Embedded Files
Historical Research
Historical Research
– Looking for the Evidence By Jennifer Baker ( Jenny Baker )
– Looking for the Evidence By Jennifer Baker ( Jenny Baker )
Women of the Victorian Railways
Women of the Victorian Railways
Refreshment room staff, Bendigo Railway Station, circa 1929.
Creator: Kalma Studio
Source: Museum Victoria
Item MM 4048
This image is: Public Domain
Stationmistress and ganger, Thurla Railway Station, circa 1929.
Creator: P Richardson
Source: Museum Victoria
Item MM 3642
This image is: Public Domain
Research Disclaimer : Please note that This Research was done many years ago now :
so the information contained may now be out of date , photos gone missing or web links broken
My apologises : But It has become an impossible task to try and keep it up to date - Jenny
Looking for Eve on the Line
Looking for Eve on the Line
- Summary of Findings from the Indexing work of the Triennial List of Railway Employees in the Government Gazettes and the Railways Commissioner's reports 1880 - 1929
When I started this indexing work there was very little really known about Women and their work on the Victorian Railways. I wanted to find out if Victorian Railways had during WW1 followed Great Britain and employed women to do a great variety of jobs on the railway.
It was assumed by most that the hey day of employment of women in the railways would be in the 1920's when the Refreshment Services Branches was established.
Well what I found was a whole different story !
As you can see from the chart of the summary of my findings the hey day of Victorian Railways was in fact 1887 when 925 women were employed.
The reasons for the decline in numbers :
the 1st decline was that in 1889 the Public Service Act was passed; this barred all married women from working in the public service. Married women were forced to retire immediately, regardless of their personal or financial situation. This sent the Numbers to dramatically drop from the 925 women employed down to 183 women employed
the 2nd decline occurred in 1903 and looks to be a backlash effect of the 1903 great strike in Victorian railways and there were a lot of newspaper articles about that Victorian railways were trying to cut costs by employing women to do men's jobs
Despite the declines in the numbers of women being employed there were some women who did manage to have long term employment like Margaret Jane Shaw who had worked for 45 years 1st as Gate Keeper and then a later as a Office cleaner
And the types of jobs women were employed in were :
And the types of jobs women were employed in were :
Station Mistress / Woman in Charge
13 Women managed to gain the position of Station Mistress or as it was later known as Woman in Charge
Women's deaths on the Railway
And ten Women even died undertaking their work as Gatekeeper's
Their Pay Rates :
In the 1902 Gazette we saw for the first time what the Salary rate that people where being paid per week for working on the Railways
Salary or rate of pay at 1.1.1902 was
Assistant gatekeeper 1s per day
Gatekeeper 1s to 5s and up to 15s ( the average was between 1s - 5s ) per day
Waiting-room attendant 4s to 5s per day
Ladies waiting-room attendant 5s per day
Clerk 7s 6d per day
Office cleaner £1 per week
Woman in charge 4s 6d ( previously called Station mistress ) per day
But what I didn't find was .....
as we can see Victorian Railways did not employ women to fill the gaps of men going off to WW1 like what happened in Great Britain
And more surprising it did not employ a large number of waitresses and Refreshment services staff in the 1920's as permanent staff. It may be they were employed as temporary or casuals and there for not listed in the permanent employee records
The Victorian Government Gazettes.
The Victorian Government Gazettes.
The Gazette published a list of railway employees every three years between 1880 and 1929
Information given in the lists is:
- Name
- their employee number,
- date of birth,
- branch they worked in,
- position,
- date of entry (that is date on which they were permanently employed) and sometimes to
- and rate of pay.
- sometimes station at
Where to find the Triennial List of Railway Employees in the Government Gazette (1880 – 1929)
The list was discontinued after 1929.
Names Index
Names Index
Indexing completed 5 July 2016
Victorian Railways Station Mistress
Victorian Railways Station Mistress
1862
Walker, W Railway Station Mistress
Ref from STATISTICS OF VlCTORIA, 1862.-CIVIL ESTABLISHMENT, ETC.
