Paddy and Gemima

~  NSW Railways~ cleaner to first class driver of Locomotives ~

Patrick Egan: "Paddy"  was born on 23 Jun 1872 in Tarana, New South Wales, (Fish River) registered in Hartley, son of Michael Egan and Jane Donohoe. (Reference: noted on his birth certificate). 

New South Wales Railway ~ Career

Patrick became a locomotive driver out of Junee and Albury and was one of the second generation of Egans who worked the railroad.

Young Patrick Egan aged 18, joined the loco. branch of the railway service at Junee in 1890, and began as a cleaner, progressing through fireman to engine driver. 

• Patrick Egan was recorded working as a fireman with the NEW SOUTH WALES government railways (Chief Mechanical Engineer's Branch) on 31 December 1902.

• Prior to going to Albury,  Patrick drove the express on the Junee to Goulburn section and was also driver on the Newcastle lines."

• He went to Albury, in 1914, and for practically the whole of the period since "piloted" the express from Albury to Junee. 

• He remained with the railway for 43 years and was engine driver on locomotives for more than 30 years. Patrick Egan retired in May, 1933.

Family

Patrick Egan married Miss Jemima Stormont in Saint Mary's Cathedral, Sydney on February 11, 1902. 

Jemima Stormont was born 18 Aug. 1877 in Deniliquin, New South Wales (BDM New South Wales #10953/187), and died 18 May 1957 at Albury aged 79 (D# 13679/1957). Jemima, aka Gemima, was the daughter of Robert Stormont and Catherine Hargroves.

Children of Patrick Egan and Jemima Stormont:

1.      John Martin (Jack) was born 1903 in Junee; died 14-Jun-1971 or 14 Jun 1970.  In 1925 Jack married CLARA OLIVE RIXON, born 1904 in Wodonga, VIC, and she died 18-Jan-1929 in Albury, NSW.Children of CLARA RIXON and JOHN EGAN are: i. LEN EGAN, b. Abt. 1925. and ii. KEVIN EGAN, b. Abt. 1927.See footnote [iii] 

2.      Leonard Robert (Len) was born 05 Mar 1908 in Junee; died 23 Oct 1991 in Albury, New South Wales. 

3.      Leila Marjorie (Nina) was born 18 July, 1909 in Junee;; died 26 Nov 1996, Albury.

4.      Allan Ernest was born 18 Mar 1917 in Albury, died 11 Jul 1998.

Retirement Newspaper References

• Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), Friday 26 May 1933, page 12. …ALBURY~ Patrick Egan, of Albury, who has been in the service of the New South Wales railways for 43 years, was entertained at a social in St. Patrick's Hall, arranged by his work-mates. He received an illuminated address and other gifts. On May 7, 1927. he was in charge of the Royal train which conveyed the Duke and Duchess of York to Canberra for the opening of the Federal Parliament.

• Patrick retired to Albury, New South Wales on Wednesday 3 May 1933 (aged 61) after 43 years of service. refer: The Sydney Morning Herald  - Thursday 4 May 1933 ~ COUNTRY NEWS - Locomotive "Express Driver's Farewell - ALBURY, Wednesday 3 May 1933" ~ "Patrick Egan, one of the best-known railway men on the southern line, has completed 43 years' service in the New South Wales Railway Department. When he brought his last train from Junee into Albury railway yards he was given a characteristic farewell by his mates, the whistle of every engine in the yards being blown. Egan received a letter from the Railway Commissioners, asking him to call on them to receive personally a letter of appreciation of his long term of service. Egan worked his way from the position of cleaner to first-class driver, and for more than 30 years has been in charge of engines on express trains on various sections of the southern line. He never had a serious mishap nor was he involved in any accidents."[i]

Similar article appeared in the newspapers of towns on the line.

• • Albury Banner and Wodonga Express (NSW : 1860 - 1938), Friday 26 May 1933, page 4. ~ VETERAN RAILWAY DRIVER…"Mr. Patrick Egan, of Albury, in the service of the N.S.W. railways for 43 years, was the 'guest at a 'social in St. Patrick's Hall on Wednesday evening, arranged by his workmates. He was the recipient of a handsome illuminated address, an elaborate session clock and a tobacco pouch. For his wife he was handed a brass fruit stand and a dress bag. About 60 railway men were present and speakers paid a fine tribute to Mr. Egan. ~ No driver on the line was better known than 'Pat' Egan, aman who understood his engine and who worked for the good of the service..…

  • Cootamundra Herald (NSW : 1877 - 1954), Wednesday 31 May 1933, page 4 ~ Old Railway Servants… "An old identity of the Junee district, Sir. Patrick Egan, was the guest at a smoke social at Albury. Upwards of 70 fellow railway employees, together with members of the public, were present, and some very Sne tributes were' accorded, after 43 years' service. Mr. Egan was asked to accept, on behalf of the Junee district, an illuminated address, containing photograph's of himself and '3651' on his last trip. The wish of the whole of, the staff was a long term in retirement, health and strength to his wife and family.

