by Phyllis Stiskin
My grandfather built and lived in several of the lovely stone houses in Wollongong Road, Arncliffe. I remember the one opposite Arncliffe Park, another on the corner of Station Street and “Lillyville”, named after his youngest daughter.
William Thomas Booth, wife Bessie and son William came from Chester, England on the ship “Hampshire”. My mother, Elizabeth Hamshire Booth, was born in Australian waters on board the ship, 21 September 1883.
Having worked for the London Railways, William transferred to Sydney Railways, mainly at Tempe, Rockdale, and Arncliffe. He was at Arncliffe as a “night porter” on a Station Master’s ticket. According to the railway’s records, he retired because of ill-health in 1911.
Then William turned to building, under the not unusual circumstances of the times, as having built a home for himself, lived in it for a time, sold it and went on to build another, hence Sands Street Directory has him listed as:
- Queen Street, Arncliffe 1889
- King Street, Arncliffe 1901
- Dennison Street, Arncliffe 1904
- Hurst Street, Arncliffe 1902-3
- Farr Street, Rockdale 1907, 8, 9
- Wollongong Road, (Lillyville) 1909-18
- then at 8 Hamilton Street, Arncliffe, where William lived until his death in 1937, and Bessie until her death.
Post & Telegraph Names:
- 1891 John & Charles Luff, Market gardeners – north side
- 1891 George A Thorpe, Joiner – Luff (or Lauff) Street, north side
- 1892 Charles Bampton, Luff Street, Arncliffe – north side
- 1895-99 & 1901-1910 Charles Bampton, Luff Street, Arncliffe
- 1884 Jolloffes, Old Wollongong Road, Botany West
- 1885 William Beehag, Short Street – (Spring Street to paddock)
- 1885 S.A. Jeeves, Hannan Street, Botany West, off Arncliffe Street
Copy of Railway Record (original details in copperplate handwriting)
Folio 1369 – Traffic Railways Register
Name in full: BOOTH William. Date of birth 17 Oct. 1859. Proof of age.(illegible)
Temporary Staff Certificate: No. nil
Date commenced on probation for 6 months: 17 Feb 1885
Permanent Staff Certificate: No. nil
Date commenced to contribute to Railway Service Superannuation Fund: 1 Oct 1910
Board of Examiners’ Certificate: No. nil.
For particulars of Insurance Policies transferred to the Railway
Service Superannuation Board, see Insurance Card
| Date | Position | Station | Branch | Rate of Pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17/02/85 | Porter | Arncliffe | Traffic | 7/- per day |
| 1/1/86 | Porter | Arncliffe | Traffic | 7/6 per day |
| 25/2/89 | Signalman | Arncliffe | Traffic | 7/6 per day |
| 13/5/89 | Porter | Arncliffe | Traffic | 7/- per day |
| 15/7/89 | Signalman | Arncliffe | Traffic | 7/6 per day |
| 1/1/90 | Signalman | Arncliffe | Traffic | 8/- per day |
| 02/01/91 | Signalman | Arncliffe | Traffic | 8/6 per day |
| 07/07/91 | Signalman | Arncliffe | Traffic | 9/- per day |
| 07/07/91 | Signalman | Arncliffe | Traffic | 10/7 per day |
| 23/03/92 | Signalman | Arncliffe | Traffic | 8/6 per day |
| 22/11/01 | Signalman | Arncliffe | Traffic | 9/- per day |
| 26/02/04 | Ticket Collector | Arncliffe | Traffic | 8/6 per day |
| 23/07/04 | Ticket Collector | Arncliffe | Traffic | 8/6 per day |
| 06/02/05 | Barrier Porter | Arncliffe | Traffic | 8/- per day |
| 24/02/05 | Signalman | Tempe | Traffic | 8/- per day |
| 01/05/06 | Night Officer | Erskineville | Traffic | £130 per annum |
| 01/06/06 | Night Officer | Tempe | Traffic | £130 per annum |
| 01/07/08 | Night Officer | Tempe | Traffic | £140 per annum |
| 01/01/10 | Night Officer | Tempe | Traffic | £150 per annum |
| 17/10/11 | no entry | |||
| 1909 | Night Officer | Tempe | ||
| 1903 | Signalman | Sydenham |
Remarks:
- Cal3/246 granted 6 months leave without pay to visit England from 19/2/03, approved 23/1/03.
- July ’04 retired. Ca04/1842 237.04 To be retired with a gratuity of £38. Booth speaks of accident in his letter, 13/5/04, but there is no record of his having met with one. Voucher passed 23/7/04 for …
- Feb ’05 re-employed – Ca04/1842 – appealed to be re-employed and for further compensation. May be re-employed when a vacancy occurs 8/- per day, but no further compensation to be allowed. The £38 gratuity to be refunded in instalments. Refunded.
- June ’06 suspended 5 days in May – deducted from June ’06 salaries. (not … for). This time should have been 4 1/2 days. Paid 1/2 day in July sals.
- Sick from 17/2/11 to 14/3/11 and paid at £ 75 per annum – half rates £4.17.0 – £10.1.7, 3/- sup. paid 13 days leave and to amt 26/5/11.
- Oct ’11 Retired – approved to be retired on Medical Officer’s recommendation. Ca/11/57935 5/9/11. Decided by Superannuation Board ‘to be retired’ 14/12/11. Only one month’s leave on retirement approved owing to large … of sick leave granted …
Unless otherwise noted, images are courtesy of the Bayside Library Service Local History Collection.
This article was first published in the April 1982 edition of our magazine.
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