The Worshipful Company of Hackney Carriage Drivers is one of the 110 livery companies of the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...

. Its members are professional

hackney carriage A hackney or hackney carriage (also called a cab, black cab, hack or London taxi) is a carriage or car for hire. A hackney of a more expensive or high class was called a remise. A symbol of London and Britain, the black taxi is a common s ...

drivers, including London black taxicab drivers who have learnt the knowledge of London. The Fellowship of Hackney Carriage Drivers was recognised by the

City of London Corporation The City of London Corporation, officially and legally the Mayor and Commonalty and Citizens of the City of London, is the municipal governing body of the City of London, the historic centre of London and the location of much of the United King ...

in 1990 and was granted livery in February 2004, becoming the Worshipful Company. The process started with an instruction from

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three ...

to the City's

Court of Aldermen The Court of Aldermen forms part of the senior governance of the City of London Corporation. It comprises twenty-five aldermen of the City of London, presided over by the Lord Mayor (becoming senior alderman during his year of office). The Co ...

in 1654 on regulating drivers. Legislation created the Fellowship of Master Hackney Coachmen, the first such society for taxi drivers. The company's charity supports any deserving members and their immediate family. It has run an annual taxi tour to

Disneyland Paris Disneyland Paris is an entertainment resort in Chessy, Seine-et-Marne, Chessy, France, east of Paris. It encompasses two theme parks, resort hotels, Disney Nature Resorts, a shopping, dining and entertainment complex, and a golf course. Disney ...

for children with life-threatening illnesses each year since 1994. Its education programme teaches taxi drivers about the

history of London The history of London, the capita ...

and it seeks to promote public awareness about the high standards of the hackney carriage trade. The company also takes part in the annual

Lord Mayor's Show The Lord Mayor's Show is one of the best-known annual events in London as well as one of the longest-established, dating back to the 13th century. A new lord mayor is appointed every year, and the public parade that takes place as his or her in ...

. The Hackney Carriage Drivers' Company ranks 104th in the

order of precedence An order of precedence is a sequential hierarchy of nominal importance and can be applied to individuals, groups, or organizations. Most often it is used in the context of people by many organizations and governments, for very formal and state o ...

of City Livery Companies.

References

External links

WCoHCD Official SiteThe Cab Driver Newspaper the licensed taxi industry's oldest and largest independent newspaper

An Ordinance for the Regulation of Hackney-Coachmen in London and the places adjacent. June 1654
{{authority control Hackney Carriage Drivers Taxis of London 1990 establishments in England