Omnibuses and cabs : $b their origin and historyMoore, Henry Charles
History
Omnibuses and cabs : $b their origin and history
Moore, Henry Charles
Cab and omnibus service; Carriages and carts; Horse-drawn omnibuses
driver, and retained it until about three years ago, when old age
compelled him to resign. The Fund has twenty-three pensioners in all,
and the number will soon be increased.
The theatrical profession has given the Fund valuable aid. Mr. George
Alexander lent his theatre for a _matinée_, at which a large number
of the best actors and actresses gave their services. The performance
lasted from half-past two until six, and hundreds of people were
unable to gain admittance. At the conclusion of the performance the
old ’busmen went on the stage and bowed their thanks. Mr. Abrahams has
received promises of further help from theatrical managers, actors and
actresses.
When the Fund had been started a few months the ’busmen decided to
present Mr. Abrahams with a testimonial, and had collected £60 with
which to purchase it when he heard of their action and communicated to
them his intention not to accept the gift. He requested that the money
collected should be returned to the subscribers. But four years later
the men were determined that he should have a testimonial, and on June
27, 1901, they presented him, at a meeting at the Holborn Restaurant,
with an exquisite silver model of an omnibus. Jim Perry, who is
eighty-one years of age, and has driven a London omnibus since 1844, is
faithfully reproduced as the driver of the presentation omnibus. Perry
may be seen any day driving a London General Omnibus Company omnibus
between Baker Street and Victoria Stations. The conductor of the silver
’bus represents J. Baker, a Fulham conductor, known as “Sailor Jack,”
who acts as collector to the Superannuation Fund.
Mr. Abrahams has, without ostentation, given both time and money to the
Fund, and it is to be hoped that London ’busmen will never forget their
indebtedness to him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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