Cabmens Shelter - Warwick Avenue, London, UK
N 51° 31.397 W 000° 11.033
30U E 695357 N 5711778
These cabmens shelters, built in the 19th century, are a disappearing feature with only 13 remaining of which this is one.
Waymark Code: WMR9JZ
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/27/2016
Views: 3
The round, circular plaque of grey slate, has the following inscription:
The restoration of
this shelter in 1994 for the
Cabmens Shelter Fund
was promoted by the
Heritage of London Trust
with generous assistance from
The City of Westminster
English Heritage
The Swan Trust
R.T.Z.
The Seven Pillars of Wisdom Trust
Cluttons
Chesterton
Tha Paddington Waterways and
Maida Vale Society
The Licencesed Taxi Drivers Association
The Church Commissioners
and others.
Wikipedia (visit link) carries an article about the shelters:
The Cabmen's Shelter Fund was established in London in 1875 to run shelters for the drivers of hansom cabs and later hackney carriages (taxicabs).
By law, cab drivers could not leave the cab stand while their cab was parked there. This made it very difficult for them to obtain hot meals and could be unpleasant in bad weather. If they drove to a pub to buy food then they would have to pay somebody to look after their cab while they were inside, otherwise it was likely to be stolen. The Earl of Shaftesbury and other worthies therefore took it upon themselves to set up a charity to construct and run shelters at major cab stands.
These shelters were small green huts, which were not allowed to be larger than a horse and cart, as they stood on the public highway. Between 1875 and 1914, 61 of these buildings were built around London. Most were staffed by an attendant who sold food and (non-alcoholic) drink to the cabbies and were provided with a kitchen in which the attendant could cook this food and also food provided by the cabbies themselves. The attendant was not generally paid, but was expected to make an income from these sales. The shelters were also provided with seats and tables and books and newspapers, most of them donated by the publishers or other benefactors. Most could accommodate ten to thirteen men. Gambling, drinking and swearing were strictly forbidden.
Thirteen of the shelters still exist and are still run by the Cabmen's Shelter Fund. All are now Grade II listed buildings. They are located at:
Chelsea Embankment SW3 - close to junction with Albert Bridge, London
Embankment Place WC2 - close to the Playhouse Theatre
Grosvenor Gardens SW1 - to the west side of the north gardens
Hanover Square, London W1 - on the north side of the central gardens
Kensington Park Road W11 - outside numbers 8-10
Kensington Road W8 - close to the junction of Queen's Gate SW7
Pont Street SW1 - close to the junction of Sloane Street
Russell Square WC1 - Western Corner (relocated to here from Leicester Square)
St. George's Square, Pimlico SW1 - on the north side
Temple Place WC2 - opposite side of the road from the Swissötel Howard
Thurloe Place, Kensington SW7 - in the middle of the road opposite the V&A Museum
Warwick Avenue, London W9 - centre of the road, by Warwick Avenue tube station
Wellington Place NW8 - handy for Lord's Cricket Ground.
As mentioned in the Wikipedia article these shelters are now Grade II listed. The entry at Historic England (visit link) for this shelter, reads:
Cabmen's Shelter near junction with Clifton Gardens. G.V. II Cabmen's Shelter l888. Timber framed with tongue and groove timber panels and felted hipped roof to eaves. 7 bays by 3 bays. Upper part of wall largely glazed. Planked door.Stump of fleché to roof. Overhanging eaves with prominent rafters. One of earliest surviving examples. Erected by Cabmen's Shelter Fund.