Ian Allan – Social, Economic and Sexist History on a Combined volume

[70014IronDuke]

The paper cover that I put on my 1961-62 combined volume fell off today. Well, ok, maybe it was last week or last month.

It's the one with a “Peak” and a “Warship” on the front at Bristol Barow Road. I think you can see all these from a google search. Not my first Ian Allan combined volume - unfortunately I destroyed my first one (a Castle, IIRC, climbiing up from the Severn Tunnel).

But today, I looked at the back cover for the first time in ….. I dunno, half a century, I suppose.

Just to put this into context, when it was prepared for publication, there were 155 ex GWR Castles, 34 ex-SR 4-4-0 Schools, 186 assorted ex-Caledonian Railway 0-6-0 2Fs and 3Fs and 84 Gresley V1 and V2 3-cylinder 2-6-2Ts all still merrily hauling trains. The last steam loco built for BR, 92220, Evening Star, had been in service about 18 months. The hottest traction around were the Deltics – which had not all been built.

OK, all of the above is fascinating to railway enthusiasts, but let's look at the back cover. It is an eye opening advert by … British Railways. It reads, I quote:

“Special starting salaries for boys on

British Railways

British Railways now offer (sic) now offer special salaries to Boys (sic) with four 'O' levels (including English and Mathematics) : or the equivalent in Scotland.

Age London Elsewhere

16 £340 £330
17 £375 £365
18 £410 £400

Look at those figures – a whole £10 extra for anyone in London to boot.
And look at the advert – didn't BR employ ladies, or think they held out potential for assisting in the modernisation of the railways?

Ha ha! It's a lovely piece of history on more than just railways.

 

[yorksrob]

Perhaps they weren't expecting any girls to apply ?

By the time the Railwatch programme was broadcast in 1988, a female driver was still enough of a novelty to warrant an interview, so I'm guessing they would have been a lot rarer in the 1960's.

In terms of operations, I remember reading that the vast majority of crossing keepers on the New Romney branch (which were 'manned' until closure to passengers in the 1960's) were women, so maybe that was more of a female occupation.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

Look at those figures – a whole £10 extra for anyone in London to boot.

£10 was a week's wages in those days.

 

[ivanhoe]

£10 was a week's wages in those days.

My only regret in life was not accepting a job offer by the Prudential in London, in 1980. It was a couple of years before house prices in London went bananas. I accepted a job in Leicester instead! My first job was in 1969 with Martins Bank in Liverpool. £340 pounds per annum plus £60 large town allowance. Good money for a 16 year old then!

 

[Greenback]

Females did work for BR in the 1950's and the 1960's. In tuen witht the times, they tended to do clerical and secretarial work, and would leave when they started a family. Indeed, many employers in those days stated that on marriage, women would have to leave. They were very different times, and very different attitudes.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Females did work for BR in the 1950's and the 1960's. In tuen witht the times, they tended to do clerical and secretarial work, and would leave when they started a family. Indeed, many employers in those days stated that on marriage, women would have to leave. They were very different times, and very different attitudes.

Indeed - the GWR employed women typists / accountants etc - pre war.(as indeed other companies and the Railway Clearing House in London) - someone I know had his mother working as office manager for the District Officer at Wolverhampton Low Level station. When she married though - she had to leave - as was often the case in other roles at the time.

Course WW1 and WW2 were different..

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Females did work for BR in the 1950's and the 1960's. In tuen witht the times, they tended to do clerical and secretarial work, and would leave when they started a family. Indeed, many employers in those days stated that on marriage, women would have to leave. They were very different times, and very different attitudes.

Indeed - the GWR employed women typists / accountants etc - pre war.(as indeed other companies and the Railway Clearing House in London) - someone I know had his mother working as office manager for the District Officer at Wolverhampton Low Level station. When she married though - she had to leave - as was often the case in other roles at the time.

Course WW1 and WW2 were different..

 

[Greenback]

I'm pretty sure that there were female booking office staff and station clerks in the 50's. This comes form the large numbe rof books and magazines I've managed to read over the years, particularly about GWR and South Wales operations.