  • Goulburn Evening Penny Post ~ (NSW : 1881 - 1940), Monday 8 May 1933, page 6 ~ VETERAN DRIVER Mr. Patrick Egan Retires ~ "Mr. Patrick Egan, one of the best known railwaymen on the Southern line, completed 43 years service in the N.S.W. Railway Department on Saturday, when he brought his last train from Junee to Albury railway yards and stepped for the last time from the footplate. 

He was given a characteristic farewell by his mates; the whistle of every engine under steam in the yard participating. 

Mr. Egan who was a native of Tarana (Bathurst district) joined the loco. branch of the railway service at Junee. He worked his way from the position of cleaner to that of first class driver, and for over 30 years he was in charge of the engines that pulled the express trains on various sections of the 'Great' Southern line between Sydney and Albury. He went to Albury, in 1914, and for practically the whole of the period since "piloted" the express from Albury to Junee. 

He holds the record for the fastest time with a train on the section, having completed the journey of 100 miles in two hours. He can be justifiably proud of the fact that he lost less time in running his trains than possibly any engine driver in the service.

He was noted for ‘being on time’, and for the economy with which he generated his steam. Mr. Egan throughout his long career as a driver never had no serious mishap, nor was he involved in any accident.
Prior to going to Albury, Mr. Egan drove the express on the Junee to Goulburn section and was also driver on the Newcastle lines."

• • Singleton Argus (NSW : 1880 - 1954), Friday 5 May 1933, page 1

  • Wagga Wagga Express (NSW : 1930 - 1939), Saturday 6 May 1933, page 3

Paddy died in 1963, Albury, New South Wales.

References:

[i]  Chief Mechanical Engineer's Branch; 

• • Egan, Patrick, Fireman, Junee  9.00 (shillings) /day  

Stormont, Robert, Carriage & Wagon Examiner Junee ~ 10.08 (shillings) /day 
Refer also:- http://www.the-commissioner.com/ and http://home.iprimus.com.au/forestgate/employee/cme-s.html

The Sydney Morning Herald (NEW SOUTH WALES :  Friday 25 June 1915  Private R. J. Stormont (wounded) is a son of Mr. R. Stormont, for 25 years employed on the railway staff at Junee, and recently retired. The wounded soldier was employed by the Railway Department prior to enlisting, and is a brother-in law of P. J. Egan railway engine-driver, Junee.

[ii] Albury Local Environment Plan 2010 Schedule 1 Heritage Items and 5 – Schedule  Environmental Heritage - Lot 4, DP 38371 Local Significance # 114 - The Albury house became rundown in later years and was donated to a Heritage organization (maybe National Trust). It no longer appears on their register but appears on the Albury Local Environment Plan 2010 Schedule 5 – Environmental Heritage. The site was subdivided and the current house is on a 900 m2 block and renovated c 2003 and is again a beautiful home in the fabric of Albury.

[iii] Family of John Martin Egan - http://members.speedweb.com.au/thore/hoaretree1.htm

70. CLARA OLIVE5 RIXON (CHARLES HENRY4, JOHN WILLIAM3, ANN2 HOARE, JOHN1) was born 1904 in Wodonga, VIC, and died 18-Jan-1929 in Albury, NSW. She married JOHN MARTIN EGAN 1925 in Albury, NSW, son of PATRICK EGAN and JEMIMA STORMONT. He was born 1903 in Junee, NSW, and died 14-Jun-1971. Children of CLARA RIXON and JOHN EGAN are:

• • i. Leonard John EGAN, b. Abt. 1925. married Yvonne A. Bromilow in May 1950. (see: Border Morning Mail newspaper 06 May 1950.)

  • ii. Kevin EGAN, b. Abt. 1927.

 iv.   Patrick was born at Fish River / Tarana, NSW - His father may have been laying tracks on that line at the time - Fish River was a small railway station on the Main South railway line in New South Wales, Australia. It opened in 1875 and closed to passenger services in 1975. The signal box survived for a time after the platform was demolished, little trace of the station now survives. final section, from Cowra to Blayney opened in August 1887. ( Oberon (or Fish River Creek), Co. Westmoreland is a small postal township in the parish of Oberon, electoral district of E. Macquarie, and police district of Bathurst. It is situated on the Fish River creek, the Duckmaloi, Race course, King's and Wiseman's creeks flowing into the neighbourhood. The Glyndwr steam mills (Whalan's) ajoins the township, which is situated in an agricultural district; the Native Dog creek and Brisbane Valley diggings, both alluvial, being, respectively, 8 and 7 miles W. The nearest places are O'Connell town, 12 miles; Rockley, 20 miles W.; Bathurst 30 miles N.W.; Hartley, 25 miles E., with which places there is communication by horse or dray only, the mail being conveyed on horseback. With Sydney, 147 miles W.N.W., the communication is by Cobb's coach from any of those places to Penrith, and thence by rail. there is one hotel in the township, called the Wheatsheaf inn. The surrounding country consists of a table land, surrounded by mountains and heavily timbered. The geological formation is hornblendic granite, with basaltic rock, clay slate and numerous quartz reefs. the population numbers about 30 persons