Eddowes in Kent

[curious4]

When I was young - in the 60s - I hitchhiked around places like Greece and Spain which were still very primitive peasant societies then, outside the cities. We would often walk part of the way and be picked up for a few miles by farmers with carts - even little scooter-powered carts, but also donkey or horse carts. Or sometimes guys with pick-ups would stop and pick up anyone walking or hitching. So few people had transport, it was normal to help those who didn't

I wouldn't be surprised if walkers weren't regularly picked up in Victorian times and carried on a few miles by eg farmers on their way home from market with empty carts etc; esp so on the 'hop routes' between Kent and London

Hello Sara,

Spot on here, I think. There would have been a good deal of traffic up to London carrying fruit, vegetables and other produce and it was usual for drivers to pick up travellers on the way to help them along. In fact I believe that the origin of the word "taxi" comes from the farmers' "taxed carts". Kate and Kelly were friendly and sociable by all accounts, so could probably have had no difficulty in hitching a ride.

Best wishes,
C4