1st April 2025
📚 CabbieBlog News
Exactly this time last year, I announced that I wouldn’t be uploading daily postings for various reasons that I won’t reiterate again. Restricting uploads to just three days a week has given me time to write my first novel. Thanks for all your support by entering the competition. The winner who got the answer was Mark, one of our Colonial Cousins. He was out of the blocks with the correct answer within hours.
🦆 A new app
In January, I ticked off one from my bucket list. On a walk in a park and along our local river, I saw five foxes, a little egret, and a kingfisher. Spotting the colourful bird encouraged me to download the Merlin Bird app. So far, I’ve spotted 34 species. It’s not an obsession, but I can see how you could be drawn in.
📖 What I’m Reading
I’m working my way through the Bryant and May novels by the late Christopher Fowler. So far, I’ve reached number 9, The Memory of Blood, out of 23 books in the series.
📺 What I’m watching
I’ve just discovered Detectorists, Mackenzie Crook’s touching comedy about male relationships and men’s obsession with their hobbies. Working long hours on shifts, I missed it when it was first broadcast. It is now available on BBC iPlayer.
❓ What else
It’s nearly 13 years since a senior manager at TfL was generously wined and dined by the American company that now dominates London’s private hire. This has resulted in a serious decline in the number of licensed taxis and drivers, raising serious concerns about the future of the trade. Figures from Transport for London show that more drivers are leaving the industry and fewer new entrants are replacing them. As of the week ending 16 February 2025, the number of licensed taxi drivers fell to 16,816—a decrease of 20 compared to the previous week- and only 2 new taxi driver licences were issued. The number of licensed taxis (vehicles) also declined by 17, bringing the total to 14,470, with just 1 new vehicle licence granted. In comparison, 10 years ago, 25,538 cabbies pushed their vehicles around London’s streets. Now TfL are starting to become alarmed; with fewer entrants into the profession, it is only a matter of time before we turn into New York.
🚙 Gallows Corner
Gallows Corner near Romford is being improved with a new flyover; it promises to be a summer of disruption at this busy junction. It is named after a nearby execution spot that ably served the local community’s hanging needs from the 16th to 18th century. In 1932, a Metropolitan Police car collided with a cow at the junction. The animal was so badly injured it had to be destroyed. It was, in all probability, the last time the authorities had to make an execution at Gallows Corner. My thanks to the Londonist for this rather gruesome anecdote.
On 30 March 1979 Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Airey Neave was killed by a car bomb as he left the House of Commons car park
In London you may not fly a kite or play games ‘to the annoyance of others’ under regulations enacted under The 1839 Metropolitan Police Act
In Embankment Gardens the York Water Gate was once a river entrance to the Duke of Buckingham’s house when the Thames was wider
On 30 March 1927 Loughton’s Everard Richard Calthrop the inventor of the parachute died, he also patented an ejector seat for aircraft
In the Palace of Westminster cloakroom, there are pink ribbons on all the hangers for MPs to hang up their swords, as they are not permitted to enter the Chamber wearing them
On 30 March 1967 the photo session for the cover of The Beatles Sgt Pepper’s album took place at Chelsea Manor studios
The Castle in Farringdon is the only British pub with its own pawnbroker’s licence (granted on the spot by George IV so he could get cash)
On 12 March 1900 Arsenal recorded their biggest home league (Division 2) win beating Loughborough Town 12-0
The shortest distance between two Underground stations is Piccadilly’s 260 metres between Leicester Square and Covent Garden taking 20 seconds
On 17 March 1845 19th century British inventor and businessman, Stephen Perry, patented the rubber band in London (Patient No. 13880 (1845))
On 30 March 1853 Vincent Van Gogh was born. In 1873 he lived at 87 Hackford Rd, Stockwell and worked in his brother’s Southampton Street gallery
On 23 March 1889 the free Woolwich ferry service was launched by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, it seems to have been out of commission ever since
Having slid down a chimney teenage street urchin Edward Jones spent weeks wandering around Buckingham Palace hoping to meet Queen Victoria
In 1825 Irish MP Sir Frederick Tench drew up plans for a new Royal palace its approach would need Covent Garden and the West End demolished
The 999 service was introduced to London in 1937, the buzzer which alerted the switchboard operators was so loud that a some of them fainted
The Houses of Parliament has over 1,100 rooms; 100 staircases; 3 miles of corridors and 19 bars and restaurants
The unpopular underground Criterion Theatre opened in 1874 forced air pumps were installed to prevent patrons from suffocating it then flooded
A poll conducted by BBC Radio London found of the world’s 180 countries (some minute) London’s restaurants catered for 123 national dishes
Little Bridge Grounds near Chelsea’s ground held the first amateur boxing matches in 1867 with cups donated by the Marquess of Queensbury
Opening 1863 the Metropolitan Railway between Paddington and Farringdon was the world’s first urban underground passenger carrying railway
Phyllis Pearsall the creator of the A-Z Map is said to have personally walked London’s 23,000 streets to compile her celebrated atlas
Dan Crawford founder of The Kings Head Theatre Islington refused to accept decimal currency they charged and gave change until 2009 in £.s.d
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