Esoteric London

Spring Place, Barking. Photo ©RogerDean 2014

About London – J. Ewing Ritchie, 1860:

Cab drivers I look upon as misanthropic individuals. I fancy many of them were railway directors in the memorable year of speculation, and have known better days. The driver of a buss [sic] is a prince of good fellows compared with a cabman. The former has no pecuniary anxieties to weigh him down, he is full of fun in a quiet way, and in case of quarrel he has his conductor to take his side–he has his regular employment and his regular pay; the cabby is alone, and has to do battle with all the world, and he has often horses to drive and people to deal with that would tire the patience of a Job. He is constantly being aggravated–there is no doubt about that; the magistrates aggravate him–the police aggravate him–his fares aggravate him–his ‘oss aggravates him–the crowded state of the street, and the impossibility of getting along aggravates him–the weather aggravates him–if it is hot he feels it, and has a terrible tendency to get dry–and if it is cold and wet not even his damp wrappers and overcoats can keep out.