George Marchant

George Marchant (17 November 1857 – 5 September 1941) was a soft-drink manufacturer and philanthropist in Brisbane, Colony of Queensland.

Early life

Marchant was born in Brasted, Kent, England, the son of a builder and hotel keeper. As a boy he became interested in the temperance movement. He arrived in Brisbane, Colony of Queensland on the Ramsey on 9 June 1874 at age 16 with only a few shillings. He worked as a gardener and then a station hand in the country until returning to Brisbane for employment as a carter in an aerated waters factory. Marchant Park is named after him. A ward of the Brisbane City Council centred on Chermside is also named Marchant Ward.

He was a major benefactor in the establishment of the Canberra Temperance Hotel in Brisbane, which opened in 1929.

In 1932, the Queensland Society for Crippled Children was established to care for children with severe physical disabilities arising from the polio epidemic of 1932. In September 1932, Marchant donated his home Montrose and its 5 acres of gardens at Taringa to the society to establish an institution for the care and treatment of the children. When the number of children needing care became too many to be accommodated in Montrose, Marchant purchased a property at Consort Street, Corinda as a new larger facility which continued to be called Montrose (which is still in use for the care of disabled children in 2015).

Later life

Marchant's wife died in 1925, and he died 5 September 1941.

His soft drink business was purchased in 1964 by Coca-Cola Amatil.

Awards In 2018, George Marchant was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.