State Rail Personal History Cards

Martyn Killion | Director, Collections, Access & Engagement takes you behind the scenes at NSW State Archives.

Come and see what an archival storage cell looks like. He also looks at the popular railway personal history cards.

Railway Personal History Cards - Employees born before 1900 [NRS 12922]

These cards detail the service history of railway employees born prior to 1900 who were still employed in 1910 when the Railway Service Superannuation Act was introduced. The cards were kept by the Finance Branch to record rates of pay, leave, and superannuation entitlements. Examples of details include: name and date of birth, date of probationary and permanent appointment, staff number, position held, railways branch employed by, name of railway station(s) employed at, rate of pay, and a “remarks” column where qualifications, award variations, leave taken, medical conditions affecting employment, military leave, information regarding dismissal, retrenchment, resignation or retirement, and details of superannuation entitlements were recorded.