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WHEN LIVERPOOL’S TAXI DRIVERS EARNED FOOTBALLERS WAGES

January 13, 2016 By Steven Horton

One Hundred years ago a court case took place in Liverpool during which question marks arose over the earnings of taxi drivers who were suggested to be earning footballers wages.

On 13th January 1916 at Liverpool County Court a motor company tried to reclaim a taxi that was being sold to the driver under a hire purchase agreement. The cab in question, a Napier, was being bought by a Mr J P McKenna from Watsons Taxis Ltd at 56-58 Renshaw Street (now the Revolution Crew salon). The proprietor of this business was William Watson, the son of a West Derby milk dealer who was a keen cyclist in his youth and after developing an interest in engines went on to become the largest motor distributor in the north of England.

William Watson in 1958

McKenna had taken the motor cab for payments of £10 a month but soon reduced the payments to £8, leading to the summons to attend court. He pleaded that he had a verbal agreement to reduce the monthly payments and on that basis had not fallen into arrears. Watson’s representatives denied this had been made and stated that since the war had broke out in August 1914 taxi drivers were able to earn £15-18 a month,putting their earnings level with the highest paid footballers whose wages were capped at £4 a week. The drivers were doing so well they claimed, that many had been able to increase their payments and owned their cabs outright.

 

In reply, McKenna said such high earnings were only applicable to night drivers, who often kept their flags down until they saw a fare where they believed a good tip was also likely. The judge pointed out that McKenna had kept the payments of £8 up and was now offering to pay £7, which Watsons reluctantly accepted. To manage things better McKenna was ordered to keep to a weekly agreement of £1 15 shillings.

When William Watson (pictured here in 1958) died in 1961 at the age of 87 his business employed 600 staff and served eighty car dealerships. When it comes to earnings of taxi drivers, nowadays they will do well to earn in a year what Premiership footballers do in a week.

 

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Filed Under: People Tagged With: Liverpool County Court, Renshaw Street, taxis, World War 1

About Steven Horton

I am a local history author and tour guide based the Liverpool region, specialising in bespoke tours tailor made to suit the individual or group. Whether it be football, Victorian murders or Liverpool sites connected to the US Civil War, I can arrange something that will suit the customers needs, not go where I want to take people.
I have published seventeen books, all of which are available via the shop page. As well as writing for the Liverpool Echo and Times, I have made guest appearances on local radio and TV. Local history is a real passion of mine, if you enjoy my site please feel free to share through facebook, twitter etc and maybe leave a comment.

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Steven Horton has been a freelance writer for 20+ years. He is the author of 7 books has written for the Times, Liverpool Echo, numerous fanzines and websites, and also appeared on Radio Merseyside/City Talk, ITV News and Sky Sports News. ..read more

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