Rail Tale Episode 1 - Queensland's first Station Master

The Queensland Rail History Podcast

A short rail tale about Queensland’s first Station Master…

Sir Charles Fox and Son, Agents for the Queensland Government based in London, were appointed as consulting engineers to the colony of Queensland and were given the job to find administrative staff for the Southern and Western Railway, then under construction between Ipswich and Grandchester (Bigges Camp). On 12 January 1865, the agents distributed the copy for an advertisement to seek men to fill the following positions: ”Traffic Manager, Locomotive and Rolling Stock Superintendent, Station Master, Accountant, two Railway Clerks, two Head Porters and two Signalmen”. The advertisement appeared in Engineer on 20 January 1865. Each applicant was required to enclose testimonials, state the salary required and be prepared to leave for the colony before the end of February.

Despite the short time available to prepare them, about 700 applications were received for the ten positions. Having carefully studied their testimonials, Fox and Son selected the most eligible for a personal interview to choose staff for Queensland.

One of those selected was John Scorra. Scorra worked on the Great Northern Line in Great Britain before moving to the London, Chatham and Dover railway. In 1865, he was a highly recommended Station Master. Scorra sailed as a single man but was married on 11 September 1866, to Sarah Trickey Garrett and they were to have four children. Unfortunately, by 1873 their only son and one of three daughters had died.

John Scorra was employed at the Class IV level in the then Queensland Public Service and was appointed as Queensland's first Station Master.

The then brand-new Ipswich station building he was to occupy was first begun in April 1865 with a frontage to Ellenborough Street and built of materials largely imported from England. It was an impressive terminal station for the then fledgling Southern and Western Railway. The station officially opened on 1 August 1865 and Scorra, as Station Master, lived in the upstairs part of the building. The upper floor included not only the residence for the Station Master but also offices for the traffic department.

Scorra moved into this residence on 19 January 1866, and was granted an allowance of £28 for his previous accommodation. After being appointed as Ipswich’s first Station Master, John Scorra rose through the ranks. By April 1869, Scorra was Station Master in Toowoomba. Shortly after this, Scorra took up the role of Pay Clerk and Station Auditor, Southern and Western Railway, that was based in Brisbane. In September 1873, the Scorra family had an address in Kent Street, Brisbane. Scorra was promoted to the position of Clerk in the Locomotive Department. It was while in this role that John Scorra fell ill and died on 28 October 1879, reportedly “much regretted by officers of the department who held him in high regard”.

Sarah and her remaining two daughters travelled to England in 1882 but returned to Queensland where her daughters later married. Sarah Scorra passed away in 1945 and was buried with John in Toowong Cemetery.
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