They include the women of Willesden bus garage who sparked a nationwide strike over equal pay in 1918, Joy Jarvis, who designed London Transport’s distinctive “roundel” seat fabrics, and Hannah Dadds, the first female tube driver.
The often untold or little-known stories of important women in the history of London transport are being highlighted as part of a new project, Where Are All the Women?, at the London Transport Museum.
On Tuesday the museum appealed for the public and organisations to come forward with stories about female family members, ancestors or employees who may have worked in the transport industry in London.
The museum said female tube and bus drivers, conductors and railway workers had helped to keep the capital moving but many had fallen through the gaps of London’s transport history.
Ellie Miles, documentary curator at the museum, said the project was about redressing a historical imbalance. “We are asking people to delve into their family history and tell us about any notable female relatives, ancestors, friends or colleagues who may have worked in the transport industry in the past,” she said.
“Perhaps you know of an aunt who recruited bus drivers or led a team of engineers, or maybe you know of a relative who was a station supervisor or even a tube seating fabric designer. Please get in touch with us by filling in a very simple form.”
The museum gave examples of female stories it already knew about and celebrated:
“Widow” Elizabeth Birch, the first female omnibus operator. She helped create the Westminster Omnibus Association after taking over her late husband’s cab business in 1846, buying four omnibuses in 1851.
The female staff of Willesden bus garage who took industrial action over the five-shilling-a-week war bonus given to men. Strike action spread across London and the country, and women won the bonus after a week of action.
Joy Jarvis, who in the 1930s and 1940s designed the “roundel” or “bullseye” moquette for tube seating fabric. It had until recently been wrongly attributed to a man.
Hannah Dadds, who joined the underground as a station-woman in 1969 and qualified as the service’s first female driver in 1978. A press conference was held and photos taken of a smiling Dadds climbing into the cab of her District line train.
The museum has asked people to complete a short form on its website, with a deadline of 28 February.