Rickshaw Collection (#9)

Sinhalese village, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group native to the island, making up 75% of the total population. Date: circa 1920s

View of York Street, Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), looking towards the Jetty. Date: circa 1908

Street scene, Colpetty, Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Street scene, Colpetty (Kollupitiya), district of Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Date: circa 1910

Cinnamon Gardens, Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Cinnamon Gardens and Eye Hospital, suburb of Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Date: circa 1910

Princes Club, Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Date: circa 1910

Clock tower, Chatham Street, Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka)
Clock tower and lighthouse, Chatham Street, Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Date: circa 1910

Rickshaw boy of Durban, South Africa
A Rickshaw boy of Durban in their remarkable costume. Introduced from Japan, the rickshaw became a form of transport in Durban in the late 19th century. Date: circa 1920s

Zulu Rickshaw Drivers, 1928
Depiction of two colourfully-dressed Zulus pulling along white Europeans in rickshaws in Durban, South Africa. The Royal Natal Yacht Club is visible in the background. 1928

The High Street - Singapore, Malaysia. Date: circa 1920s

Orchard Road - Singapore, Malaysia. Date: circa 1920s

Sixth Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa
Sixth Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya, British East Africa. Date: circa 1910s

Norfolk Hotel, Government Road, Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa. Date: circa 1910s

Yangtzepoo Road, Shanghai, China
Yangtzepoo (Yang-shu-p u, Yangpu) Road, Shanghai, China - note the one-wheeled Chinese wheelbarrows and rickshaw. Date: circa 1910s

Rickshaw Japan 19C
A Japanese mother and her daughter are transported by two rickshaw boys. Date: late 19th century

South Africa - A Rickshaw Boy, Durban
A Rickshaw Boy, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Date: 1927

Street scene, Osaka, Japan. Date: circa 1890s

Qianmen (Zhengyangmen) Gate, Beijing, China
Qianmen (Zhengyangmen) - meaning " gate of the zenith Sun", a gate in Beijings historic city wall. The gate is situated to the south of Tiananmen Square

Traffic on the New Bridge Road, Singapore Date: circa 1910s

Cycle rickshaw & Gandhi mural, Chennai, (Madras), India

Japanese ladies in rickshaws drawn by coolies, 1902. From The Living Races of Mankind, Vol. I. [Hutchinson & Co, London, 1902]

The Rakes Progress - The Arrest, c1735, (1904). Artist: William Hogarth
The Rakes Progress - The Arrest, c1735, (1904). From the collection of the Sir John SoaneAEs Museum, London. From Social England, Volume V, edited by H.D. Traill, D.C.L. and J. S. Mann, M.A

A Corner of the Grand Palace Enclosure, Bangkok, 1913. Artist: Edwin Norbury
A Corner of the Grand Palace Enclosure, Bangkok, 1913. From The Gorgeous East by Frank Elias. [Adam and Charles Black, London, 1913]

Rickshaw and Racing Hackery, c1890, (1910). Artist: Alfred William Amandus Plate
Rickshaw and Racing Hackery, c1890, (1910). From The Hundred Best Views of Ceylon. [Plate Ltd, Colombo, Kandy & Nuwara Eliya, 1910]

Tamil Lady in Rickshaw, c1890, (1910). Artist: Alfred William Amandus Plate
Tamil Lady in Rickshaw, c1890, (1910). From The Hundred Best Views of Ceylon. [Plate Ltd, Colombo, Kandy & Nuwara Eliya, 1910]

Colombo Museum, c1890, (1910). Artist: Alfred William Amandus Plate
Colombo Museum, c1890, (1910). From The Hundred Best Views of Ceylon. [Plate Ltd, Colombo, Kandy & Nuwara Eliya, 1910]

A Morning Ride in a Jinrikisha, Sugita, Japan, 1896. From The Underwood Travel Library - Japan, [Underwood & Underwood, London, New York, 1896]

Avenue of Cryptomerias, Nikko, Japan, 1896. From The Underwood Travel Library - Japan, [Underwood & Underwood, London, New York, 1896]

Bamboo Avenue, Kyoto, Japan, 1896. From The Underwood Travel Library - Japan, [Underwood & Underwood, London, New York, 1896]

East over Mississippi Bay, where Perry came (1854), near Yokohama, Japan, 1904. From The Underwood Travel Library - Japan, [Underwood & Underwood, London, New York, 1904]

The groves were Gods first temples - avenue of Cryptomeria, Nikko, Japan, 1904
The groves were Gods first temples-avenue of Cryptomeria, Nikko, Japan, 1904. From The Underwood Travel Library - Japan, [Underwood & Underwood, London, New York, 1904]

Mid-summer traffic under awnings of Shiro-bashidori, a busy thoroughfare of Kyoto, Japan, 1904. From The Underwood Travel Library - Japan, [Underwood & Underwood, London, New York, 1904]

