George Corscadden was born in 1854 in Londonderry Northern Ireland.
He married Kate Browne in Coleraine, Northern Ireland in 1883 and they arrived in Redcliffe in 1883.
They had two sons and six daughters.
Eleanor Elizabeth Beedham. (b. 1885)
Emily Annie Houghton (b. 1887)
Matilda Kate Corscadden.(b. 1891)
George Hiram Corscadden (b. 1894)
Lilly Corscadden and Louis Corscadden (b. 1896 and 1897)
Doris Isabell Corscadden (b.1904)
On November 6th 1906, JE MacGregor resigned as caretaker of the Redcliffe Jetty.
George Corscadden was appointed as his replacement.
George Corscadden with his trap and horses at the jetty. George would meet the steam boats at the jetty and transport the passengers and luggage. There is another trap on the other side of the jetty. Photo from the Moreton Bay Libraries Collection: RLPC-001\001694
George would go on to be the caretaker of the Jetty for many years. Waiting with his horse and cart to take the many tourists arriving at the jetty on the Steamships, to their accomodation at local boarding houses and hotels. He served over 40 years employed by the Redcliffe Council and lived on John St and then Dix St, Redcliffe for many years.
Redcliffe Jetty c.1910 with George Corscadden with his horse and dray.
Photo from in the Pictorial History Of Redcliffe book 1824 to 1949
George Corscadden with his horse and cart on the Esplanade at Redcliffe. The original Moreton Bay Hotel is at left.
Photo from the Moreton Bay Libraries Collection: RLPC-001\001848
Featured in the Pictorial History Of Redcliffe book 1824 to 1949
Redcliffe Council Workers in the 1920s. Back row (left to right) - Mr Greenstreet, George Corscadden and Dick Devers. Middle row - Tom Haskins, Harry Peiper, John Tebby, Andy Belcher, Sam Walker and Fred Williams. Front - Bill (surname unknown).
Photo from the Moreton Bay Libraries Collection: RMPC-100\100925
Redcliffe Council Workers in the 1920s. Standing (left to right) - Harry Peiper, Tom Haskins, George Corscadden, Dick Devers, M. Greenstreet, Sam Walker, P. Kelly and Fred Williams. Sitting - John Tebby and Andy Belcher. Road works on Klingner Road and Prince Edward Parade. Photo from the Moreton Bay Libraries Collection:RMPC-100\100926
Redcliffe Council workers c. 1920. Harry Peiper, Andy Beacher, Dick Devers, George Corscadden and John Tebby standing on MacDonnell Road with their shovels.
Photo from the Moreton Bay Libraries Collection: RMPC-100\100288
George and Kate's son : George Hiram Corscadden:
Lodge members: Back row from left: George H. Corscadden, Bob Thompson, Sam Walker, Tom Haskins, Ernie Palmer. Centre row from left: Bill Rawlinson, Tilley Head from Brisbane, Andy Belcher, Percy George Manley. Front row from left: Ernie Kroll, Alec Hargreaves.
Photo from the Moreton Bay Libraries Collection:RLPC-000\000661
"Mr. George Corscadden was a young man fresh from Coleraine, County 'Derry, Ireland, when, in 1883, he and his wife went to Redcliffe, where he worked at Patrick O'Leary's Redcliffe Hotel. He has lived there ever since, and is remarkably active, despite his 77 years. He scorns the idea that he should live in retirement. "It would kill me in a week if I had nothing to do," he says, so he still works to keep himself occupied. Mr. Corscadden is a living example of the health of Redcliffe, for, after 47 years' continuous residence in the town, he can boast that he has never had a day's sickness in his life. After about six months' work at the hotel, he entered into the employ of the municipal council, which he served for about 40 years."
"The foundations of the old convict buildings were very plain to be seen at Redcliffe as late as 1881. They were about 80 or 100 yards due west, or a little to the north of west, of the Ambassadors Hotel. From those old buildings the bakehouse at Redcliffe, the brick paving, and the floors of the bakery and the chimney of the original hotel were taken. One of the interesting experiences of Mr. George Corscadden (who still lives at Redcliffe), when he went to work at O'Leary's Redcliffe Hotel, in 1883, was to wheel up to the hotel in an old buggy bricks that had been left by the convicts when the settlement was shifted in 1824. The kiln was situated in the creek (now practically dried up) behind the Catholic Church, and near the bridge that is crossed on the road just before entering the town proper of Redcliffe. They were fine bricks, but there were not many. Sufficient were found to use in the kitchen and in the veranda off the kitchen off the hotel. When the hotel was being altered and renovated a few years ago an ash-tray, remarkably well preserved, was found among the old bricks presumably put there by whoever built the hotel in 1881. The old convict bricks were used to pave a path in the backyard of the hotel, and may be seen to this day."
Kate passed away in 1926 aged 64 years.
George Corscadden passed away on 17th April 1938 aged 82 years in Redcliffe.
They are both buried together at the Redcliffe Cemetery. Section 3-Row E-Plot 3
Corscadden Park , adjacent to Humpybong Creek in Redcliffe is named in honour after George's grandson GEORGE HIRAM WILLIAM CORSCADDEN who was a World War 2 veteran having served in the regular army and in Z Special Unit, a commando unit that operated behind enemy lines.
George Hiram William Corscadden was born in Sandgate on 30th March 1921. He married Dorothy Frances Fish on 19 January 1944 in Brisbane.
He enlisted on 5th October 1943, and his Service numbers were QX58413, Q122528.
They had two children during their marriage. He died on 20 June 1992, aged 71 years and is buried at the Redcliffe Cemetery. CO3/D/15
Photo from the Moreton Bay Libraries Collection:RLPC-002\002178
In 2010 the park was the scene of an archaeological dig to search for the site of the original 1824 convicts brick kiln:
George Corscadden is listed on the wall of the Redcliffe Wall of Fame:
A collection of portrait and information honouring the achievements of individuals who have influenced and shaped Redcliffe. The collection is in the Jetty Arcade at 139-141 Redcliffe Parade.
For a complete list of people who appear on the wall click on the following blog post:
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