About: George Cornwell

George Cornwell was a British railway engineer and building contractor working in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in the second half of the nineteenth century. Among his prominent works, were the Hawthorn Railway Bridge built in 1861, with a span of about 60 metres (200 ft), being one of the last major items of permanent way to be completed on the fledgling Melbourne and Suburban Railway. Under the name 'George Cornwell and Co.' Cornwell had previously been involved as contractor in many other major construction works including the Melbourne Grammar School, the Model School, Coppin's Haymarket Theatre, the Sunbury railway goods shed and other Melbourne and Suburban Railway works. Subsequently, he was a contractor on Parliament House, Albert Park Station, Jack's Magazine and the Wallaby Cree