204KbJ A STEEL, PORTER 1936 to 1940
James Allan Steel was a porter at Middlemarch during period 1936 to 1940, a total of 3 years and 7 months. He left for the war from the Middlemarch and was presented with a watch by the local people. His son has donated that watch back to the Strath Taieri Historical Museum. Allan Steel is also remembered on the Soldiers Memorial in Middlemarch, where his name is unfortunately spelled Steele.
As a porter he had a uniform that looked quite smart in those days. He started as a Porter on 1/10d per hour and after 12 months increased to 2/2½d per hour, then a year later to 2/3½d per hour.
Allan Steel joined the Railways in Dunedin on 1 Sep 1936, aged 20, as a Junior porter and was moved to Middlemarch a few months later. After returning from the war in 1943 he rejoined the Railways serving in Dunedin, Goodwood, Ranfurly, Lyttelton, Clinton, Waipara and finally back to Dunedin in 1957.
J Allan Steel at the Hyde railway yards 1937. Allan is in the middle. Can anyone identify the other two people??
It was in Middlemarch that he met his future wife, Annie Leask, who had come from Kelso with her sister, Alma, to work at Turnbull's hotel across the road from station. She always spoke of the good times she enjoyed at Middlemarch, where she played the piano at the Saturday night dances. Allan Steel and Annie Leask were married in Dunedin two weeks after Allan's return on furlough (leave of absence) on 31 July 1943.
During this time he progressed from Porter to Tablet Porter, then became a Guard. He also worked as a shunter.
The Middlemarch Station building. Prob 1939. 
Turnbull's Railway Hotel, 1937.
The Middlemarch railway yards 1937.
The goods shed, 1937.
Sadly, Allan Steel died suddenly from a heart attack whilst working as a guard on the express at Invercargill in 1962, aged just 46.
This story and photos were provided by the family of Allan Steel. Our thanks to Allan Steel Jr, seen here in 1962, aged 10, acting as Assistant Guard after a trip on the Dunedin to Christchurch Express.