Category Archives: In the Back

Introducing the View From the Mirror Archive- a new contents page

By View from the Mirror on February 23, 2019 | 5 Comments

To date, I’ve written and posted over 270 articles on this site.

Due to the nature of blogging software these posts get pushed further and further back as time progresses meaning it can be tricky to discover older content.

To overcome this problem I’ve developed a new contents page where links and brief descriptions of every single article can be found.

Please click here or on the link in the menu bar above to access…

Enjoy!

Victorian depiction of the Waterloo & City Line… see Waterloo Station Part 3

Tube poster advertising ‘2001 a Space Odyssey’, 1968… see A Monolith in St Katharine Docks

The Caning on Conduit Street… see Lord Camelford: Gentleman Thug, Part 1

George Washington’s statue… see Trafalgar Square’s American Patch

The Dublin Castle, Camden- see Euston Station, Part 1

God’s Own Junkyard… see The Man Who Made Soho Glow

Mural of Vincent Van Gogh, Stockwell… see Van Gogh’s London

Ship’s figurehead… see Tobacco Dock: Wapping’s Ghostly Mall

The Tower of London in the 1600s… see The Gunpowder Plot

Jimi Hendrix posing on Montagu Place… see Jimi Hendrix’s London, Part 1

Basing Hill, north London… see Suburban SOS: An Early Aviation Disaster

Tunnel on Abbey Street…see Secrets of the Viaducts, Part 2

Quintessential London film, The Long Good Friday… see a Tribute to Bob Hoskins

Entrance to Lower Robert Street… see a Ghostly Tunnel in the Heart of London

An old London cab… see London Taxis in 1960

The Sweeney… Euston Films’ Greatest Hits

The Battersea Peace Pagoda

St Alban’s Tower

Artist, Francis Bacon drinking in The French House, Soho… see Disturbing Daubs: Francis Bacon’s London (image: The Guardian)

Two mice eating cheese… see London’s smallest statue

Nelson’s Column… see Buffing Nelson’s Column

David Bowie Mural, Brixton… see

Brydges Place… see Covent Garden’s Cramped Alley

Bill Sikes… see Fear & Loathing in Shad Thames

Posted in: Cabbie's Curios, Candid Capital, Glimpse of the past, In the Back, Legendary Londoners, London History, London Music, Metro Blogs, Roads of Renown, Spooky London, Stressful Streets, Tales From the Terminals, The Cruel Capital, Time Out blog, WW1 100: London's Memorials | Tagged: archive, contents, London, London cabbie, London Taxi Driver

Sherbert Dab: An Oral History of the London Taxi

By View from the Mirror on January 14, 2018 | 6 Comments

In autumn 2017 I was honoured to participate in a project named ‘Sherbert Dab: An Oral History of the London Taxi’ (Sherbet Dab being Cockney rhyming slang for cab).

Organised by the educational charity, Digital Works in conjunction with Unite and the London Transport Museum, this ambitious venture introduced 26 London cabbies to pupils from St George the Martyr school, Holborn and Westminster Cathedral school, Pimlico.

The children conducted in-depth interviews with each of the London taxi drivers, covering topics such as family backgrounds, what it was like to study The Knowledge in their particular era, interesting stories which have occurred whilst driving a cab and much, much more.

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All of these interviews- which together consist of many hours worth of material- can now be listened to online and are a real treasure trove.

Many of those interviewed are true veterans of the industry: Stanley Roth for example, who started driving in 1957 is believed to be the longest serving cabbie working in London today, whilst 84 year old Trinidadian, Vasco Figueria was one of the earliest West Indian drivers to qualify when he passed The Knowledge in the early 1960s.

To listen to these interviews, please click here.

Each interview was also recorded on film and the pupils have edited this extensive footage into a wonderful, highly professional 54 minute film which is insightful, moving, funny and a real testament to the skill of these incredible youngsters.

The film, which premiered on the 12th January 2018 at the London Transport Museum’s Cubic Theatre, can be viewed in full here.

All of the Sherbet Dab interviews will be going into the archives of both the TUC and the London Transport Museum.

Enjoy!

Posted in: Glimpse of the past, In the Back, Legendary Londoners, London History | Tagged: cabbie, Interview, London, London cabbie, social history, Taxi, the Knowledge

For the Love of London

By View from the Mirror on March 9, 2017 | 4 Comments

Today, the 9th March 2017, a new book focusing on London goes on sale- ‘For the Love of London‘, compiled by Conrad Gamble.

The book features many contributors including Stephen Fry, Dom Joly and the late Dame Zaha Hadid, all saying what makes this wonderful city great for them. I’m also very pleased to say that I make an appearance!