"Train whistle blowing"

William G. Tallentire was born 1856 at Patricks Plains, an area in the Hunter district.

He married his first wife, Alice Thomas in 1879 and they had one child, then moved to Campbelltown and had 3 more children. William was employed as a train driver at Campbelltown and by 1894 his salary was 13 shillings a day.

Group of men in front of Camden train with "The Teapot" ( Engine No. 293). 

William Tallentire is on the far right in front of the engine. Photo - CAHS, Norm Campbell

Alice died in 1890 and William then married Hannah Clark in Campbelltown. They had three children together. The family remained in Campbelltown and lived in Patrick Street.  William was a church warden of St Peter’s. He was well known and well liked in the community.
William’s obituary mentions that in his early years he came to Camden to install machinery at Camden Park for Macarthur-Onslow. After becoming a train driver he drove the first train from Campbelltown to Camden and was a regular driver on this route.

William moved to Fairfield in about 1924. He died in 1939, and was buried at Rookwood Cemetery. 

Written by Claire Lynch

Sources

Trove

NSW BDM

Library Photo Database