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Beatrice Page did what many women did in World War One: as the men from their town or village signed up for the war, the women applied for their jobs.

Like most towns during the war, businesses in Weston-super鈥揗are were finding replacement workers. In the case of the Weston trams, the opposition to women drivers was particularly vocal.

鈥淭here was some pretty rude councillors back in those days,鈥� historian Brian Austin explains. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 think women could do the job, and the idea that that a woman could do a man鈥檚 job was ridiculous.鈥�

Local councillor and Weston historian, John Crockford-Hawley explains: 鈥淭he men that that stayed behind were paid an extra five shillings war bonus, but the women weren鈥檛.鈥�

Beatrice started her job within the first weeks of the war but had to hand her job back to the men when they returned in 1918. However, she was invited back to drive the last tram before the tracks were pulled up in 1942.

But how have conditions changed for female professional drivers? We discuss Beatrice鈥檚 story with the two coach drivers with nearly 30 years鈥� experience between them.

Location: Locking Road, Weston-super-Mare BS23 (former site of the tram depot)
Image: The first female tram driver in the West; Beatrice Page on board her tram. Photograph courtesy of PA

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