The taxis that are also famously known as Hackney carriages have been in use in the city of London for quite some time now. Such taxis are black in color and have large interior spaces were in the past drawn by horses and are up-to-date vehicles that are eco-friendly.
This article is a historical guide to the evolution of London cabs from hackney coaches in the Tudor dynasty to the early motor taxis of the 20th century. It explores the concepts and changes that have defined these famous London black cabs and how they have grown to serve the current needs of the city while still preserving their classic style.
The Hackney Coach and the Horse Cab
Origins of the term ‘hackney’
The exact meaning of the word “hackney” in the context of horses and carriages is unclear. According to a particular hypothesis, the term was derived from the London borough of Hackney, whose name is believed to have been derived from the Old English term
It is, therefore, linked to horses and carriage and is considered to be the source of the Spanish term ‘jaca’, the small breed of horses and the Sardinian ‘achetta’ horse.
Emergence of hackney coaches in London
The first recorded hackney coach, or cab, which is a term that later came to include the more modern, smaller vehicles, was in London in 1621. The use of private coaches by the English nobility was introduced in the 16th century, while hackney coaches became a common sight on the streets of London by the 16th century.
During the 1620s, there were more coaches for hire in the metropolis and thus to the point that they were considered to be a threat to the lives of people in the tightly congested streets of the city. An Order in Council was issued in 1635 to regulate the number of hackney coaches plying on the roads. Two years later, with the appointment of the Master of the Horse, a system for licensing hackney coachmen was put in place.
Transition from coaches to cabriolets and hansom cabs
Shortly after the licensing system was introduced, even lighter carriages began to be licensed: The two-wheel, single-horse cabriolets or “cabs,” which were licensed to transport a maximum of two passengers.
The hansom cab was invented in 1834 by Joseph Hansom, a fascinating single-horse two-wheeled carriage with a unique look designed to transport people in towns safely. The hansom cab quickly became the most popular two-wheeled hackney carriage in London and was used until the twentieth century.
In 1836, the Clarence was introduced to London’s streets: a type of a small enclosed car which has four wheels and is drawn by one or two horses. These were known as growlers due to the noise they made on the cobblestone roads. It was much slower than the hansom cab, but they could accommodate up to four passengers and one servant as well as the luggage on the rooftop. They continued in use as the standard form of a four wheeled hackney carriage until the motorized taxies replaced them in early twentieth century.
Early Motor Cabs
London’s first electric cabs (Berseys)
At the turn of the 20th century, Londoners were able to travel in the first horseless cabs that were electrically powered. These early vehicles, referred to as Berseys, were designed by Walter C. Bersey and began operation in the city in August 1897 with a fleet of 25 cabs.
The Bersey Electric Cab, also known as the London Electrical Cab, was an electric vehicle developed at the end of the 19th century and the first electric taxi in London. These new cabs were said to have a maximum speed of 12 miles per hour and they could accommodate two people at the same time. An example of the Bersey cab was even used in the first London to Brighton race held on 14th November 1896 in celebration of the changes made in regulations of road vehicles.
Despite being introduced with so much enthusiasm with the Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII even taking a ride in one of the Bersey cabs, the vehicles had several flaws that they had to grapple with. The heaviness of the cars and the shaking due to the fragile glass plates in the batteries also contributed to the frequent malfunctions and the high consumption of tyres. However, the cost of the replacement batteries for the electrical system as well as the tyres, and the fact that the fleet incurred a loss of £6,200 in its first year, made the operation rather unprofitable for the London Electrical Cab Company.
- The Bersey cabs were licensed by Scotland Yard under four conditions:
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- Each vehicle was accompanied by a driver
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- Drivers were capable of stopping the carriage on demand
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- The taxi could turn in a small space
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- It could climb the steepest hill in London, Savoy Hill
- Notable features of the Bersey cabs:
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- Electric lighting both inside and out, which was not welcomed by all due to its conspicuous nature
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- A distinctive black and yellow livery, earning them the nickname “Hummingbirds” for the noise made by their motors
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- Batteries were replaced using a hydraulic lifting system at the sole recharging station in London
The Bersey cabs had a number of difficulties and, after various failures, the cabs were taken out of service and the London Electrical Cab Company ceased its operations in August 1899. However, fully electric cabs were not back on the roads until the Nissan Dynamo was released in October of 2019.
Introduction of petrol-powered cabs (Renault, Unic)
However, the introduction of petrol cabs also played an important role in the history of London’s taxi services with the electric Bersey cabs setting the precedent. The first petrol taxi was the French built Prunel that was introduced in London in 1903, while early British models such as the Rational, Simplex and Herald were also in use although in limited quantities.
