In September 1915, with a shortage of men due to enlistment, women were beginning to take on jobs previously done by men. The ladies had for some time worked as indoor staff for the Post Office, but now two were employed for the first time in the delivery of letters - soon followed by female tram conductors. The first of the latter was Miss L. (Lilian?) Giddings, pictured above in the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph in its September 16th edition.

On September 9th, the Luton News announced the appointment of Luton's first two postwomen to replace men serving with the Colours - and in the same issue carried an advert for "girls suitable to act as tramway conductors".

The depletion of the Luton postal service has been serious, said the newspaper, about 20 having left and four or five postmen hold non-commissioned ranks.

"The indoor staff some time ago was considerably augmented by the employment of ladies, and not it has been found necessary to requisition the aid of female employees for the delivering of letters.

"These two postwomen are taking out the evening letters, and one will deliver Park Street West, Oxford Road, Union Street, Langley Street, Cumberland Street, Vicarage Street, Court Road and Holly Walk. The other lady's route will be Brook Street, Cromwell Road, Studley Road, Lansdowne Road and Bedford Road beyond Crawley Road."

The Luton News pointed out that the appointment of only two postwomen was necessary for the time being, as other temporary help was available by men returning from the Colours discharged, and so on. Post offices in other towns had quite large staffs of women, said the report. There were a dozen at Reading, and one office, it was believed, was entirely staffed by women.

In its September 16th edition, the Luton News gave a report on another innovation for the town - lady tram conductors. About a week ago, it said, it was found necessary owing to the shortage of men to introduce female labour on the tramways system.

Mr A. Wray and Mr H. B. White had recourse to female help in running the trams, and an advertisement was inserted in the Luton News and its allied papers, with the result that there were 30 applications, chiefly from Luton girls. Some six or seven have been appointed and they have been at work for a short time on the cars.

"They are doing the work very satisfactorily, and when their uniforms are finished about a week hence, they will look smart. The uniform is a blue Norfolk jacket, and a skirt and peaked cap."

The report added that the number of ladies working on the tramways would no doubt be added to later. There were sufficient men available as drivers.

[The Luton News, September 9th and 16th, 1915; the Beds & Herts Saturday Telegraph, September 18th, 1915]