Very Hansom of You, Mr. Holmes

www.sherlockpeoria.net/Hansom_pages/HansomCabs.html

A look at the old two- wheeler and its place in the recorded cases of Mr. Sherlock Holmes

By Brad Keefauver (Originally published in 1982)

"The horse, a quiet god was he,

The source of all technology."

- V.H. Smith

So it was in the England of Sherlock Holmes.

When taking a cab, one had two choices. First was the standard four- wheeler or "growler." The growler saw its best use by groups of more than two people. But if one or two persons, such as a master detective and his friend doctor, wanted a swift ride through the city, a different cab was more to their liking: the hansom.

The two- wheeled "safety cab" which would later be favoured by such folk as Holmes and Watson was originally patented by Joseph A. Hansom in 1836. His design differed from previous two- wheeled carriages in that the wheels were mounted on two separate spindles rather than an axle, allowing the main load of the vehicle to ride lower than previously possible. Although the cab's design was altered before it attained popularity, the name of its creator stuck with it, and the "hansom" cab became a part of Victorian life.

In its popular form, the hansom was a magnificent vehicle. The passenger would ride directly between the large, wooden- spoked wheels with the driver up behind on a seat that was level with the cab's roof. The driver's reins were threaded through supports on the front of the roof, and a small trap- door near the rear made driver- passenger communication easier.

The view from a hansom was immeasureably superior to that afforded by the side windows of a four- wheeler. In addition to the side windows placed conveniently just over the tops of the wheels, the entire front of the cab was open, save for two angled folding doors that covered the passenger's lower limbs. In case of rain or a need for privacy, leather curtains could be drawn across the front at the passenger's discretion.