Charles Ernest Norman

Charles Ernest Norman (1854-1922)

1854 December 31st. Born in Southampton the son of Captain William Norman, commander of HMS Victoria.

1855 Arrived in Victoria, Australia

Educated at Williamstown Grammar School and later Scotch College

1870 Joined Victorian Railways

1899 Married Emily Brown

1909-20 Appointed a Railway Commissioner and was chairman (1915-20)

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1922 Obituary

It was with a sense of keen personal that the railway service learnt of the death of the former chairman of commissioners Mr Charles Ernest Norman, which took place early yesterday morning at his home in Tintern avenue, Toorak. Mr. Norman suffered a paralytic stroke two months ago.

Mr. Norman was born at Southampton, England, on December 31, 1854. He was the third son of the late Captain W. H. Norman, and arrived in Melbourne with his parents on May 5, 1855. He was educated at the Williamstown Grammar School and Scotch College, and was appointed to the railways service on February 21, 1870 at the age of 16 years as an engineering pupil under the late Mr. T. Higinbotham. At that time there were only 275 miles of railways open for traffic in Victoria.

After two years in the head office Mr Norman was sent out as an assistant to one of the district engineers in charge of the construction of the north-eastern line, and he remained in the country assisting in survey and construction until January, 1887, when he returned to the head office as a district engineer.

During the ensuing six years he had charge of the construction of about 500 miles of new lines.

In June, 1893, he was appointed engineer of existing lines, and remained in that position until the death in 1909 of Mr. C. Hudson, Railways Commissioner, when he was appointed a commissioner.

On the retirement of Mr. W. Fitzpatrick from the chairmanship of commissioners on April 5, 1915, Mr. Norman became his successor. His colleagues were the late Mr. L. McClelland and the late Mr. E. B. Jones. On Mr. McClelland's death in June, 1917, Mr. W. M. Shannon was appointed commissioner, while Mr. C. Miscamble became commissioner in September, 1910, following the death on August 1 of that year of Mr. Jones.

Mr. Norman had the difficult task of piloting the railways administration through the strain and stress of the war years when the department was faced with rising costs and transportation troubles caused by the several maritime strikes of that period. He was closely associated with Mr. W. M. Shannon in the completion of the first stages of suburban railway electrification, and saw the first electric trains run on the Sandringham-Essondon line on May 28, 1010.

Mr. Norman was duo to retire on December 1. 1919, ,but remained in office until the appointment, of Mr. H. W. Clapp as chairman of commissioners. Mr. Norman retired on September 16, 1920.

After his retirement he accepted positions as director on the boards of the Silverton Tramway Company in succession to the late Mr. D. McBryde, and the Deniliquin and Moama Railway Co. Ltd.

Mr. Norman was a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers, and in his younger days was a keen oarsman, rowing with the Harwon club. His chief hobby in later years was angling. He leaves a widow and one daughter.

The funeral was conducted privately yesterday afternoon at the Brighton Cemetery. The pallbearers were the Premier (Mr. Lawson), the Minister for Railways (Mr. Barnes), Mr. C. Miscamble, Railways Commissioner; the former chairman of commissioners (Mr. W. F. Fitzpatric), the chief officer of the Metropolitan Fire Brigades (Mr. H. B. Lee), and Messrs. A. A. McCrea, H. F. McDowell, and S. Tripp. The Rev. Perry Martin, of the Church of England, read the burial service. H. Matthews Pty. Ltd. had charge of the funeral arrangements.

On behalf of his colleagues, Messrs. H. W. Clapp and W. M. Shannon, who are away on tour, and the officers and railway stall, Mr. C. Miscamble expressed the sense of heartfelt loss occasioned by Mr. Norman's death. "He was beloved by all who knew him," said the commissioner. "His record of fair dealing was one of which any man might be proud. He was a fine administrator, and a born leader of men, inspiring everyone by his example to do their utmost in the public service."

Mr. W. Sinclair, president of the Victorian branch of the Australian Railways Union, paid a tribute to Mr. Norman in his relations with railwaymen. "He earned the deep respect of everyone in the service," said Mr. Sinclair, "While he was in office he always gave the men a fair deal. Though one of his characteristics was his bluntness we recognised him as honest and sincere, and his aim was always to reach finality in any outstanding matter as quickly as possible. Though he did not always give the men what they wanted, they recognised his straightforwardness of purpose. His name will always be revered by the men of the railways service."

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