Steam's new special exhibition Girls on Film – a snapshot of women on the railways has opened to the public.
The exhibition looks at the changing role of the women who worked on the railway by using images from the major photographic collection held at Steam.
Girls on Film features images dating from the early 1900s when only a few women worked for the railways in traditional female roles such as the telephone exchange or laundry.
The photographs selected for the exhibition chronicle the way that employment opportunities slowly began to open up for women and include notable employees such as Vera Bray who worked in a pioneering role at Cardiff Station and Jayne Clarke who featured in a publicity campaign at Swindon Works.
The exhibition is free to those who have already purchased tickets to the museum.
The museum is also part of the Kids for a Quid offer, which runs until 3 September. This means that up to four children (aged three to 15) can visit either STEAM Museum for just £1 each when accompanied by a full-paying adult.
Swindon Museums Manager Frances Yeo said: “Our exhibitions for 2023 showcase how railways and the GWR in particular opened-up roles for women.
"Our fabulous photographic collection has so many great images and to be able to show so many which demonstrate women working for the GWR is fantastic.”
Cllr Marina Strinkovsky, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Heritage, Art and Culture, said “This exhibition celebrates women’s contribution to the growth of the GWR, which is something we tend to either overlook or simply assume never happened.
"Women’s influence on the development of industry and technology is a fascinating topic, and the museum team has done a great job of curating this exhibition about it. I’m really looking forward to hearing people’s thoughts and impressions from their visit.
“If you’re looking for things to do over the summer holidays, Steam will definitely have something for you!”
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