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Mortuary Station, Redfern 1871

Mortuary Station, Redfern 1871

From the collections of the

State Library of New South Wales

[d1_05247 / GPO1 05247]

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Appears in

Chippendale Funeral trains The Railways of Sydney: Shaping the City and its Commerce

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Death and Dying Railway stations Trains Victorian architecture

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Mortuary railway station

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State Library of New South Wales

Chippendale

Chippendale's progress from Gadigal forest and wetland, to farm and nursery, was followed by industrial development that made it a polluted and deprived suburb. Community, charity and religion helped inhabitants, but poor drainage and unplanned development persisted until the end of the nineteenth century. As the number of factories grew, population fell, and recent migrants moved in. From the 1970s, as the factories closed, Chippendale again became an attractive place to live, drawing students, artists and others who wanted an inner-city life.

Funeral trains

By the 1840s, Sydney's Devonshire Street cemetery was nearing capacity so planning commenced for a new cemetery at Haslems Creek. From 1867 through to 1948, a branch from the Parramatta to Sydney line brought mourners and coffins into the Rookwood Necropolis, with grand sandstone mortuary stations at both ends.

The Railways of Sydney: Shaping the City and its Commerce

Across the world, steam railways and electric tramways facilitated the expansion of the small cities of pre-industrial times into vast metropolises. This essay explores the role of railways in shaping the Sydney metropolis we know today.

Death and Dying

Railway stations

Trains

Victorian architecture

Mortuary railway station

full record »

Gothic style railway station on Regent Street in Chippendale that was built on a spur line as a terminus for funeral trains to Rookwood cemetery. Designed by James Barnet and built in two colours of Pyrmont sandstone, the receiving station at the other end of the line was in a similar style. The first time the station was used was for the funeral of Dr William Bland on 23 July 1868. In 1938 funeral trains stopped running from Mortuary station and the name was changed to Regent Street Station. The station, with some stationary rail cars, was restored and used as a restaurant in the 1980s. It is occasionally opened for heritage events.