The history of chauffeurs goes back for centuries, and many people don’t realise that modern chauffeur services have their roots in horse-driven carriages. Cornelia Cars share the history of Chauffeurs in the UK with readers here.
The term ‘chauffeur’ was coined in 1896 and came from the French word for ‘stoker’. Stokers were individuals who used coal (to heat a boiler) to power steam engines such as locomotives. This created sufficient steam to move a steam-powered vehicle. Chauffeurs still get passengers from A to B as stokers did once upon a time.
However, the task that chauffeurs undertake today has been in existence for much longer than steam-powered engines have. This, of course, refers to the time of the humble horse and cart mode of transportation. This kind of service was often just accessible to the upper-class folk, where rich families employed these chauffeurs.
The cylinder heads had to run according to an optimal temperature so that the engine would fire. Chauffeurs had to pre-heat the cylinder heads of the earlier vehicles with hot tubes before taking them to the road.
The chauffeurs in those days had to be skilled mechanics to operate the vehicle, and it was, of course, much harder to manage the inevitability of having a breakdown or vehicle malfunction along the journey. This also meant that successful chauffeurs were highly resourceful.
As soon as the motor industry took off, technology advanced exponentially. These advances made life a little more bearable for chauffeurs after the invention of the electrical ignition. Etiquette and style have become more prominent with these services in modern times.
Today, chauffeurs take passengers on journeys in cars that are alien when compared to the vintage horse and carriage. Modern cars can be luxurious with exceptional attention to detail. The kind of service these modern vehicles provide is the difference between a taxi driver and a car driven by a chauffeur.
Users on this site can find more fascinating stories about the history of chauffeurs in the country. Remember to contact an agent via the relevant page for any further questions on the topic.