Clocking off: London’s transport clubs and societies

Clubs and societies were part of the work culture of many large companies in the days before television, car ownership and holidays abroad. When London Transport was created in 1933 as a public body, most of the organisation had already been together under the privately-owned Underground Group, with the addition of the Metropolitan Railway and the London County Council’s tramways. All of the pre-existing companies had their own sports clubs and most of these continued in some form. 

Before the advent of the NHS and the modern welfare state, workers contributed to Friendly Societies to insure against ill health and unemployment. Other societies offered cultural and social opportunities, such as art classes, amateur dramatics clubs and hosting dinner-dances and children’s outings. Sports clubs were a particularly important staff resource. Subsidised facilities included tennis courts, football pitches and athletics tracks. Access to these facilities were otherwise beyond the means of most workers.

In part, these provisions were made to maintain high morale amongst the workers at a time of strained industrial relations. Transport companies in London had been particularly badly affected by strikes such as the 1919 Railway Strike and the General Strike in 1926, of which 39,000 men from the Underground Group and 80% of Metropolitan Railway staff had joined. 

During the First World War, TOT - Train Omnibus Tram - was formed. A group of 12 transport companies started a mutual aid fund for the benefit of transport workers who had enlisted to fight. The companies matched weekly staff contributions of one penny, and the money was used to support the families of enlisted men. They also organised outings and reunions for the men’s families. The TOT magazine was founded, publishing reports from the Front. When London Transport (LT) formed in 1933, TOT evolved into the LT Benevolent Fund. 

From 1933, the clubs and societies also became part of LT. Usually this meant just a name change and deductions for memberships at all the various rates still had to be made individually from each employee’s wages. For example, the City & South London Railway Club and Institute continued to charge four shillings and four pence annually, although membership had been opened to all LT railway employees. Another club that survived was the Metropolitan Railway Athletics Association, whose new recreational and sports facilities at Wembley Park had been funded by contributions to a war memorial collection in 1919. 

The transport companies developed a paternalistic ethos in which workers were encouraged to see themselves as part of a ‘family’, with senior directors as benevolent father-figures. LT was keen to develop this idea and took over the running of 11 company sports grounds. This included grounds at Walthamstow, Cheam, Kingsbury, and Osterley, the venue for the popular annual LT Sports Gala. At the gala, there were serious competitions as well as light-hearted events such as the children’s fancy dress, the sack race and a beauty contest.  

Sports remained an important part of LT life, and all garages and depots fielded their own teams, including in darts, football and cricket. Inter-departmental competitions were popular and individual events, like athletics, were also held at LT sports grounds. There was even an annual rugby match between teams from LT and the Paris Metro. 

London Underground Guard Paul Charles poses on the track at Osterley at the LT gala, 1967. He won the award for outstanding athlete for winning four races. 

The biggest period of growth in these LT clubs and societies was in the 1930s. By the 1950s, there was a huge variety. There was a bowling association, a rifle club, a canine club, a horticultural society, flying club and a popular music and dramatic society known as the LT Players, which performed in the West End. There was even a Junior Staff Club for LT employees aged under 21.  

LT’s direct recruitment of workers from the Caribbean in the 1950s and 60s also meant these recruits became part of the working and social life of LT and joined the various LT clubs and societies. Many Barbadians joined LT cricket teams such as the Central Road Services (CRS) cricket team, unbeaten in tournaments for 26 years!

The 1970s were a difficult period for LT, with reduced income from fares, government cuts, squeezed wages and strikes. Staff had less money for club memberships, and staff goodwill was starting to wane, though health schemes for employees such as the Hospital Savings Association continued.  

LT also saw a staff shortage as the population of London fell throughout the 1970s and 1980s and the organisation competed with other employers. In 1984, LT restructured, with the bus and Underground operators set up as separate companies. Many clubs closed at this time, and as government cuts intensified, sports grounds and other facilities were sold off. Bus privatisation continued this trend. 

By the 1990s, staff were instead offered reduced rates at private health clubs across London. However, many clubs, societies and sports teams survived into the 21st century without company funding. The Choral Society still performed its annual carol concert in St Martin-in-the-Fields, and the Bridge Club was still meeting every week. The Recorded Music Society, for classical music fans, continued to meet at 55 Broadway until its closure. New clubs such as yoga groups reflect Londoners’ changing interests. 

Today, TfL has Staff Network Groups (SNGs) to represent the diversity of employees within TfL and to support staff, share ideas and help improve working life. TfL has seven SNGs: the Carers Staff Network Group; Disability; Faith; Outbound – LGBT+; RACE (Raising Awareness of Culture and Ethnicity); WellMent (supporting mental health and wellbeing); and Women. Sport still plays an important role for TfL staff. The London Underground Football League has teams such as District Line Railway FC and Piccadilly FC regularly competing.