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Above and below: Charles Wedley made the headlines in 1963 when his taxi was rear-ended by a truck and plowed through the front entrance of a bank.
Source:
Top and Bottom: Archives Manitoba, Winnipeg Free Press Collection, August 24, 1963; photographs by Dave Johnson.
Winnipeg Cab History / 87
Charles Wedley (2)
Over the years, as his partners dropped out of Despatch Taxi, Wedley became the owner of the company. He operated a fleet of half a dozen cabs during the 1940s.
In later years Wedley trimmed his fleet down to one cab which he used as a private car when off duty. Wedley once drove his taxi to Mexico for a holiday, telling curious locals that Mrs. Wedley was a wealthy eccentric who had hired him for the trip.
In 1963 Wedley hit the headlines when a truck accidently pushed his taxi through the front entrance of a bank. Fortunately it was after hours and nobody was injured.
Wedley was 81 years old and reputedly the oldest active taxi driver in Canada. Shaken by his accident he briefly considered retirement. In the end he changed his mind and continued driving his taxi until 1966.
Some of Wedley's account books from 1920 to 1966 are in Archives Manitoba.