A small green structure close to Lord’s cricket ground received listed status two years ago, providing final protection for an unusual piece of London’s past.
Visitors walking through Chelsea, Pimlico, or Kensington often notice these unique wooden booths positioned at the roadside or even in the middle of the carriageway, questioning their purpose.
Of the numerous Cabmen’s shelters that once peppered central London, only 13 survive today, and each carries listed building protection.
The initial shelters appeared in 1875 to offer horse-drawn cab drivers a place to rest. (Image: David Kindred)
They came about during the 1870s, when operators of horse-drawn hansom cabs had no shelter from the elements yet were legally obligated to remain with their vehicles.
Many sought warmth and meals at nearby public houses, leaving potential fares waiting until the drivers returned to collect their carriages.
George Armstrong, editor of The Globe newspaper, brought attention to this issue in 1874 and championed the cause for purpose-built shelters for cab drivers.
According to lore, he dispatched his servant into a tempestuous night to summon a carriage from St. John’s Wood to Fleet Street – yet no drivers could be found since they were all huddled in taverns.
In 2024 the cabmen’s shelter on Wellington Place in St John’s Wood became the final one of the existing 13 structures to receive Grade II listing. (Image: Google)
Charitable individuals including the 7th Earl of Shaftesbury established the Cabmen’s Shelter Fund in 1875 to erect compact huts at cab stands, providing hot non-alcoholic refreshments.
The very first opened on Acacia Road, St John’s Wood, in February 1875.
Constructed from timber and painted a vivid green, they were restricted to the size of a horse and cart to comply with Metropolitan Police regulations for roadside structures.
The cramped quarters contained a tiny kitchen area with a wood-burning stove and roof vents, accommodating roughly a dozen drivers.
Over 60 were constructed at a cost of £150–£200 each, funded through local subscriptions.
However, with the emergence of weather-resistant motorised taxis, the shelters fell out of favor and many were destroyed by traffic collisions, wartime bombing, and road improvement projects.
By the late 20th century their declining numbers prompted conservationists to secure the remaining structures with listed status.
Today the 13 green shelters continue operating under the Cabmen’s Shelter Fund, offering licensed taxi drivers a spot for a bacon sandwich and tea – plus members of the public can purchase from a serving hatch.
Beyond the Wellington Place location in St John’s Wood, another stands in the middle of the road outside Warwick Avenue Tube station.
A shelter now in Russell Square was originally situated in the Haymarket and presented by actor Sir Squire Bancroft. It was subsequently relocated to Leicester Square before being moved again during redevelopment.
Further north at Rosslyn Hill, Hampstead sits a later shelter – erected in 1935 to an alternate design.
This structure was designed by Elisabeth Scott of Scott, Chesterton and Shepherd, constructed from elm with a cedar frame, concrete supports and metal-framed windows.
It features an unusual decorative mosaic panel inscribed THE WHARRIE SHELTER depicting taxi-related items in a Cubist-influenced style.
The kiosk was gifted by Mary Wharrie, daughter of Sir Henry Harben, Hampstead’s first Mayor, and replaced an earlier shelter presented to the Borough of Hampstead by the Harben family for cab drivers.