The dead tell tales
landowner and mill owner, Alexander Bell.
George and Sarah had four children. Daughter Hilda broke her arm in 1907 while swinging in the trees at Hamilton West School, situated on Garden Place Hill. Cornfoot bought the land at the top of Tainui Street in 1909 and was living there by 1911.
In March 1912, the Frankton Town Board bought land from Cornfoot in order to build the water tower, and contracted to provide a continuous supply of fresh water to Cornfoot’s home.
Cornfoot and Tompkins were also property developers. In April 1909, with Felix McGuire, they advertised for sale 50 business and residential sections from
acre to two acres in size. It was called ‘‘Town of Frankton Extension No.2’’; these sections were north of Massey Street.
Three of the new streets were given the names Edgar, Arthur and George - their own (or their sons’) first names. The scheme seems not to have been a great success, as in December 1913 the roads were covered in gorse and grass. Only Edgar and West Streets still exist, and most of the sections have been amalgamated into larger parcels or taken as railway land.
Cornfoot was not short of money, as he also owned 1500 acres south of Whatawhata, most of which he leased out.
He had a large herd of pedigree polled angus, as well as shorthorn, holstein and jersey cross cattle and 1500 ewes, most sold off in 1917. In 1917 he bought land at Waipukurau valued (with the stock) at £140,000. In 1927, in partnership with his wife Sarah and son Harry, he bought the Springhill Estate in Hawke’s Bay, 7226 acres valued at £57,800. This was his undoing – they were adjudged bankrupt in 1928. Cornfoot’s assets were £250 of furniture and a car valued at £80. His other land in and around Hamilton must have been sold off earlier.
George and Sarah continued to live in Hamilton: when Sarah died in 1944 they were living in Liverpool Street, George still listing his occupation as ‘‘farmer’’. George died in Tauranga in 1952 aged 80 years, the loved father of Harry, Gordon and Alan.