The women behind Royal Mail

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.royalmailgroup.com/women-behind-royal-mail" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.royalmailgroup.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_content_header/public/field/image/17%20Florence%20Marie%20Cass.jpg?itok=3S8eu_jQThe recent history of UK postal services reflects broader changes that have seen women play an increasingly active social, political and economic role

1901 saw the founding of the first women-only association in the Civil Service

During the First World War, thousands of women were employed to deliver mail in urban areas and work as telegraph messengers

Women’s employment was similarly greatly extended in the Second World War and by 1941, around 100,000 women were employed in the postal service

Many amazing individuals have made their mark on the postal service too

Telephonist Florence Marie Cass from Ladywell in Lewisham received an MBE for displaying ‘great courage and devotion to duty’ during the First World War

In the early forties Jean Cameron asked to wear trousers in place of the officially issued blue skirt, giving rise to the so-called Cameron trousers

Photographer Dorothy Wilding took the first official sittings of Queen Elizabeth in 1952 with the portrait featuring on all British definitive stamps from 1952 until 1967

Since the year 2000, Royal Mail has launched a programme of award-winning initiatives aimed at further promoting diversity

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2016, Royal Mail is charting the changing role of women in society while paying tribute to some of the amazing individuals who have left their mark on postal services in the UK.

While Royal Mail marks 500 years of postal services in the UK this year, the majority of significant progress in driving greater equality for women occurred in the last century for society at large.

The recent history of postal services in the UK reflects these broader changes that have seen women play an increasingly active social, political and economic role in the UK. This includes the birth of the suffragette movement, the employment of 100,000 women during the Second World War, right through to the launch of today’s award-winning diversity programmes.

During that time, much of this change has been driven by exceptional individuals who worked within the organisation, and Royal Mail is taking this opportunity to tell a little of their respective stories.

Royal Mail: women’s history

Sisters doing it for themselves

The first women-only association in the Civil Service was founded in 1901. The Association of Post Office Women Clerks represented women clerical workers and fought for their employment rights and ultimately for equality with men.

Suffragettes being sent by express delivery

On 23 February 1909, two suffragettes, Miss Solomon and Miss McLellan, posted themselves to 10 Downing Street in an attempt to deliver a message personally to Prime Minister Herbert Asquith. At this time Royal Mail regulations allowed individuals to be ‘posted’ by express messenger, so the two women went to the East Strand Post Office and were placed in the hands of A S Palmer, a telegraph messenger boy, who ‘delivered’ them to Downing Street.

Your country needs you!

At the outbreak of First World War, thousands of women were recruited to work in the postal service while the men who were away at war. This prompted the introduction in 1915 of a full uniform specifically for postwomen.

Women played a key role in keeping the lines of communication open during World War One and World War Two. During the First World War, thousands of women were employed to deliver mail in urban areas and work as telegraph messengers.

Women’s employment was similarly greatly extended in the Second World War. During the build up to Christmas 1940, the Post Office called for women to volunteer as postwomen and within hours 4,000– out of the 8,000 required – had volunteered in London alone. This was initially regarded as a temporary measure but the women impressed the Postmaster General and were retained. By November 1941, around 100,000 women were employed by the Post Office.

Notable women in Royal Mail’s history

Jean Cameron
19 year old Jean Cameron worked as a postwoman in Angus and was responsible for changing women’s uniforms at Royal Mail. In 1941, Jean asked to wear trousers in place of the officially issued blue skirt, due to the fact that she had to jump rivers and navigate stiles during her round. After working closely with Jean, the General Post Office agreed to issue smart trousers as part of the women’s uniform. From then on, the trousers were referred to as ‘Camerons’. More than 500 pairs were ordered in the first two months with 14,000 being worn by November 1943.

Violette Szabo
Violette Szabo, the Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent who was shot by Nazi officers in 1945, worked as a telegraphist at the Central Telegraph Office between November 1940 and February 1941. On her second mission into occupied France, Szabo was captured by the German Army, interrogated, tortured and ultimately executed. She was awarded a posthumous George Cross.

Elizabeth Dickson
At the end of 1908, Mrs Elizabeth Dickson retired as a rural postwoman after 30 years and 8 months’ service. It was reported that she had never once been late for duty. On her retirement, it was calculated that she had walked 129,392 miles during her Post Office career, “or a distance equal to more than five times round the world".

Florence Marie Cass MBE
Telephonist Florence Marie Cass from Ladywell in Lewisham received an MBE for displaying ‘great courage and devotion to duty’ during the First World War. In charge of a telephone exchange when there was an explosion at a nearby munitions works, Florence reactivated the crucial centre by navigating her way to the engine room in complete darkness and starting the emergency generators.

Kathleen Ferrier CBE
Singer Kathleen Ferrier started work as a trainee at the GPO telephone exchange in Blackburn August 1926, later transferring to Blackpool. While there she successfully auditioned for the GPO’s new ‘speaking clock’ service.

Dorothy Wilding
Photographer Dorothy Wilding took the first official sittings of Queen Elizabeth in February 1952, almost three weeks after the death of her father, King George VI. Wilding was briefed beforehand by both Royal Mail and Royal Mint officials with their different requirements. All British definitive stamps bore this Wilding portrait from 1952 until 1967.

Doris Beaumont
Doris Beaumont was a river post girl on the Thames during the First World War. Born in Staines-upon-Thames, she delivered letters to the houseboats along a seven mile stretch of river at Staines. By 1919 it was said that she had rowed 2,500 miles. Her unusual job brought her publicity around the world. She was recently honoured in the special edition 500 year stamps.

Women in Royal Mail today

Focus on Diversity

Gender diversity continues to be a strategic priority at Royal Mail with initiatives in place to increase this.

In March 2014, we established a Diversity Council which reports progress on key measures to the Board, Our Spring Forward programme is designed to help junior female managers take the next steps on the career ladder within Royal Mail.

Our Springboard programme helps develop the potential of female employees in non-management positions.

We launched Connect, an online mentoring programme designed to support the career development of women at Royal Mail.

Awards

In November 2013, Royal Mail was recognised at the http://www.workingmums.co.uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Opens in new window Top Employer Awards for encouraging career progression for mothers.

Our progress to improve gender diversity at Royal Mail gained us recognition as a Times Top 50 Employer for Women and Gold standard for gender in the Business in the Community (BITC) Diversity and Wellbeing Benchmark 2015 and 2014.

Royal Mail was named Company of the Year at the Women in Logistics Awards in 2013.

[Lounge Lizard]

And I thought it was going to be about Moya.

[Justiceseeker]

Wonder what these ladies would think of the woman running RM today... seems she operates above UK law. Wonder how long.