| The following
comes from Martin Gellman’s son Danny (T19) on behalf of his
family… MY DAD MARTIN GELLMAN… By Danny Gellman (T19) |
 Young Danny with dad Martin and Martins father in 1971 at the London General. to sign on the Knowledge, he was straight round with the first 90 runs and maps etc. I remember calling over one run with him when he suddenly stopped me and said: "No, no, no all you would do is use Poland Street, left into Oxford Street, a quick U turn and away you go." Needless to say we didn’t call over together again…! Sadly, on 10 October 2003, Dad worked the cab for the last time, his last job being from Hamilton Gardens NW8 to Old Broad Street (a real roader!). After a short illness, Dad passed peacefully away on 8 December. As he would always say to me when I left him – BE LUCKY. |
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Firstly on behalf of Mum, Janine and myself, I would like to
thank all those of you who attended Dad’s funeral and who have
sent their condolences, it has been a great comfort to know Dad
was remembered by so many drivers. Dad started his working life as a tailor and then became a postman, but after 9 months on the Knowledge started work as a taxi driver in May 1952. After collecting his cab from Georgie Wright’s garage, he made his way to the rank at Willesden Green Station where he took his first ride to Kilburn High Road. He continued working for Georgie Wright until August 1953 when he left M & O’s at Wandsworth Bridge Road as the proud owner of a new Austin cab (NUW 624). He joined Dial-a-Cab (or ODRTS as it was then known) in the same year and became a Board Member in July 1963. Dad became more and more involved together with the late Joe Toff and Jack Taylor amongst others, and in 1972 became |
Chairman - a
position he held until 1976. He finally left the Board in 1977.
Dad continued to work as an owner driver until July 1981 when he became partners with Alasdair Kay, a partnership that continued until May 1995 when Dad became Alisdair’s journeyman – he was very proud of the fact that in all that time there was never a cross word between them. At this time, Dad decided to start taking things a little easier and became the Westminster Taxi Account’s No 1 driver in NW8, getting to know many of the card holders personally and classing any job south across Oxford Street as a ‘wrong-un’! Dad’s fondest memories were of the times he spent at Shirland Road and he would often keep us all entertained for hours telling stories of the antics that went on, all too numerous to mention. When I was 21, Dad spoke to me about starting the Knowledge, but I decided to wait until I had a mortgage and family before I started (just to make it harder)! When I told Dad I had decided |
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