Today we are celebrating International Women’s Day by stepping back in time to highlight the exceptional role women have played in shaping the history of our much loved railways!
Did you know that between 1915 and 1919, Boston Lodge Works was a National Shell Factory? Over 50 women from Porthmadog, Minffordd, and Penrhyn worked in the factory on a shift system. Those from Porthmadog were initially expected to walk to work across the dark and stormy Cob as their male counterparts would, but the women campaigned and won the right to travel to work on the early train – which was denied to the men: an early instance of girl-power.
At the end of the First World War, the Works was returned to the railway, and, despite their valuable contribution, the women were dismissed.
Travelling further back in history to the early 1870s, there are records of a female signaller at Minffordd. In 1871, aged around 70 years old, Alice Roberts operated the signal to show that the crossing gates were open for the train. This was a role usually undertaken by men, and it was very rare to have a woman on the operating staff at the time.
Today women work in every department across the railway, thanks in part to the previous generations of women who have paved the way.
Heddiw rydym yn dathlu Diwrnod Rhyngwladol y Menywod drwy gamu’n ôl mewn amser i dynnu sylw at y rôl eithriadol y mae menywod wedi’i chwarae wrth lunio hanes ein rheilffyrdd annwyl!
Oeddech chi’n gwybod bod Gweithdai Boston Lodge rhwng 1915 a 1919 yn Ffatri Cregyn Genedlaethol? Roedd dros 50 o ferched o Borthmadog, Minffordd, a Phenrhyn yn gweithio yn y ffatri ar system shifft. Roedd disgwyl i’r rhai o Borthmadog gerdded i’r gwaith ar draws y Cob tywyll a stormus i ddechrau fel y byddai eu cymheiriaid gwrywaidd, ond fe ymgyrchodd y merched ac ennill yr hawl i deithio i’r gwaith ar y trên cynnar – a wrthodwyd i’r dynion: enghraifft gynnar o merch-rym.
Ar ddiwedd y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf, dychwelwyd y Gweithfeydd i’r rheilffordd, ac, er eu cyfraniad gwerthfawr, diswyddwyd y merched.
Gan deithio ymhellach yn ôl mewn hanes i’r 1870au cynnar, mae cofnodion am signalwr benywaidd ym Minffordd. Ym 1871, a hithau tua 70 oed, gweithredodd Alice Roberts y signal i ddangos bod y gatiau croesi ar agor ar gyfer y trên. Roedd hon yn rôl a gyflawnir fel arfer gan ddynion, ac anaml iawn oedd cael menyw ar y staff gweithredol ar y pryd.
Heddiw mae menywod yn gweithio ym mhob adran ar draws y rheilffordd, diolch yn rhannol i’r cenedlaethau blaenorol o fenywod sydd wedi gosod y ffordd.
