James (Jim) Hampson - 1930's

When James (Jim) Hampson was retrenched from the Workshops due to the depression, as soon as he had completed his apprenticeship as a boilermaker, a long-standing family tradition was broken. Jim was a third generation railway employee at Midland Junction. His grandfather John migrated from England, pitched a tent on his bit of land and began work as the first crane driver at the Midland Railway Company, under Foreman Enos Watson. His father, Harry was a blacksmith striker at the Ways and Works Workshop and was well known in the District as a sportsman. Handsome Harry Hampson, the Happy Hero, as he was known, was a champion cyclist and boxer, and instilled in his children a love of sport.

Jim and two of his brothers played baseball alongside of other railway apprentices. Football was also popular, and another of Jim’s brothers was the mascot for the local team, the Kendel Football Club. Team spirit was strong in a town where almost everyone was employed by the Government Railways, and players were heroes in the local community.

She barracks for Midland I’ll bet you a zack
The colours on her bloomers are yellow and black.

For Jim his retrenchment meant he left his home town forever. He gained work in the railways in South Australia until World War 11 when he enlisted in the Australian Navy where he became Chief Petty Officer on the Burnie. After the War he settled in Victoria.

Thanks to Dolly Hope and Beryl Antonau for assistance with this story

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