Sporting, Leisure and Social Female Firsts
It’s hard to overstate the importance of sporting and social activities to the lives of our employees, so here are a handful of our women's achievements outside the 9-5
Article about women's involvement in sports and recreation clubs (1941-06)TfL Corporate Archives
Girls just want to have fun!
By 1941, 6250 women had been recruited to work on the transport network to free men up for war service. They also won the right to join sporting and social clubs and they were soon "swimming or throwing darts in their leisure time alongside the men."
It didn't take before some "firsts" were recorded.....
Staff Magazine Article about Pearl Murray (1941-08-01)TfL Corporate Archives
Queen of the Fairways
In 1941 Pearl Murray became the first female member of the Central Buses Golf Section.
Article on Louie Pinchbeck who "beat all the men to become champion" (1951-01-01)TfL Corporate Archives
We like to think that Pearl inspired Louie Pinchbeck, who in 1951 "beat all the men to become [golf] champion".
Article about the First Woman to Hold the Rifleman Trophy (1949-10-01)TfL Corporate Archives
First Woman to Hold the Rifleman Trophy
In 1949, just 6 months after first picking up a rifle, Vera Morley of Reigate Office Sports Club, became the first woman to win the Rifleman trophy, the ICI cup and the Hawkins Cup at the Rifle Clubs annual championship. She beat 135 male competitors on her way to glory.
Article with Photograph of Winifred Martin, Mayor of Mitcham (1955-06-01)TfL Corporate Archives
Mrs Winifred Martin, Mayor of Mitcham
Winifred was a clerk at Lille Bridge Stores when she stood for election for local office, becoming Mayor of her home borough of Mitcham in June 1955.
As was her right as Mayor, she went on to appoint a Mayoress and she chose her daughter Anne - formerly of the Schedules Office at 55 Broadway.
Photograph of Phyllis Cornish with the Station Gardens Judging Panel (1960-10-01)TfL Corporate Archives
Station Gardens
Phyllis Cornish, seen here with with the Station Gardens Judging Panel in 1960, was the first woman to win a prize in the competition. The first evidence of a competition (on the District Railway) uncovered to date can be traced to 1910.
The First Woman to Receive Inter-Garage Athletics Shield (1962-08-01)TfL Corporate Archives
Leading a team to glory
Betty Moody, of Muswell Hill, became the first woman to receive the inter-garage athletics trophy in August 1962.
It was a mixed athletics team that Betty was captaining in 1962, something that may not seem ground breaking today...
The First Woman to Receive Inter-Garage Athletics Shield (1962-08-01)TfL Corporate Archives
...but contrast it with the fact that at the same event there was a crowning for the Gala Queen.
Article about Sandra Valentine, the First woman to gain her Private Pilots Licence (1986-05-01)TfL Corporate Archives
Sandra Valentine, pilot
In May 1986 Sandra became the first female member of the Central Road Services flying club to qualify for her pilot's license.
Photographs of the Warco knitters (1940-02)TfL Corporate Archives
To find out about the women who volunteered beyond the 9-5 to help the World War II effort, have a look at our War Fund Comfort Association story.
Story compiled by TfL using information in records at the Transport for London Corporate Archives. The Corporate Archives seeks to preserve and make accessible records, not to interpret them. A wider range of material is available for physical consultation.
Permission is granted to reproduce for personal and educational use only.
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