Biography
Find out more about the black cab’s fascinating history, the development of its iconic design, the cabbies, ‘the Knowledge’ and how and why it became such a stoic and celebrated English icon.
Basics
Officially known as the hackney carriage (from an old French term, 'hacquenée') they began as a set of fewer than 20 horse-drawn carriages in the early 17th century. By Cromwell’s time in the mid-1600s, there were around 200, and cab driving had become a fully-fledged profession. So professional has the job traditionally remained that all London cabbies are still expected to acquire ‘the Knowledge’, a notoriously difficult back-of-the-hand expert familiarity with the capital’s A-Z.
From carriages to cabs
The taxi trade is the oldest regulated public transport system in the world and the black cab is recognised as an icon of England the world over. Its roots lie in the 17th century when Charles I made a proclamation to enable 50 Hackney Carriages to work in London. This number was set at 50 in 1636 - an early example of taxicab regulation. In the same year, the owner of four hackney carriages established the first taxicab stand in The Strand.
Cabbie canteens
By 1875 cabs were still horse-drawn and by law cab drivers could not leave the cabstand while their cab was parked there. Drivers were forced to sit outside holding the reins come rain or shine and when it came to needing some grub and warmth (usually found in the nearest pub) they had little choice but to pay somebody to look after their cab (it’d be stolen otherwise).
Wartime and beyond
Some horse cabs continued to ply for hire into the 1930s but most had gone by the outbreak of the First World War in 1914. At that time, London still had more than 11,000 horse-drawn cabs. In fact the last horse-drawn cab wasn’t removed from service until 1947.
King of the road
With its curved lines and classic styling the London taxi has long conveyed a sense of quality and all that is British. And it seems the humble hackney carriage is admired the world over, by seasoned travellers and first-timers alike.
The black cab of today
There are now over 20,000 licensed vehicles on London's roads. To cope with the additional volume a new integrated taxicab and private hire information technology system (TAPITS) has been developed. Alongside this are plans to develop a computer-based “Knowledge of London” testing system that will interface with the proposed integrated system.
