People stories

Joseph Clough was London’s first Black bus driver. He was also among the very first drivers of motor buses in London, as petrol engines began to replace horse-drawn transport.

From the 1920s to the 1940s, architect Charles Holden played a major role in shaping the appearance of London and was responsible for designing a remarkable series of new buildings for the expanding Underground.

After the Second World War, London Transport experienced labour shortages. To maintain a sufficiently large workforce, the organisation increasingly needed to look beyond London. Read more about London Transport’s direct recruitment from the Caribbean.

The workforce of Transport for London (formerly London Transport) is an essential part of London life. Without it the capital would come to a standstill. Learn more in 'Keeping London moving: London’s transport workforce'.

Clubs and societies were part of the work culture of many large companies in the days before television, car ownership and holidays abroad. Read more about London’s transport clubs and societies.

Julian Hows was born in Brixton in 1955 and was one of the leading voices in gay rights during the 1970s. Julian's iconic photos taken at Earl's Court station have taken on a life of their own as a lasting symbol of gender resistance and playful defiance.

In the early days of London’s public transport women did not have equal rights with men. Today the situation is different, but progress was often slow and sporadic. Read more about the story of women in London’s transport.

Jill Viner (1952–1996) became the first woman to drive a London bus licensed to carry passengers in June 1974. Find out more about Jill's story and the women who came before and after her.

Take a closer look at some of our favourite details, fixtures and fittings designed by Holden that have made a lasting and positive contribution to the city and its transport network.

As the first Chairman of London Transport, Albert Henry Stanley, later Lord Ashfield, combined the discipline of commercial management with public accountability and an awareness of the social benefits of an integrated public transport system.

Hannah Dadds became the first woman driver on the London Underground in October 1978. Her sister Edna worked with her as a guard, forming London Transport's first all-woman crew.

A flamboyant financier, Charles Tyson Yerkes played a major role in the electrification and expansion of London’s Underground network, forming the Bakerloo, Piccadilly, and Northern Tubes, nicknamed the ‘Yerkes Tubes’.

Frank Pick, Chief Executive of London Transport, was a towering figure who had an unrivalled flair for design management. During his 30-year career, Pick changed the face of London Transport, bringing London’s transport system international acclaim for its architecture, graphic art and design.

Edward Johnston was responsible for creating the iconic Johnston typeface a century ago for London Underground. Since its introduction, this lettering has come to represent not just London’s transport but the idea of London itself.