Hannah Dadds was from the Forest Gate area of Newham. Her mother was a home help and her father worked in the furniture trade. After leaving school at 15, she worked as a shop assistant at the Co-op, and later in the Bryant and May match factory and the Kensitas cigarette factory.
In 1969, Dadds joined the London Underground, working as a "railwoman" at Upton Park Underground station. She then worked as a ticket collector, and in 1976, she became a train guard. In 1978, Dadds completed a seven-week training course to qualify as a train driver, and became a driver on the District line. In doing so, she became the first female train driver on the London Underground. This was big news and newspapers and radio stations wanted to interview her, after news of her appointment was leaked from head office. Instead of completing her training in the usual way, she was asked to stay off work for a few days until staff at 55 Broadway,, could organise a press conference. It has been claimed that Dadds could have been chosen as the driver of the first Jubilee line train in 1979; however, she could not drive due to a foot injury. Hannah's sister Edna also joined the London Underground, and worked as a guard and driver. Hannah and Edna became the first all-female crew on the London Underground. Dadds worked as a driver with the London Underground until she took early retirement in 1993, after which she moved to Spain. The London Transport Museum made an oral history recording with Dadds in 1993 in which she described her career. In 2004, she attended a Queen's Women of Achievement lunch at Buckingham Palace; other invitees included Margaret Thatcher, JK Rowling, Kate Moss and Charlotte Church.
Death and tributes
Hannah Dadds died on 5 December 2011 after a long illness. Speaking after her death, Howard Collins, chief executive of London Underground, said that "Hannah Dadds changed the working life of women on the Tube and the way in which many people viewed Tube drivers" and that "She was an esteemed member of our workforce." A plaque was unveiled in her honour at Upton Park station on 31 May 2019.
