Notes on Victoriana - 004

Cabmen's Shelters - A "Good and Wholesome" Alternative to Pubs

            Dotted around modern London, one will see curious little green sheds from which one can buy a coffee, tea, or a simple breakfast sandwich. These squat structures with their steep-pitched, slated roofs are the remnants of a mid-Victorian perk put in place for the city’s many cab drivers.

            Life as a hansom cab or Hackney coach driver in Victorian London was far from easy: Long days and nights spent atop a cart or carriage, gripping the reigns of a horse or pair of horses, earning poor pay while exposed to all manner of English weather and all manner of English temperaments from passenger and horse alike. The most common respite that a cabman could find from this trying existence was from any number of public houses or taverns passed during his travels. Unfortunately, this often meant an over-indulgence in beer, gin, or rum to warm the bones and steel the nerves, which often led to a driver whose own temperament would become the worse for wear, to say nothing of his driving skills. News and court filings from the era are filled with stories of drunken disagreements between driver and passenger (and horse) and collisions that resulted in damaged property, injured passengers and horses, and the occasional fatality of man and beast both.

            To counter these and other problems, the metropolis agreed to the creation of the Cabmen’s Shelter Fund, spurred on by Globe newspaper editor George Armstrong, which brought about the development of 61 of the green-painted shelters throughout Central London between 1875 and 1914. They were promoted as offering “good and wholesome refreshments at moderate prices.” By police order, they had to occupy spots on public highways frequently inhabited by cabs and could be no wider than a horse-and-cab. This would ensure minimal disruption to London’s already crowded roadways.

(A current cabmen’s shelter, west corner of Russell Square. Photo by the author)

            Of course, these restrictions left little accommodation by which the shelters could operate, but the proprietors made them work. Inside these timber-framed huts, one would find a cramped kitchen and seating for a dozen men on two wall-mounted benches with narrow boards for tables stretched across them. A wood-burning stove offered welcomed warmth in winter, its flue venting out through a dovecote chimney. To entertain the laid-up cabbie there were shelves lined with donated books and newspapers. He also had the companionship of his fellows, who were free to talk about anything but politics to avoid unpleasant disagreements. Signs posted on the walls also cautioned: “No Gambling, No Drinking, No Swearing,” and any violations would see a cabbie tossed out. Cabmen’s shelters were meant to be pleasant alternatives to the raucous pubs. Friendly abodes where a driver could rest his reigns and fill his stomach with alcohol-free meals. They were kept warm and well-lighted and were always aromatic with the scent of fried onions, eggs, bacon, chops, coffee, and tobacco.

            Railings along the exterior were used to hitch up the horses while the cabbies hitched themselves to the tables inside. While the theft of horses-and-cabs was not uncommon outside of pubs (drivers often had to pay a minder to guard their conveyances while they enjoyed a libation or two), it was far rarer at shelters. This allowed cabbies to enjoy their sober delights before going off to collect fares secure in the knowledge that they were safe to do so in a way that no pub could guarantee. As for the attendant working within, he would clad himself in an apron and sweat over the stove in his closet-sized kitchen which was packed with all the requirements of dozens of London cabbies’ daily meals. He often worked for no money beyond what the drivers left as a tip.

            As the Twentieth Century witnessed horse-drawn cabs give way to motor cars and two World Wars that saw many cabbies drafted to serve and left many of the shelters in splinters under German bombs, the number of cab shelters has dwindled to 13 today. They are still maintained by the Cabmen’s Shelter Fund, and you must still be a licensed cab driver to enjoy a seat and a meal inside the few locations that continue to offer this Victorian throwback. Otherwise, members of the public are free to buy a sandwich, pastry, and drink for very affordable prices at takeaway windows, which are often adorned with menu boards and flower boxes. Those still existing have been granted Grade II status by Historic London, the heritage trust group that ensures modern London retains the flourishes and beautiful architecture of its past. For the Londoner or tourist on-the-go, or anyone who wants to engage in a little leftover treasure from a London long-gone, one can find the remaining cabmen’s shelters at the following locations (list provided by Wikipedia):

Chelsea Embankment SW3 – close to its 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, east of the entrance to the Victoria and Albert Museum

Warwick Avenue, London W9 – centre of the road, by Warwick Avenue Underground station

Wellington Place NW8 – near to Lord's Cricket Ground

 

Sources:

Article: “The Amazing History Behind London’s Green Cabmen’s Shelters.” Living London History. November 2022. https://livinglondonhistory.com/the-amazing-history-behind-londons-green-cabmens-shelters/

Article: “Cabmen’s Shelter Fund.” Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabmen%27s_Shelter_Fund

Article: “This Green Cab Shelter Has Been Restored and is Now Open to the Public.” Londonist.com. https://londonist.com/london/history/this-green-cab-shelter-has-been-restored-and-will-open-to-the-public-soon

Article: “The Cabmen’s Shelters: Inside London’s Secret “Green Sheds.”” BBC.com. August 2013. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/magazine-23591682