Tram workers queue up for their pay at the tram subway in Kingsway, High Holborn

This evocative photograph from 1926 captures a moment in the daily life of working-class Londoners. Dozens of tramway workers are seen lining up outside the Kingsway Tram Subway in High Holborn, patiently waiting to collect their weekly pay packets. Clad in flat caps, heavy coats, and sturdy boots, these men represent the backbone of London’s expanding public transport system during the interwar period.

At the forefront stands a London Metropolitan Police constable, directing foot traffic with his arms outstretched, wearing white sleeve covers to enhance visibility — a common practice at the time. Behind the workers, small wooden huts likely served administrative or pay distribution functions.

Opened in 1906, the Kingsway Tram Subway was an innovative underground tram tunnel, enabling electric trams to travel between Holborn and the Embankment without disrupting surface traffic. It remained in use until 1952, symbolizing the evolution of mass transit in London.

This photo offers a rare glimpse into the rhythm of urban life in post–World War I Britain, when cities were grappling with industrial recovery, social inequality, and the changing role of the working class.

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