The Stationmasters

We are again indebted to Poet John Close, this time for a drawing of Mr. William Hogg the first and ‘esteemed’ stationmaster at Kirkby Stephen.

William had been a railway guard working out of Barnard Castle where he met his wife Sarah Annie Walker born 1832, the daughter of Jonathan Walker, a Draper. Their daughter Lucy Emma was born in ‘Barney’ before their move to Kirkby Stephen. Mr. Hogg was provided with a house in the row of four ‘railway cottages’ initially called Mount Pleasant built opposite the station.

William and Sarah had four further children born in Kirkby Stephen: Charles 1862, Francis A 1865, Albert Thomas 1864 and Ada Calverley 1868. Mrs. Hogg had a live-in servant to help with the family in1881 named Isabella Sayer from Kirkby Stephen.

Jonathan Walker died in Kirkby Stephen, Poet Close wrote an obituary (above) plus a rather lengthy twenty verse poem entitled ‘Old Jonathan is Gone’ dated 14 August 1862.

Poet Close tells us that Mr. Hogg was ‘well known for his gentlemanly courtesy and agreeable manner.’ A devout man, he was Deacon of the newly built Congregational Church in Kirkby Stephen opened in 1865, here he is described as a “tower of strength for many years”. His son, Albert went on to become Rev. Albert Hogg of Clifton Downs, Bristol.

Son Francis who worked as a railway clerk is said to be killed in 1908 by a cricket ball hitting his head

 

 

Other recorded stationmasters at Kirkby Stephen East:

• William Turner between 1897 and 1906.

• Irving Ruddock 1910

• William Sanderson 1940’s-1950’s

• W H Hill in the 1950’s. Regarded as a “great boss”, strict but fair. One of his favourite phrases when walking into the booking office maybe six times a day was “is there owt spoiling?” He was from the Bridlington area.

The last stationmaster at Kirkby Stephen east was Percy Sarginson for 10 months only just before closure (also station master at West station). Reproduced below is a photograph of his retirement dinner at the Croglin Castle.

We are very keen to try and establish a complete listing of all stationmasters and staff at Kirkby Stephen east over the years and any help that you can give us will be very welcome!