Elsie Jackson

Elsie Jackson, Isle of Wight’s first female bus driver, passes away

Our thanks to Andrew Jackson for getting in touch with this news that we felt readers would be interested to hear. Ed


It is with regret that I have to break the sad news that my auntie Elsie Jackson died peacefully on Saturday afternoon, at St Mary’s Hospital aged 89 years old, after a short illness.

She was extremely well-known by a great number of people on the Island having first moved here in the 1950s when she began working for Cunard out of Southampton on the Queen Mary and The Mauritania.

She changed jobs a few years later to join Southern Vectis as one of the first Conductresses’ and later became the first female bus driver on the Island.

She continued in this role until her retirement.

Elsie Jackson

She visited the IOW Bus Museum last year and was well received by many who remembered her there.

Our thoughts are with Elsie’s family and friends.