The History of Croydon Trans Group
A personal note by Helen Doe
Before 2000
Sandra started a group called
Friends of the Firebird. It got its name from Sandra's own nickname. They
had their meetings in the George public house in Isleworth.
Around 2000
Sandra visited Croydon and met Rachel, and
they started a new group called Westside Girls, so called because it was set
up near West Croydon bus station.
They met once a month at The Goose and Carrot, a gay pub (now demolished) which stood in the middle of the junction of Wellesley Road and St James's Road, Croydon. The social and support group was for TV/TS and transgender (M2F and F2M) and welcomed everyone. Around 37 members attended the group and had informal social meetings, including Christmas dinners and picnics in Hyde Park. They saw shows, went to the cinema and birthday parties.
2002
This was the birth of the Croydon Trans Group which we know today.
It met for a long time at the Bird in Hand, the gay pub in Sydenham Road, Croydon, on the second Saturday of every month.
2003
The Trans Group and Sandra helped form Aurora, the LGBT Police Focus Group, and developed the "Which Loo?" document. Three years later the police approved the document which was a big breakthrough. It was the first such document that the police adopted on transsexual people.
More about the "Which Loo" document...
12th May 2008
The Trans Group, together with the Gemini support group and other LGBT groups in Croydon, helped launch Crocus. Christina took part, representing the Trans Group. Sadly Sandra moved on to live in Ealing.
Around 2009
By this time, Rachel was running the group on her own, but she became ill, and her health problems were getting worse. Ruth and Marylin took on some of the responsibility for the group, but Rachel was still in charge.
This was when I started to come to the group. I was a nervous wreck. But Rachel, in spite of all her problems, took me in her care and made me the person I am today. Also Rachel got her Gender Recognition Certificate after fifteen years!
Early 2010
It was not a good start to the year as my mother died, but Rachel was there for me – and Debbie too.
And in February, which is LGBT History Month, we celebrated Roberta Cowell, the UK's first post-op trans person, and a fighter pilot in world war two. We gave a copy of her book, The Roberta Cowell Story, to Croydon Library, where you can read it today.
More about Roberta Cowell, with pictures of our celebration...
March 2010
A sad time. By this time Ruth had moved on; Marylin moved on a little later. By this time I was full-time trans myself, and had some work trouble. Rachel helped me through this but she was finding it hard to run the group because of ill health. Rachel is my number one trans. She is fighting on and we all support her.
October 2010
Rachel handed the Croydon Trans Group over to me, but I still rely on her expertise. So I got the job, but Rachel is going to be a hard act to follow. I promise to do my best for you all, but I need your support for the future for the group. I've made some small changes, and given the job a title – Croydon Trans Representative – I am there to represent you.
Thank you for your support.
July 2011
We were sad to hear that the Fountain pub in Handcross, previously very trans friendly, is now closed and boarded up - see www.peasepottage.info/fountain-pub/.
Helen Susan Doe
For LGBT UK history in general, see the LGBT History Project
For other Trans groups and information, see our Trans Links page.
For other LGBT groups in Croydon, see LGBT Croydon.
For groups and events round London, see LGBT London.