They also serve: women in London’s transport in the two world wars

In both world wars, men joined the armed forces in large numbers. Women actively and readily filled the gap created in London’s transport services. The city could not have functioned without them.

In the First World War, around 18,000 women worked for London’s transport companies in numerous roles. This set a precedent for the Second World War, when 20,000 women worked for London Transport in an even greater variety of roles.

In both world wars, women worked on vehicles and at stations, serving as conductors, guards, ticket collectors and lift attendants. They also performed a variety of jobs behind the scenes, including in engineering and maintenance roles.

This contribution was marked in two series of artworks. In 1918, the artist A S Hartrick was commissioned by the Underground Group to create a series of prints. Under the title ‘War work – playing the game’, he depicted the First World War roles of London’s transport workers, including women. Shown here is ‘Lift girl’, with scenes from the battle fronts shown underneath.

Similarly, in the Second World War designer Fred Taylor produced a series of posters called ‘Back room boys – they also serve’. Despite the title, many of these unsung roles were undertaken by women, with this example focusing on ‘Bus maintenance’.

Among the first and most visible roles women performed was as conductors. Women conductors, known as ‘clippies’ after the ticket-clipping machine they used, appeared on London’s buses for the first time in the First World War. The very first was Mrs G Duncan, shown here with her ticket rack and Bell Punch ticket machine, who started work with the Thomas Tilling Company in 1915.

The largest of the London bus companies at the time, the London General Omnibus Company (LGOC), employed over 4,600 women during the First World War. LGOC women conductors were to be between 21 and 35 years of age and had to be five feet tall, though women outside of these parameters were sometimes recruited. Their distinctive navy-blue uniform became a common feature of wartime London.

During the First World War, the influx of women workers to London’s transport companies worked alongside male staff, who generally received better pay and conditions. While women were new to these roles, many were not prepared to accept this inequality.

In August 1918, a group of women based at Willesden bus garage took industrial action. They protested against women being excluded from a war bonus awarded to male transport workers. This quickly escalated into a nationwide strike of 17,000 female bus and tram workers who also demanded equal pay. After a week of strikes, the women received the war bonus, but were still not given equal pay.

As the First World War came to an end, many women had to leave their jobs in London’s transport services when men returned from the armed forces.

This letter of dismissal was sent to a Miss Shrubsole, who had been working for the Southern Metropolitan Electric Tramways & Lighting Company during the First World War. Despite playing her part in keeping the trams in London running, she had to make way for demobilised men in July 1919.

A ‘Farewell Social Gathering’ was held by London Underground and the LGOC at the People’s Palace in Mile End on 22 October 1919. This celebrated the achievements of female staff, but also emphasised a return to a male-dominated transport workforce.

When the Second World War began in 1939, women again readily took up numerous roles in London Transport that desperately needed fulfilling. Once more it became a common sight to see women working on the buses, trains and trams, as well as in stations, garages and depots.

Yet while this contribution was vital, it was again not on an equal footing with men and did not lead to instant and permanent change. As in the First World War, London Transport jobs were well paid compared to many and offered new opportunities and status. But returning servicemen had to be reintegrated into civilian jobs, often at the cost of the women who had temporarily filled these roles so effectively.

It would not be for several decades that women became a more constant feature of London Transport’s workforce. Even then, London would not see its first women bus and Tube drivers until the 1970s.

The objects and stories featured here can be seen in the ‘They also serve’ section of the London’s transport at war gallery at the Museum.