Under the bamboo trees - on the famous avenue near Kiyomizu, Kyoto, Japan, 1904. From The Underwood Travel Library - Japan, [Underwood & Underwood, London, New York, 1904]

Shops and crowds on Batsumati Street, in the native quarter, Yokohama, Japan, 1904. From The Underwood Travel Library - Japan, [Underwood & Underwood, London, New York, 1904]

Rickshaw Coolie, c1890, (1910). Artist: Alfred William Amandus Plate
Rickshaw Coolie, c1890, (1910). From The Hundred Best Views of Ceylon. [Plate Ltd, Colombo, Kandy & Nuwara Eliya, 1910]

The Promenade, Tokyo, c1894. Artist: George Henry
The Promenade, Tokyo, c1894. From The Studio Volume 68. [London Offices of the Studio, London, 1916]

A Street Scene in Delhi, c1903. Artist: Leonard Raven-Hill
A Street Scene in Delhi, c1903. From Penroses Pictorial Annual 1903-4, edited by William Gamble. [A. W. Penrose & Co. London, 1903-4]

Queen Street, Hong Kong, China, 1896. Artist: Strohmeyer and Wyman
Queen Street, Hong Kong, China, 1896. Detail from a stereoscopic card

Pagoda, Nara, Japan, late 19th or early 20th century. Nara was the capital of Japan from 710-784. It is famous for its Buddhist temples

A street merchant, Japan, 1904. A print from Japan, its History, Arts and Literature, Volume V, by Captain F Brinkley, TC and EC Jack, 34 Henrietta Street, London WC2 and Edinburgh, 1904

Foochow Road, Shanghai, China, 20th century(?)

Chinese rickshaw, 20th century

Girl feeding sacred deer on her way to prayers, grounds of Kasuga Temple, Nara, Japan, 1904. Originally established in 768, the Shinto Kasuga Shrine is famous for its many bronze and stone lanterns

Bamboo avenue, looking south-west, near Kiyomizu, Kyoto, Japan, 1904. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Bamboo avenue, looking south-west, near Kiyomizu, Kyoto, Japan, 1904. Women travelling in rickshaws. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Drooping clusters of wisteria over a tea house porch, Kyoto, Japan, 1904. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Drooping clusters of wisteria over a tea house porch, Kyoto, Japan, 1904. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Looking west over the Kamo River (Kamogawa) at Shijo bridge, Kyoto, Japan, 1904. Artist: Underwood & Underwood
Looking west over the Kamo River (Kamogawa) at Shijo bridge, Kyoto, Japan, 1904. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Midsummer traffic under the awnings of Shijo Bashidori, a busy thoroughfare of Kyoto, Japan, 1904. Stereoscopic card. Detail

Riding to Daijingu Temple, for Shinto festival of worship of the Sun Goddess, Yokohama, Japan, 1904. People travelling in two-wheeled rickshaws known as jinrikishas. Stereoscopic card. Detail

A rickshaw, Japan, 1895. From The Universal Geography with Illustrations and Maps, division XIV, written by Elisee Reclus and published by Virtue & Co. Limited (London, 1895)

For sale as Licensed Images

Choose your image, Select your licence and Download the media

"Exploring the Rich History and Cultural Significance of Rickshaws" Step into a time machine as we delve into the captivating world of rickshaws, an iconic mode of transportation that has left its mark across various corners of the globe. From a Royal Navy recruitment poster to bustling streets in Singapore's Raffles Place, these humble vehicles have witnessed countless stories unfold. Travel back to the enchanting Hong Kong street scene in the 1890s, where C016/4499 captures a snapshot of daily life. A side view of a Bangladeshi rickshaw showcases its unique design and craftsmanship, reflecting the cultural diversity embedded within this form of transport. Venturing further south to Colombo, Sri Lanka, one cannot miss the majestic Galle Face Hotel standing tall against time. This grand establishment has welcomed many weary travelers arriving by rickshaw from distant lands. Across continents in La Habana Vieja, graffiti adorns rickshaws like vibrant canvases expressing local creativity and spirit. Witness how art intertwines with tradition as we explore Rickshaw transport in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), showcasing their vital role in connecting communities. Shanghai's Bund takes us on a journey through history; it was here that English settlers established their presence along this iconic waterfront promenade back in 1883. Meanwhile, Hoi An's old town street scene invites us to experience Vietnam's rich heritage while crossing Garden Bridge (Waibaidu Bridge) amidst Shanghai's bustling cityscape. In George Town, Penang Island, Malaysia awaits a traditional 19th-century shophouse—a testament to architectural beauty preserved over generations—where rickshaws once traversed narrow lanes carrying passengers towards City Centre Cinema in Bandung, Java. These glimpses into different cultures highlight not only the practicality but also the charm and significance attached to these timeless vehicles known as rickshaws.