John North
|
|
|
He had a great love of horses, as did his son Lionel Leslie (1898-1997) - never wished to own a car or drive one. John spent most of his working life on the railways and retired as the Stationmaster at the Parcels Office. The Parcels Office was very special for those who lived in the bush and those locally, who at times depended on it for their existence. |
|
In the 1920s, Anthony Horderns was the largest store in the southern hemisphere and sold anything you could think of. Passenger trains took pianos, furniture, ploughs, sulkies, food, etc. A large volume of goods went everyday. At Christmas time Anthony Horderns always gave John a very big hamper as a reward for the attention he gave to forwarding their products. This job was one with variety. Dogs, cats, birds, fowl, goats, prize sheep, day old chickens, all had to be given special attention and care. Sometimes food and water needed to be provided. When the Royal Easter Show was held he had to arrange for special carriages to be placed on the train to bring livestock into Sydney and return. |
|
|
Several times during the year, up to maybe 100 crates or cages of pigeons would be sent around the state to be released by railway employees to race. This became the Parcels Office responsibility. Last, but not least, coffins were sent by passenger rail. They had to be packed with ice. There were also times when there was a shortage of staff and John had to go to the next platform, Mortuary Station, and give right of way in the departure of the funeral train to Rookwood Cemetery. Just before he retired, he, his son Lionel and grandson William aged about 8, went by train to Broken Hill and every station the train stopped at, railway employees who had dealings with John over the dynamo telephones, but had never met him, came to say goodbye. As a result, the train arrived in Broken Hill around 3 hours late! Based on the recollections of his grandson, William North. |
|
John married Harriet Maude Mary Fisher in 1890 at the Congregational Church at Devonshire Street, Sydney. John and Harriet had 11 children: Lionel, William, Cecil, Thelma, Neta, Essie, Albert, Eva, Hazel, Jack and Mavis. In later life they lived at Gilba Road, then at 2 Tungarra Road, Girraween. John and Harriet both died in 1941. |
|
