Two More Cabmen Shelters Added to Listed Building Register
To commemorate London History Day (31st May), the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) added two Cabmen Shelters to the list of Grade II listed buildings. The additions were considered on the advice of Historic England, following an application by the Chelsea Society back in January.
The Pont Street Shelter
Image Credit: Historic England
Chairman of the Chelsea Society, Dr James Thompson, said:
“ We proposed the listing of the cabmen's shelters in Chelsea because they are a tangible reminder of our history, when taxicabs were drawn by horses. The shelter near Albert Bridge has been fully restored, after the Society persuaded the local Council to serve a dilapidations notice on the owners.”
“It is marvellous that the shelters have been listed, thus preserving these emblems of the cabbies who serve London to this day. They learn The Knowledge, and Historic England has preserved it.”
With the listing of these two shelters, all 13 of the surviving Cabmen Shelters in London are now Grade II listed buildings.
Emily Gee, Historic England’s Regional Director for London and the South East, commented on the additions:
“We’re delighted to see these two cabmen’s shelters gain the recognition they deserve. They are London icons just as much as the red bus or black cab and a reminder of how our transport systems have changed over time. It’s wonderful to see these historic structures still in use today or finding a new lease of life – long may it continue.”
History of the Shelters
In the 19th Century, it was law for cabmen to remain with their cabs when they were on the rank. This meant they could be stuck outside exposed to the elements with no access to basic refreshments or a place to rest.
At the time, the most common solution for this was for cabmen to park up outside a pub and pay for someone to look after their cab. This led to the issue of many cabmen spending too long in the pub and becoming unable to deliver a service.
Obviously, this was a problem. The shelters were introduced to counter these issues.
The Cabmen’s Shelter Fund was set up by the editor of The Globe newspaper, George Armstrong, and, Lord Ashley, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury, to provide a place for Hansom cab drivers and then Hackney Carriage drivers a place to rest, get food and beverages (but explicitly no alcohol).
The iconic green huts could be no larger than a horse and cart as they stood on the highway. On the inside, there was room for a small kitchen and seating for between 10-15 cabbies.
The shelters were staffed by volunteer attendants who could cook food, provide drinks and heat up food provided by the cabbies themselves.
Between 1875 and 1914, 61 Cabmen Shelters were set up around London. The 13 that survive are located at:
Instructions on how the shelter should be used
Image Credit: Historic England
Chelsea Embankment SW3
Embankment Place WC2
Grosvenor Gardens SW1
Hanover Square, London W1
Kensington Park Road W11
Kensington Road W8
Pont Street SW1
Russell Square WC1 (relocated here from Leicester Square)
St. George's Square, Pimlico SW1
Temple Place WC2
Thurloe Place, Kensington SW7
Warwick Avenue, London W9
Wellington Place NW8
Although entry to the shelters is usually restricted to licensed London cabbies, on Open House London Heritage days, the public can be allowed access to these unique and historic landmarks.
Platinum Jubilee Additions
A number of other historic buildings have also made the listings this year.
To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Historic England also announced 6 new sites that have been added to the listings. These include:
Imperial Hotel, Stroud, Gloucestershire
All Saints’ Church, Shard End, Birmingham
Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, Greater London
Hampshire Archives, Winchester, Hampshire (Grade II)
Sun Pavilion and Colonnade, Harrogate, North Yorkshire
M62 motorway Yorkshire/Lancashire commemorative markers and plaques