FORGOTTEN CENTENARY

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 130, 5 June 1933, Page 6

FORGOTTEN CENTENARY

THE* LAST HANSOM CAB

In the preparations of thousands of people for the celebration of Melbourne's hundredth birthday one centenary will, be forgotten because there are only four survivors to celebrate it (says the ''Argus"). The founding of Melbourne took place one year after thn birth of the hansom cab in 1834; but while Melbourne has grown swiftly hansom cabs have almost vanished. There is but one left in the city, and there are only three in the suburbs. The driver of the city cab began business^ 32 years ago in ■the days when fashionable people took drives in theevening, and when prosperous business men had cabs calling for them to.take them to office in the morning and to take them home at night. In the heyday of hansom cabs he drove Lord Hopetoun through the streets of Melbdurne. He was particularly fortunate in taking up the business during the visit of the present. King as Duke of York, when money was spent freely. Before that he had had Ms introduction to transport problems when he pushed a wheelbarrow with his swag in the early West Australian gold days. But the glories have almost vanished. "People think the cabs are old-fashion-ed," the driver saicl. "Many ride in them fop novelty. English visitors are good customers. They like the sound of the horses' hoofs on .the road; they tell me it reminds them of London." The driver finds difficulty in getting suitable horses. "You need Tiorses with a bit of blood," he said, "but they must be trained to stand quiet. Still, I never want a car. I drove a car for five years and then came back to the cab." .- . ._. In spite of their old-fashioned elegance, reminiscent of the days of top hats ana flowing cloaks, the hansom cabs do not derive their names from, any physical beauty.; They are named after their;, inventor, Joseph Harisom, an\English-architects, After his invention in 1834 'he sold:'"his .rights -'for £10,000, none of which: he. received. Yet in the last decade;of >the century:the cabs were earning £.12,000 a day in London. As; he polishes the shining woodwork of his cab and grodms his patient horsei which is also a veteran, having been in the business for 15 years, the Collins Street cabman dreams of these days. ''Many old drivers would like to be on the job again," he remarked. "But a new cab costs nearly £200, and the old ones have gone to pieces." So he expects a quiet and lonely centenary. ' ,

Charles SE~. Clarke," aged' 24 yeais; ' a musician, of Derby, England, lately decided to break the woild's non-stop'piano-forte-plaving ipeord of 78 hours. His friend, Albeit Webster, decided to act as his manager. Clarke started and went well. He broke the record, and stayed at the piano for 82 hours. But his manager could not istand the strain of the continual harmony. He fell off the platform and was taken to hospital.