Many in the Southampton Hackney Association have been taxi drivers for most if not all of their working lives, and several of our members are very interested in the history of taxis through the ages.

One of our group recently found this wonderful piece of film from British Pathe News, which features Tom and his Horse drawn Hansom Cab in 1946.  Even though there were plenty of cars on the road in the 40s, it seems Tom and Dolly the horse were still able to make a trade from carrying passengers in central London. After 50 yrs in the taxi trade, it's hard to imagine Tom converting from a horse drawn to cab to one with an engine!

Notice that Tom wears his hackney carriage license badge on his jacket. You can watch a clip of the film by clicking the image here, and also buy it for £30.