For press, queries or tour bookings, please e-mail: cabbierob@gmail.com
Please note, I am unable to assist with random lost property enquires. If you have found my site by searching for ‘Clive Natural’, these are a brand of reciept which many London Taxi drivers use and which I have mentioned on my website. If you have lost an item in a cab, you will need to contact the London Transport Lost Property office on Baker Street.
View from the Mirror 
Hi
Came across your pictures purely by chance. Don’t ‘use’ Flikr but felt I should drop you a line to say how great they are. I too really enjoy my time in our Capital and like to take my camera with me – which I could capture it as beautifully as you.
Thanks for sharing.
Zoe
Hi Zoe, that’s really kind of you 🙂 Thanks for your support.
Found this site by chance and I want to correct you on a photo you have on here. As an ex “resident” of the home I thought I’d point out your error.
It’s the one of what is referred to locally (in Woking) as The Grange. aka The Southern Railwaymens Home For Children. You have the photo listed incorrectly as a retirement home for ex-employees, when in fact the building in the photograph is the Children’s Home. The building for ex-employees was located on the opposite side of Oriental Road and was called The Wynberg and next door to that was another building called “Brantwoods” where young children up to the age of approx 6, if I recall correctly were cared for.
After the Home was closed in the 80’s the land was sold off and the buildings were demolished.
The home was rebuilt on a smaller scale and also is now home to ex-employees as well.
These buildings can still be seen from the railway lines and if you take a look at the blocks of flats, and houses next to it you can see a similar style (outline) to the original building.
Also I hope you don’t mind but I’ve “borrowed” your photos of the home to be used on FaceBook. link here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/wgrange/
Thanks for the information.
this is a wonderful read – I’ve never been to London – but I can see it in my mind’s eye thanks to your fine pix and exposition – i look forward to dropping by from time to time ^_^
Many thanks 🙂
A Londoner born & bred I really enjoyed your website. Well done!
Thanks, Izzy that’s really kind of you to say.
Your item on the boy and dolphin sculpture on Cheyne Walk incorrectly gives David Wynne a Knighthood. He was awarded an OBE, but he did not get a knighthood and was not Sir David.
Thank you Kiwiwill, I will try and correct the post when I get a moment.
Cheers for the link to my pics on the LTH. I read your knowledge story a few months back by coincidence, very good read.
Cheers for the kind words, Els. I love your pics on the subject; took guts to get in there and snap them 🙂 Thanks again and take care out there.
Just want to tell you how much I enjoy your website. I am a devoted anglophile who has made one short visit to London, and a voracious reader of all things related to British history. I came upon you when researching early railroads in Britain, while I was reading The World from Rough Stones by Malcolm (Ross) MacDonald (great book). I have been enjoying View from the Mirror even since and thought I should let you know you have a new fan! I am a a life-long Texan, but have a great affinity for your wonderful country and your web site is one of the most charming sources for info I have found. Thank you for all your efforts.
Hi Peggy,
Thank you so much for your kind comments, they mean a great deal to me.
I have American blood in me; my Grandpa was born in Vermont (and my Great Grandma was an Arapaho Indian), so I always love picking up passengers from the States 🙂
Hope you make it back to London soon so you can flag me down!
Before police radios were invented a sergeant would check upon his constables by arranging to meet them at a set time on their beats.middleton passage was probably one such place but I imagine this meant the constable spent a long time waiting around for his sergeant and as he couldn’t text his mates or look at his iPhone scratching his collar number into the brickwork helped pass the time.
Thanks, Jim.
Hi, very interested in Broad Street Goods Station. Do you know about an accident there in February 1917. William Palgrave Trivett was killed by being crushed between the goods lift & lift gate. He was married to my grandmother, Clara Laura Trivett. I’d be grateful for any information or printed article referring to this incident. Can you help? Terrific photos & great site, Thanks.
Hello Patrice,
Many thanks for your kind words and interesting query. Unfortunately I don’t have the resources to know about specific accidents such as the one involving your Grandfather. However, an internet search does produce a Welsh newspaper which reported his unfortunate death- the link can be found here:
http://cymru1914.org/en/view/newspaper/4122100/2
Hope that helps.
Hi,
you are a star!!! I can’t tell you how helpful you’ve been in finding the newspaper article about the gruesome death of William Palgrave Trivett!! I’m puzzled why it was reported in a Welsh newspaper when it happened in London, however it would never have occurred to me to check that far afield! I’ve had great difficulty researching my maternal grandmother because my dad never knew her ( he was given away in 1912 ) & when she was widowed in 1917 she married a Smith, every genealogists nightmare! Trivett was her first husband but not my dad’s father………that’s another story!! I’ve since traced the Trivett family to Cornwall & have met the extended family & they are lovely, we’re half cousins. Unfortunately I still know next to nothing about Clara Laura ( Trivett)
Smith, what she was like or what she looked like, but apparently she married for a 3rd time at the age of 75!!! I managed to find her death in 1961, she was named Hampstead by then not Smith!! The journey has taken me 43 years ( I haven’t been researching constantly in that time I might add ) unfortunately my dad is no longer alive but I wanted to complete the story if I could & you’ve helped me to do that! Keep up the good work with your wonderful site, keeping history alive!
