Working a Salford Corporation Tram in 1917 ............ Salford women in uniform

I like the way that stories have a habit of reappearing and so it is with Miss Rebecca Chapman of Hodson Street who in 1918 began work with Salford Corporation as a “clippie” on the trams.

My old friend David Harrop acquired her contract, license and handbook and they featured on the blog.

And because it was such a good story she made her way into my  book on Manchester and the Great War.*

Now yes I know the title is Manchester and the Great War, but by the very nature of things people didn’t adhere to strict geographical boundaries.  

They moved from area to area, lived in Manchester but worked in Salford and Trafford and swapped homes and work places.

So a little bit of Salford has got into the book, and quite right too.

All of which is an introduction to a new short series featuring photographs of Salford women in uniform and given Miss Chapman’s contribution I have started with a picture of a clippie from 1917.

And I rather think she is holding her handbook which gave detailed instructions on how to work the tram, what to do in emergencies and the pay scales awarded to clippies.

There was even a few pages dedicated to making notes.

Miss Chapman had written soon after joining the Corporation that "she had fallen off the tram"

it was the only entry so I guess she never fell off again.

Location; Salford

Picture; Instructions to Female Conductors from the collection of David Harrop, and "uniformed woman worker with Salford Tramways," 1917, m08109,, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass

*Manchester and the Great War, Andrew Simpson, the History Press, was published in February 2017, ISBN -33: 9780750 978965

The mystery behind tram car 466 …………….. Salford or Manchester?

This is tram car number 466, and the only clues I have are that it is dated 1903 and belonged to Manchester Corporation Tramways.

And judging by the broken windows and the absence of safety panels running up the side of the stairs, it is either in for repair or about to go to that great tramway in the sky.

Of course, some one far more expert than aye will be able to offer up and explanation, but for now all I can say is that its route took it through Salford.

So, are we dealing with a Salford tram, or a bit of empire building on the part of Manchester?

All answers on the back of a Corporation tram ticket please.

And quick as a flash, Clive came back with a picture of a similar tram that shows that this model appears not to have had panels up the stairs, only railings, and from Vernon Linden, "I can explain the mystery.

When Salford Corporation Tramways were first opened they had a shortage of trams so they had on hire some from Manchester Corporation Tramways to tied them over to operate the newly opened tramroute to Swinton,until they got later deliveries of new trams to operate the route solely by themselves.

The tram in the picture 466 caught fire and the cost to repair was bourne by Salford Tramways,who did the rebuild? The picture itself is in Frederick Road Depot I think".

So the answers are coming in.

Location;?

Picture; Tram car 466, 1903 from the collection of Allan Brown