant materials, primarily leather for durability and waterproofing, often treated with oils, and sometimes reinforced with heavy canvas, with fine wool or silk fabrics used for more decorative elements or specific cloths like ‘carriage cloth’ for roofs. The roofs of some carriages might feature a separate, waterproofed leather “imperial” (roof box) or have hoods of leather or stout cloth that could be raised for protection. 

Common Materials Used:

Leather: Sturdy leather, often treated (oiled/varnished) to be waterproof, was a primary material for covering carriage bodies and roofs.

Canvas/Sailcloth: Heavy canvas or sailcloth provided a durable, waterproof base or covering for roofs and hoods, sometimes used with paint or other coatings.

Wool & Silk: Fine wool, sometimes mixed with silk and metal threads (like ‘carriage cloth’), was used for more luxurious upholstery or coverings, especially for interiors or decorative exterior cloths.

Oilcloth: A waterproofed fabric, likely oil-treated, was used to protect other materials from rain. 

Specific Components:

Bodies: The main body might be wood covered in leather or painted surfaces.

Roofs: Roofs could be covered in leather, canvas, or have an attached leather “imperial” (luggage box).

Hoods: Folding hoods (like on a Landau) were made from leather or heavy cloth. 

These materials provided protection from the elements, as modern sealing was non-existent, ensuring passengers stayed as dry and warm as possible. 

The Regency Redingote has a lovely piece on the “Imperial.” It says, “Though there is no definitive documentary evidence, it seems likely that the imperial was the invention of some clever coach-maker. Most early imperials were made to fit a specific coach or carriage roof. They covered the entire roof surface of the vehicle and could be as much as twelve to eighteen inches high. Some may have been even taller. The frame was usually of strong wood and the external surface was covered with sturdy leather which was carefully stitched together and treated to ensure it was water-proof. Often heavy canvas was used to line the inside compartment of an imperial. Other lining materials included either wallpaper remnants or multiple layers of newspapers or pages torn from old books, each layer of paper affixed with a coat of hide glue. Imperials were fully self-contained in order to ensure that their contents had the most protection from the elements. Some were even equipped with locks, similar to those in trunks, for added security.

“Imperials were usually secured with multiple straps to metal or wooden rails which ran along the exterior edge of the coach or carriage roof in order to keep them in place. A fully-loaded imperial could be quite heavy, so it was very important that they only be strapped to the roof of a coach which was strong enough to support the extra weight. Often, an imperial was ordered to be made at the same time that a new coach was ordered. Knowing the coach would be carrying an imperial , the coach-maker would make sure that the imperial was made to the correct dimensions, and that the coach frame and the roof were both constructed to be strong enough to support the additional weight of a fully packed imperial, even when the coach was traveling over rough roads.”