Grateful thanks Patrice X
My pleasure, Patrice 🙂
May of past you today gt windmill st into haymarket you gave a courtesy wave to a k boy cutting people up.that was me
I was going to say hello but you had a fare thought better of it
All the best
Hi Justin, I remember! Stay safe out there and keep at it- and please say hello if you spot me again 🙂
Greetings from Sydney
I just wanted to say thanks for putting together such a great blog! So well written, interesting and educational.
I help run a Black Cab hire business here in Sydney and have recently purchased my own FX4. Reading your blog and in particular your articles on gaining your green badge has given me so much inspiration and respect for this vehicle and for what you guys do! Your dedication to passing the knowledge and ability to just retain and recite all that information is just incredible! I guess you don’t ever forget to buy things when you go shoppping 🙂
I found your site whilst searching for inspiration for decorating the FX4, I don’t suppose you could recommend any sites?
Best wishes and thanks again.
James
Hi James,
Thank you so much for your kind comments; they mean a lot to me. And it’s always good to hear from the Aussies 🙂
Congratulations on purchasing an FX4- you have good taste! There are a few sites around- not sure if this one may be of use or interest? – http://www.lvta.co.uk/
Thanks again mate and take care.
I love your posts, your life and your heart. I happened to discover your blog because yours belong to a long list I’ve been working on for social media. You make me feel very much at home with your perspective of London even as I’m from the other end of the globe (Philippines). The first post I read struck a chord and brought me to tears (Down and Out in London). Keep writing and inspiring people like us. Someday I hope to visit London!
That is so kind of you, Sheila. Your lovely words me a lot to me. Thank you so much for reading 🙂
Hello, just a quick word to say thank you. I’ll be taking a group of Danish students to London in April and was looking for information of the area where we’ll be staying, so thanks for your brilliant and wonderfully illustrated entry on the Elephant and Castle area. Kind regards, Tina
Thank you so much, Tina 🙂
Wonderful visual and descriptive account of Handley Page aircraft company in Cricklewood. I’m doing a booklet for the Wembley History Society about all the aircraft companies that were round the Brent/Hendon area in WW1 and would love to use two of your images – the HP insignia and photo and the aerial view of the old factory. Is that o’k? jim
Hello Jim, thanks for the kind words. I don’t actually own the copyright on the images, sorry!
Hi Robert,
My name is Anuj Agarwal. I’m Founder of Feedspot.
I would like to personally congratulate you as your blog View from the Mirror has been selected by our panelist as one of the Top 75 London Blogs on the web.
http://blog.feedspot.com/london_blogs/
I personally give you a high-five and want to thank you for your contribution to this world. This is the most comprehensive list of Top 75 London Blogs on the internet and I’m honored to have you as part of this!
Also, you have the honor of displaying the badge on your blog.
Best,
Anuj
Hi Anuj,
Apologies for the delay in replying to you; I’ve been very busy of late. That’s very kind of you to include me; thank you very much- most appreciated.
[…] Please treat yourself, by visiting both of Robert’s great sites, and discovering more about London in the process. You won’t be disappointed, I assure you. And if you are planning to visit London, and would like to book one of Robert’s personal and informative taxi tours, you can contact him here. Contact […]
Sad Old London is going fast. I used to say I could navigate across the capital without using most of the main roads. Now in 2019, I must admit it has defeated me. The old places and short cuts are going fast. I found one road had a council estate across it. I think we had the best years of driving the place in the ’70s, ’80s & ’90’s. I think any of my rounds would now take hours more. I also didn’t need to look at the speedo every second with the varied speeds. Nearly ran a bloke over. Either things have got worse or people less careful. Still, pick the odd location out from the films and TV. Thanks for putting up a great site. Now I live 12 miles East of Peterborough, but if you can learn to drive and survive in London, you can drive anywhere in the world. Things I miss is the cabbie tea stalls and sausage meat rolls in Great Suffolk Street (gone).
Thanks Terry, have to say I agree with you. Take care and be lucky.
And now the ULEZ is here to prevent you freely visiting cemeteries and family graves. Charging you to do this is not on. I would not be a regular visitor, but with my body breaking down quicker than the old cars I have. A Blue badge is something that helps. Peterborough has thought about the Ultra Low Emission Zone and so has a lot of other places. But what’s next Tollgates and Turnpikes. Well, Dulwich still has a toll road and near to Kenwood House once did. I think the trade will suffer and no amount of reduced emissions will fill Buses to their capacity all day. I prefer to use a Black cab, I once worked as a Mini-cab and enjoyed that. Worked on a few cabs in my time as well. Simon Hughes (MP) had an orange and black one. I am trying to get the latest Phillips guide (AtoZ), What one is best for the knowledge now?
Good stuff on Craig’s Court. You need to come on my “Secrets of MI5” tour. Craig’s Court is used by the Queen to get to the Pindar bunker during “exercises”. Ed Glinert, author, Penguin’s London Compendium , tour guide New London Walks
Thank you Ed, much appreciated.
I drive professionally in America, believe it or not, I’ve been doing, THE KNOWLEDGE, and didn’t realize it!
I just got through the introduction, where you didn’t or don’t trust your natural intuition or instincts…
I had an encounter that mirrored your experience!!!!
Now I gotta trust my instincts!!!
THANK YOU!!!