1880
Foot, Annie Station-mistress ... Moonee Ponds
Ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 106, 10 September 1880, 2294
McColl, Ann Station-mistress - - Chewton
McDonald, Marion ... Station-mistress .. Laketown
Ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 106, 10 September 1880, 2295
Walker, Margaret ,. Station-master ... Lara
Ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 106, 10 September 1880, 2296
Mullen, Maggie Beatrice Station Mistress Ascot Vale
Walker, Margaret Station Mistress Lara
Victorian Government Gazette, No 106, 10 September 1880, 2269 - Page 2295
ref from http://gazette.slv.vic.gov.au/images/1880/V/general/119.pdf
1884
Hourigan, Ellen Traffic Branch Stationmistress
Walker, Margaret Traffic Branch Stationmistress
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 64, 28 May 1884, 1459 - Railway Employees 1884
1886
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 64, 28 May 1884, 1459 - Railway Employees 1884
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpub/VPARL1886NoC3.pdf
Walker, Margaret Entry into Service 5.11. 62 Transferred from Lara to Gisborne, 8. 10. 84
Present Station. - Gisborne
E. Hourigan Entry into Service 2o. 10. 72 Position - G. in C Transfers nill since 1st July, 1883
Present Station. - Clayton's-road
ref from OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF RAILWAY STATIONS. Dated 7th July, 1886,
1887
Walker, Margaret ... Traffic Branch Stationmistress (husband dead, porter)
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 63, 13 July 1887, 2055 - Page 2069
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 63, 13 July 1887, 2055
1890
Hourigan, Ellen Traffic Branch Stationmistress
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 30. 31 Mar 1890
Walker, Margaret ... Traffic Branch Stationmistress
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 30, 31 March 1890, 1237 - Page 1306
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 30, 31 March 1890, 1237
1893
Canterbury, Charlotte Louisa Traffic Branch Station.mistress from I6.7.88 to 8.6.93 Resigned
ref from Victorian railways : report of the Victorian Railways Commissioners for the year ending 30th June 1893 removal of Railways Empolyees
Published 1893
1899
Hourigan, Ellen Traffic Branch Station.mistress from 20.I0.72 to 2J. I2, 98 Retired
Other Positions
Other Positions
GATEKEEPERS COTTAGE APPROX 1890
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
VPRS 12800/P1, item H 3442
Gatekeeper and family in front of their home, Newport, circa 1905.
Description: A GATEKEEPER AT A RAILWAY LEVEL CROSSING WITH HIS FAMILY. THEY ARE STANDING IN FRONT OF THEIR HOME.
Location: Newport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Date: circa 1905
People Depicted: MCLEAN, ROD; MCLEAN FAMILY
Subjects: RAILWAY WORKERS, RAILWAY CROSSINGS, DOMESTIC ENVIRONMENT, FAMILIES, HOUSES
Collection: THE BIGGEST FAMILY ALBUM IN AUSTRALIA
Collection Number:6874
Medium: NEGATIVES - COPY
Source: Museum Victoria
Record No.: MM006829
Summary for 1884
Summary for 1884
transcribed from Victorian Government Gazette, No 64, 28 May 1884, 1459 - Railway Employees 1884
Total no. of women working on the railway : 781
Rank, Position, or Grade
Stationmistress : 4
Station Mistress / Gatekeeper in charge : -
Gatekeeper in charge : 5
Gatekeepers : 751
Assistant Gatekeeper : 3
Acting Gatekeeper : 1
Seamstress : 4
Waiting-room attendant : 6
Repairer : 1
Telegraph Operator : 1
Office cleaner : 3
Ladies’ attendant : 1
(blank) : 1
no.s employed in Branches
Engineers branch : 723
Traffic & Engineers Branch / Eng. & Traffic : 4
Traffic Branch : 44
Telegraph Branch : 2
Secretary’s Branch : 2
Locomotive Branch: 5
(blank) : 1
Railway : -
Existing Lines Branch : -
Refreshment room staff, Ballarat Railway Station, Oct 1925
Source: Museum Victoria
Item MM 540
This image is: Public Domain
SEYMOUR REFRESHMENT PERSONNEL
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
VPRS 12800/P1, item H 4801
MARYBOROUGH REFRESHMENT ROOMS
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
VPRS 12800/P1, item H 2239
REFRESHMENT ROOM STAFF SEYMOUR
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
VPRS 12800/P1, item H 4819
REFRESHMENT WAGON
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
VPRS 12800/P1, item H 2181
REFRESHMENT WAGON
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
VPRS 12800/P1, item H 2252
REFRESHMENT ROOM STAFF SEYMOUR
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
VPRS 12800/P1, item H 4818
Victorian Railways Women's Uniforms
Victorian Railways Women's Uniforms
