BIOGRAPHY
George Redpath was born in 1892 in Otago, New Zealand, the fifth child of George and Charlotte Redpath. In 1893 his parents and family moved to Gisborne, and eventually to a farm at Rakauroa. George attended primary school at Whakarau and Rakauroa.
In 1905 George won a Junior National Scholarship in the Education Department's examinations which entitled him to free schooling and a boarding grant at high school. He attended high school in Gisborne. While at high school George played rugby in the first fifteen as a forward in 1908 and 1909. The team played Napier High School 2nd XV in 1908 and Napier High School 1st XV in 1909. A photo of the 1909 team is shown above. In 1908 he won a Senior National Scholarship which also paid his high school and boarding fees, and he was able to complete his secondary schooling. George was the first dux of the Gisborne High School in 1909 and he had the ninth highest mark in the University examinations for Senior National Scholarship that year. He qualified for entry into Medical School at Otago University and began his studies there in 1910.
The day after New Zealand declared war on 4 August 1914, George, together with 20 other final year medical students, volunteered to join the Expeditionary Force as medical officers. The students sat their exams, were passed, commissioned, and joined the Medical Corps (UK Army). They were not registered medical practitioners in New Zealand, probably because obstetrics and gynaecology training was incomplete. George completed his medical training while overseas.
George left New Zealand in 1915 and was soon on active service with the Army Medical Corps, becoming a Captain in July 1916. As noted in the
newspaper articles he was was wounded three times, was blown up twice, was gassed, and had malaria several times. Following two years with the Imperial Forces in the Royal Army Medical Corps (8 July 1915 to 8 July 1917), George was honourably discharged at his own request in London to join the New Zealand forces. He was posted to Egypt with the NZ Medical Corp but suffered from alcoholism. George was returned to New Zealand on account of alcoholism at the end of January 1918 and was discharged from the army in April 1918.
George's military file (available on
Archway) indicates that initially George was so badly affected by alcoholism that it was considered he was unable to practice medicine. Numerous attempts were made to get the Army to provide treatment but this was refused once George eventually agreed to have treatment, because his condition was considered to not be a result of service with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The files made no mention of his service with the Imperial forces. The Archway file contains letters from relatives pleading for the Government to provide treatment for George.
George applied to have his name placed on the New Zealand Medical Register on 24 June 1918. Shortly after, in October 1918, George married
Mary Mortleman from Matawai, and the couple lived at Rakauroa. During the Flu Epidemic of 1918 George worked day and night doctoring the flu victims in the Rakauroa, Matawai and Motu districts. Only one of his patients died. His recommendation to avoid the flu was a mixture made with condy's crystals and salt be gargled and sniffed up the nose at least once a day. The treatment kept the flu away.
In April 1919 George and Mary moved to the Chatham Islands, where George was a medical practitioner, but also was appointed sheriff, Justice of the Peace, and a member of the Chatham Islands Licensing Committee. In 1920 Mary died in childbirth while George was away attending to another patient. Mary's family never forgave George for not being present for the birth.
From 1921 George's alcoholism resulted in a number of court appearances and a police record.
Newspaper articles from 1921 to 1924 reported his court appearances, George twice being convicted of false pretences and prohibited from drinking alcohol. In 1921 he was sent for treatment at Rotoroa Island, with his relations having to provide payment. Rotoroa Island, off Waiheke Island's east coast, was off-limits to the public for over a century as New Zealand's first and longest running alcohol and drug addiction treatment centre.
In 1923 George Redpath married
Isabella MacDonald, a nurse who had served overseas during the war with Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps. Isabella was the Matron at Whitianga Hospital where George was Medical Superintendent. George was Resident Medical Officer at Maungaturoto, Northland, in January 1925. George also practiced medicine in Opotiki and in Henderson, Auckland, but because of alcoholism, was in court from time to time. George became an embarrassment for his family due to the need to get him out of trouble and support him during treatment for alcoholism.
According to electoral rolls, George and Isabella lived in Wellington from 1938 and George did not practice medicine. Isabella died in 1950 and George in 1951, both being buried in Karori Cemetery, Wellington.
Chris Korte's New Zealand Genealogy Project
1892 - 1951 (58 years)
Has 41 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.
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