Coventry Trams

It's probably a very long shot indeed, but I'm posting this old photo of a Coventry tram conductress, in the hope that some relative of hers may well recognize her for either being their mum, auntie, grandmother / great grandmother etc, or even just a friend of the family. Because this photo dates from around 1915, this lovely lady pictured here will have sadly passed away a long time ago by now, but an elderly person with some knowledge of their family history / family tree etc, might just know who she is and hopefully be able to put a name to the face. As always with a lot of old photo's and postcards, there's often no name or details written on the back of it, which can be so frustrating at times, but that's life I guess!!! lol.

I am sure the lady in your picture is 3rd from the left on this picture from the Coventry Evening Telegraph 4th June 1915 courtesy of the British Newspaper archive. Sadly they did not name the ladies, but often the story is passed down in families that grandma was one of the first conductresses. My husband's grandma was the first conductress on Tamworth buses.

Thank you for your reply to my post, Anne, and especially for posting that nice newspaper article about the tram conductress, as it's much appreciated! That particular photo of them was once sold as part of a set of Coventry postcards, back in the late 1980's / early 1990's (I think it was), as they used to sell them at the Transport Museum in town and no doubt in the Information Centre and possibly even in Hamilton News as well. The conductress that you mentioned about in your newspaper article (3rd from the left!) has popped up in at least 3 or 4 different photo's / articles that I've seen and I do have her name wrote down here somewhere, but sadly she's not the same clippy as the one on my old photo that I posted! (your clippy has a slightly broader face and nose). Many thanks once again though for your help, as I sure do appreciate it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! xx

Yes, looking more carefully, her bag is different and she is carrying it with a longer strap.

Looking very closely at the photo it looks like a number "26" on the lapel. Do the records still exist for this to be traced? Peter

I've posted this particular photo on a few of the Coventry related Facebook pages, as it fortunately shows that not all of Coventry's tramline has been lost forever. I myself have managed to save a number of pieces of it over the years, which also includes some big old points sections too! (Will photograph the biggest piece salvaged and post it on here, as it's a 5 points section at over 8ft in length!).

Where can I see any remaining tram lines now. I think some of the known ones have been removed recently?

I had these two badges arrive in the post and they're meant to be "COVENTRY TRAMWAYS" hat badges, but on looking through old photo's, I've not yet come across any photographic proof so far, of either of them ever being worn on a tram driver or conductor's uniform. Any ideas please, anyone, as to where in Coventry they might originate from???

NeilsYard, as far as I can ascertain, the only remaining tram rail is on the `bank` by Priestley`s Bridge (at the back of the mosque). The ones at the old tram depot were apparently cut up for scrap about 18 months ago.

Whilst in Broadgate a few weeks go I saw some roadworks at the junction of Greyfriars Lane and High St. The worker with a road drill had uncovered a section of Tram Track some 8 inches below the road surface. I asked have you found any more he replied that a large section had been dug up and removed the previous day and taken for scrap!

Did you get that as a souvenir Herberts? The only spot I can see on Google Maps is around the back by Keppell Street Greg? Is that the spot and is it still there? Some interesting info here.

No it was joined onto the rest of the line and the contractor said it would be covered over

I have only seen a picture of it and (from memory) it seemed to be in a flower bed just behind the railings on the bridge. Sorry I can`t be more helpful but I`ll have a look on Google earth a bit later.

Here's the piece of tram line that you are referring to, which I photographed two years ago while standing on Priestley's Bridge and it's to be found behind the fence there, at the side of the Mosque!

Here's a view of the tram line as seen in 2014 and pictured from the other side of the fence this time, on the Mosque side of it! This photo shows the line before all the soil, weeds and everything else around it had been cleared and the area tidied up a bit!