The expansion in the number of motor cabs in London could be attributed to the introduction of 500 Renault cabs by the General Cab Company in 1905. This influx of investment from the speculative investors who had earlier refrained from investing in the cab companies also contributed to the further shift towards petrol based taxis.
Regulations and taximeters
When motor cabs became popular and numerous on the streets, it was time to establish rules and norms that must be followed. The Public Carriage Office that was the licensing authority in 1906 came up with the Conditions of Fitness that set out the requirements for the construction of motor cabs.
The demands included a 25 feet turning circle, which ruled out many car makers and led to the discontinuation of some previous models. This particular requirement was developed to address the concern of how cabs would be able to move through a roundabout that is nearby the highly popular Savoy Hotel in London.
A further important event happened in 1907 when it became mandatory for taxis to be fitted with taximeters. These devices made the cabs which were also called ‘taximeter cabs’ due to the use of the taximeter to measure fares, popularly known as ‘taxis’. The use of taximeters ensured the standardization of fares for passengers and was one of the most significant factors that shaped the development of the famous London’s taxi services.
Between the Wars
Popular cab models (Beardmore, Unic, Austin)
After World War I there was a demand for reliable vehicles in the market and one such vehicle that was doing the rounds was the Beardmore Taxi made by William Beardmore & Co Ltd of Scotland. Even though it was quite costly, it became popular for its durability and was the most popular model of the 1920’s. The Beardmore cab was even part of the story that this particular type of cab was referred to as “the Rolls-Royce of cabs” because of its luxury and sturdiness.
Another vehicle that could be found driving through the streets of London in the early part of the twentieth century was the Unic cab. However, a new model Unic KF1, manufactured by United Motors in Britain, could not make a significant impact on the market owing to the factors such as high weight and low sales.
- Notable cab models in the interwar period:
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- Beardmore taxi
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- Unic cab
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- Unic KF1 (revised model)
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- Austin Twelve-Four
- Characteristics of the Austin Twelve-Four:
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- Introduced a new range of taxis in the early 1930s
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- Predominantly sold in black during World War II due to low production costs
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- Sturdy, reliable, and relatively inexpensive
Changes in regulations and specifications
The Conditions of Fitness, a set of rules that defined the design of motor cabs, had not been altered since their inception in 1906. By 1927 Beardmore was the only company which was still providing cabs that were strictly in compliance with the above mentioned out of date specifications which inter alia called for a 25 feet turning circle as well as a ground clearance of 10 inches.
This was done in an attempt to attract more manufacturers and the Conditions of Fitness were revised. While it was Morris-Commercial cab that could be seen before the conditions of new regulation came into force, Beardmore came to the market with a new model that was designed to meet the new Conditions of Fitness.
Rise of Austin as the dominant cab maker
This is because Austin came into the market immediately after the changes in the regulations. As a result of a sponsorship deal with Mann and Overton to replace the Unic it was a car based on the Austin 12/4. These attributes of the car enabled it to gain popularity quickly and it was cheap, durable and very reliable.
In 1934 they introduced an updated version of the LT model, the LL ‘Low Loader’ and this model became the most common on the streets of London. Beardmore or Morris-Commercial was not able to come up with a production capacity as high as that of Austin.
| Cab Manufacturer | Model | Significance |
| Austin | Austin 12/4 | Sponsored by Mann and Overton, affordable and reliable |
| Austin | LL “Low Loader” (1934) | Became the most numerous London cab |
The British car giant Austin firmly secured its position in the London taxi market and would remain the market leader until the 1970s while Mann and Overton also emerged as a key taxi dealer until 2012.
Conclusion
The history of the London cabs is quite interesting, as they have been evolving for centuries and going through many changes. From the horse-drawn coaches of the early 17th century to the electric cabs of the late 19th century and then to the gasoline-powered taxis of today, these vehicles have been instrumental in the development of New York City’s transportation network. It is rather inspiring to look at the flexibility and endurance of the London cab service and its ability to withstand advancements in technology, changes in the regulatory environment, and shifts in consumer expectations.
In the future, new concepts and green technologies may very well revolutionize the industry, but the classic black cabs of London will remain the charming symbols of the city that they are. These vehicles have become an essential part of the city and represent its history and the spirit of the city during the transformation that is happening. When we move forward, the memory of these famous taxis will live on and serve as a reminder of the great character that has been associated with the growth of the transport system in London.