Cab, Taxi Hire & Haulage Companies
by SLHS on
Saturday 16 July 2016
Hackney cabs were licenced in London as early as the 17th century, but for provincial and rural areas the licencing of cabs did not come into force until the Town Police Clauses Act of 1847. As well as cab hire, and before the introduction of the motor car, in small towns and villages it was possible to rent coaches, landaus and traps. Carts could also be rented for moving furniture and heavy objects, and many hire companies also provided a parcel service.
Some owners continued their business after the motor car became common, and even established local bus services and branched out into the haulage contracting business. As the population of Somercotes and the surrounding villages grew, so did the need for this type of service.
| CAB, TAXI HIRE & HAULAGE COMPANIES 1876: | |
| SPENCER, George | Somercotes (Licenced to let horse & trap for hire) |
| CAB, TAXI HIRE & HAULAGE COMPANIES 1895: | |
| DAVIDSON, John | Somercotes (John was listed as a carter) |
| HOLE, Henry | Somercotes Hill (Henry was listed as a carting contractor) |
| TOWERS, Thomas | Somercotes (Thomas advertised pony & trap hire) |
| CAB, TAXI HIRE & HAULAGE COMPANIES 1899: | |
| BURTON, John | Somercotes Hill (John's listing for 1899 states "carriage proprietor & farmer; licenced to let horses, broughams, landaus, brakes,traps, waggonettes; wedding & mourning carriages, shillibeer etc. Terms moderate, Pear Tree Cottage, Somercotes Hill") |
| GRAHAM, John William | Somercotes (John was an Omnibus Proprietor, and his address was listed as Victoria Street) |
| HOLE, Henry | Somercotes Hill (Henry was described as a cart owner) |
| WILLGOOSE, Thomas & Son | Birchwood Lane (Thomas was a carriage proprietor) |
| CAB, TAXI HIRE & HAULAGE COMPANIES 1908: | |
| BURTON, John | Somercotes Hill (see entry under 1899. John was also listed as a furniture remover and parcel agent for the Midland Railway) |
| FROGG, John | Somercotes (John was listed as a cab proprietor) |
| HOLE, Henry | Somercotes Hill (Henry was listed as cart owner) |
| TOPHAM, Benjamin | Leabrooks (Benjamin was listed as a carter) |
PHOTO: John Burton's horse & carriage used to collect parcels from the Midland Railway. The photograph was taken in 1904, adjacent to Furnace Row, Lower Somercotes.
| CAB, TAXI HIRE & HAULAGE COMPANIES 1916: | |
| BURTON, John | Somercotes Hill (see entry under 1908. John was also listed in 1916 as a sadler and harness maker) |
| FROGG, John | Somercotes (John was listed as a cab proprietor) |
| HOWE, Alfred | Leabrooks (Alfred was listed as a carter) |
| CAB, TAXI HIRE & HAULAGE COMPANIES 1925: | |
| BURTON, John | Somercotes Hill (John was only listed as a farmer in both 1925 and 1932. It is not known if he still ran a cab hire and parcel business) |
| FROGG, John | Somercotes (John as listed as a cab proprieter) |
| HOWE, Alfred | Leabrooks (Alfred was listed as a carter) |
PHOTO: Goods being carried from Pye Bridge Station, probably by John Burton. The photograph dates from around 1905 and was taken adjacent to Furnace Row, Lower Somercotes.
| CAB, TAXI HIRE & HAULAGE COMPANIES 1932: | |
| HOWE, Alfred | Leabrooks (Alfred was listed as a carter) |
| HOLT, Ernest A | Sleetmoor Lane (Ernest was listed as a haulage contractor) |
| SWAIN, Harry J & Sons | Birchwood Lane (Harry was listed as a haulage contractor. The address was given as 43, Birchwood Lane) |
| THOMAS, Dennis | Somercotes Hill (Dennis was listed as a haulage contractor and motor engineer. The address is given simply as "The Garage", Somercotes Hill) |
| CAB, TAXI HIRE & HAULAGE COMPANIES 1941: | |
| FLETCHER, William | Somercotes (William was listed as a taxi proprietor of Mansfield Street, off Victoria Street) |
| FROGG, John | Somercotes (John was listed as a carter of 80, Quarry Road). |
| HOLT, Ernest A | Sleetmoor Lane (Ernest was listed as a haulage contractor) |
| SWAIN, Harry J & Sons | Birchwood Lane (Harry was listed as a haulage contractor. The address was given as 43, Birchwood Lane) |
| THOMAS, Dennis | Somercotes Hill (Dennis was listed as a haulage contractor and motor engineer. The address is given simply as "The Garage", Somercotes Hill) |
| WOODLAND, Benjamin Thos. | Somercotes Hill (Benjamin was listed as a haulage contractor) |