Francis a female first for Brisbane

Tall Trees Caboolture is the home of 93-year-old female pioneer Francis Smith, the first ever female to be a licensed taxi driver in Brisbane in the late 1950s.

Francis owned a taxi business in Capalaba with her husband that ran 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 14 years.

During this era women who had held wartime jobs were expected to abandon their careers in order to provide employment for men returning from war.

Francis overcome all opposition to her actions of working in a man’s world and helped pave the way for women to claim their position in the workforce.

Francis says she originally started driving taxis to help her husband out when he was unable to drive, but it wasn’t easy in the beginning.

“My husband owned the business and when he became ill I thought we would lose our livelihood if I didn’t take over,” Francis says.

“When I went to get my taxi license the men at the office would think ‘why give a woman one when there was a waiting room full of men applying?’ but I went there every day for three weeks trying to apply.

“I finally got it in the end – but I think it was only to get rid of me and it was restricted so I could only drive in Capalaba.”

Francis says that she persevered despite the challenges she faced during her taxi-driving career.

“It seemed that even though I had my own license and was legally allowed to drive, it was always going to be strongly opposed,” Francis says.

“Taxi inspectors gave me grief about driving and tried to stop me, but I always stood my ground because our business was providing for seven children.

“We had two children of our own and for five years my husband and I cared for my friend’s five children after his wife passed away giving birth to the fifth child.”

Francis says her husband’s best friend was a policeman from Cleveland and she believed he helped her gain a full taxi license.

“My original license only allowing me to drive in Capalaba was no good, so I eventually got an unrestricted taxi license and I think our friend made it possible,” Francis says.

“I would make many journeys to strawberry growers and pack the car up with the fruit and drop if off at the huge trucks to have the strawberries taken to the markets.

“A lot of our clients had an account with the business and we were often paid by farmers with watermelons, strawberries and even pets.”

Francis says she got used to working around the clock every day of the week.

“I would often get called upon to go to somebody’s house miles away to put the roast on or turn the chook over in the oven,” Francis says.

“Although I faced many obstacles pursuing my license and keeping it, I did what I had to in order to keep our business going.

“After 14 years we decided to move on and so we sold the business and bought a hotel.”

Francis has long since retired and has recently moved to Tall Trees Caboolture.

“Many of my friends living here have also lived in the suburbs of Brisbane most of their lives and we enjoy looking at how much has changed over time,” Francis says.

“Although men laughed at the thought of it originally, I am glad I stuck to it to become the first of female taxi driver, and set an example for women to follow.

“Doing this set a good example for my children, and my daughter was the first female barmaid over in New Zealand.”