Refreshment Staff Uniform
Magazine Cover art
Courtesy of Andrew Rayment
of the Puffing Billy Preservation Society
STANDARD WAITRESS UNIFORM
VPRS 12903/P1, item Box 177/04
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
STANDARD WAITRESS UNIFORM
VPRS 12903/P1, item Box 177/06
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
STANDARD WAITRESS UNIFORM
VPRS 12903/P1, item Box 177/09
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
STANDARD WAITRESS UNIFORM
VPRS 12903/P1, item Box 177/10
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
VIEWS OF DINING ROOM WITH HOSTESS / WAITRESS IN UNIFORM
VPRS 12903/P1, item Box 275/01
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
VIEWS OF DINING ROOM WITH HOSTESS / WAITRESS IN UNIFORM
VPRS 12903/P1, item Box 275/02
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
Women of service: The porter.1947
by Harold FREEDMAN
Caulfield, Victoria, Australia 1915 – Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 1999
F.W. NIVEN & CO, Australia
printer, lithographic (organisation)
ink; paper lithograph, printed in colour inks, from multiple zinc plates
Impression: undesignated impression as issued
Edition: print run unknown
printed image 99.4 h x 61.4 w cm
Gift of the artist 1989
Accession No: NGA 89.2118
PORTRAIT OF FEMALE PORTER IN UNIFORM 1947
VPRS 12903/P1, item Box 414/05
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
PORTRAIT OF FEMALE PORTER IN UNIFORM 1947
VPRS 12903/P1, item Box 414/07
Public Transport Corporation Photographic Collection
AWM photo 136625
MELBOURNE, VIC. 1942-06-26. MR H. PEEL, VICTORIAN RAILWAYS CLOTHING INSPECTOR, LOOKING OVER THE FIRST UNIFORM MADE FOR WOMEN PORTERS. THE UNIFORM IS STEEL GREY AND FEATURES A DIVIDED SKIRT
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/136625
Reference
Reference
Victoria Government Gazettes
Victoria Government Gazettes
Victorian Government Gazettes - AUSTLII search site
Victoria Government Gazzettes -SLV search site
Where to find the Triennial List of Railway Employees in the Government Gazette (1880 – 1929)
The list was discontinued after 1929.
Victorian Railways Annual Reports, Parliamentary Papers, Melbourne.
Victorian Railways Annual Reports, Parliamentary Papers, Melbourne.
1862
Ref from STATISTICS OF VlCTORIA, 1862.-CIVIL ESTABLISHMENT, ETC.
1880
Ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 106, 10 September 1880, 2294
Ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 106, 10 September 1880, 2295
Ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 106, 10 September 1880, 2296
Victorian Government Gazette, No 106, 10 September 1880, 2269 - Page 2295
1884
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 64, 28 May 1884, 1459 - Railway Employees 1884
1886
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 64, 28 May 1884, 1459 - Railway Employees 1884
http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/papers/govpub/VPARL1886NoC3.pdf
ref from OFFICERS IN CHARGE OF RAILWAY STATIONS. Dated 7th July, 1886,
1887
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 63, 13 July 1887, 2055 - Page 2069ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 63, 13 July 1887, 2055
1890
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 30. 31 Mar 1890
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 30, 31 March 1890, 1237 - Page 1306
ref from Victorian Government Gazette, No 30, 31 March 1890, 1237
1893
ref from Victorian railways : report of the Victorian Railways Commissioners for the year ending 30th June 1893 Appointments of Railways Empolyees
Published 1893
ref from Victorian railways : report of the Victorian Railways Commissioners for the year ending 30th June 1893 removal of Railways Empolyees
Published 1893
1895
ref from Victorian railways : report of the Victorian Railways Commissioners for the year ending 30th June 1895 Appointments of Railways Empolyees
1899
The 1890s Depression had disastrous social effects that touched the lives of most people. In Victoria, Section 43 of the Public Service Act 1890 specifically excluded married women from employment in the Public Service. For women who ceased working under this legislation, more than immediate incomes were lost. Retired married women also had to relinquish claims to accrued compensation or pension, receiving compensation of only one month's pay for each year of service.
1st Published : 19th Nov 2015 5 Jul 2016 Page Updated: 13 Sept 2020 © Looking for the Evidence : Jennifer Baker ( Jenny Baker )
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