LMS Women Porters

[agedpink1]

Any information please on these formidable looking ladies photographed on Belper station.

[Medaler]

They would not have been working for the LMS.

The London Midland and Scottish Railway Company did not exist until the "Grouping" of 1923. Belper was however a station on the Midland Railway which was a constituent part of the later LMS, along with several other companies. At the time of Grouping the Midland Railway had the largest number of Engines whilst the London and North Western had slightly more miles of track.

As a bit of background, I do know that the Midland lost a huge number of men to enlistment, and that just up to 18th November 1914 the figure stood at 7,531. Of course, some of their number were reservists who were obliged to go, but many others were eager recruits for the "New Army". The railways actually employed huge numbers of women during the war.

Given that there is still a huge amount of interest in the old railway companies, it often seems strange to me that very little has been written about their role in the war effort. The Midland sent track engines and rolling stock to France, produced General Service wagons, gun carriages and a whole host of other material, in addition to the obvious stuff like providing ambulance trains and having their ships pressed into wartime service.

You may find this website interesting.....

http://www.midlandrailwaystudycentre.org.uk/

Somewhere in their archives they may well have more information on female staff at Belper during the war.

Sorry that this is a bit of a rambling response, but I hope it may have helped you a little.

Regards,

Mike