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The timeline below traces the operating history of Windsor Carriages, from the first licensed Hackney carriages in Windsor to the present day.
BY LICENSE & WITH KIND PERMISSION OF THE CROWN ESTATE
As the UK’s last remaining licensed carriage operator with continuous service since the Victorian period, we are committed to preserving this rare tradition while evolving to meet the expectations of today’s visitors. With a steadfast dedication to high standards of equine welfare, we ensure our horses not only thrive but truly love what they do. Operating by licence and under regulation, this tradition predates the railway and the motorcar, and continues today as a working part of the town.
How Hackney carriage licences transferred from horse to motor
As motor vehicles replaced horse-drawn transport across the UK, Hackney carriage licences were not withdrawn or reissued wholesale. Instead, they transferred one by one, vehicle by vehicle, from horse-drawn carriages to motorcars. This gradual transition preserved the legal framework of public hire while fundamentally changing the mode of transport.
As a result, elements of nineteenth-century horse-drawn regulation still sit within modern Hackney carriage licensing. In London, this legacy can be seen in historic provisions carried forward into the motor era, from carrying hay to the driver permitted to relieve himself on the nearside wheel.
Windsor followed the same national process. However, while most licences transferred to motor vehicles, one horse-drawn Hackney carriage licence continued in use, preserving a direct operational link to the original carriage trade. Read more about the Windsor Coachmen over the centuries here.
1654
Through an Act of Parliament, Oliver Cromwell licences Hackney carriages throughout England, establishing regulated horse-drawn transport.
1687
The first Hackney Carriage Rank opens in Windsor on 25 April 1687, limited to two licensed carriages at any one time.
1810
Prior to the introduction of the railway and the motorcar, horse-drawn carriages were the principal form of transport in Windsor, serving both residents and visitors. This period represents the height of the Hackney carriage era.
1848
The Windsor Castle Act restricts public carriages from certain areas of the town and estate, granting an exemption to licensed Hackney carriages. This exemption later shaped their continued operation within the Castle and parkland as town transport declined.
1910
The Windsor Hackney carriage rank reaches full capacity, with twelve carriages operating on stands along Thames Street. Within a generation, the introduction of the motor car and the impact of two World Wars would begin to alter the trade irreversibly.
1959
Despite the rise of motor vehicles, the Windsor Hackney carriage tradition continues operating within the town. By this time, horse-drawn Hackney carriage licences had ceased to be issued nationally, leaving just three licensed operators remaining in Windsor.
1974
John Seear takes on the licence from his predecessor. By this time, almost all horse-drawn Hackney carriage licences across the UK had transferred to motor vehicles, and the working carriage tradition was in steep decline.
2013
Rebecca Seear, John Seear’s eldest daughter, returns to work on the carriages, taking on the continuation of the final remaining Windsor Hackney carriage operators' licence and carrying forward the knowledge, discipline, and working tradition passed down through generations.
TODAY
Windsor Carriages continues as a licensed operation in Windsor, under the same license handed generation to generation. The work has changed but the mission remains, shaped by heritage, horse welfare, and careful stewardship. Read about how we operate responsibly within a living estate.
