Caledonia Street horse cab yard
 

I am a World War Two historian and now researching my own family history at Caledonia Street (formerly Caledonian Street) Islington (now Regent Quarter by Kings Cross.

I am particularly looking for the history of a horse drawn (and later maybe motor) cab yard and stables through an arch beside the KCL (Kings College London? or Kings Cross Laundry?) building the the York Way end south side of Caledonia Street. The arch leads through Caledonia Walk to Laundry Yard. The cab business was run by the Knight family (originally farmers and horse grooms from remote villages in Essex with lovely names such as Pleshey, Good Easter and Fuddlers Hall) who lived at 24 Caledonia Street and ran the cab business between about 1890 (possibly even 1880) to at least 1901 and maybe beyond.

I have looked at the street using Google sat views and street views. I mean one day to come into London and mooch about in Caledonia Street and the archway and yard to see if there is any sign of a cab yard or stables. The arch on the KCL building draws my attention, as a cousin saw the arch maybe 40 or 50 years ago or more and says the cab yard had a stone arch with a keystone, but it was free standing and looked as if it had at one time been attached to a building. Other arches in the street are more modern lookins. The reason at the moment I suspect the KCL arch is that, although it's attached to a brick building, it has a large stone lintel over the arch and about 3 meters across the building, which seems to have no purpose for the whole building. It might have covered the cab yard arch and perhaps a forman or overseer's office of cubicle monitoring vehicles in and out of the yard. Also this might have been the cab yard arch as there are stone bollards protecting the corners of the building face - perhaps from cab axles and iron wheel rims. From sat view I note that the pavement ramp has been paved over, but the other arches have cobbled ramps - perhaps original. If Caledonia Walk through the arch has cobbles there also may be signs of wear grooves due to iron horse cab rims.

However I now favour the archway entrance to Albion Yard, which is also stone with a keystone.

Other Knight family domestic and workplace addresses around the time were the Great Northern Stables at Turnville Street Islington, Mile End Old Town, 29-30 Goodge Street, 3 Rix or Rox Court Ellen or Elling Street in St George in the East London (not sure where that is), 22 Cropley Street Shoreditch, 41 Milner Square Islington, Bromley St Mary St Leonard, and Swaton Road Bow.

I hear from cab historians that unfortunately all cab records and cab licence office records were lost in fires and the WW2 bombing of London. I am also in touch with Transport for London, London Museum, Islington Archeology and History Society, London Metropolitan Archives.

So I'm just wondering if by chance any forum members have studied or has any knowledge of this history or can point me in the right direction.

Kind regards.

Brian Mitchell. Please use evolution2005(at)btinternet(d0t)(c0m)