George and Emma Byrne
Love in isolation
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Have you travelled for love?
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In January 1900, Elizabeth Emma Askew married George Patrick Byrne in Brisbane. She was 19 years old, he was 50 years old. Elizabeth was George’s second wife – his first wife had died the year before. Elizabeth was a cultured and refined lady – skilled at sewing, handicrafts and music. Unlike many women of her era, Elizabeth was also well educated. She studied at St Columba’s Convent in Dalby and met George when she was appointed as a school teacher at Double Island Point.
In 1900 George accepted a position as Superintendent of the Lighthouse at Sandy Cape on Fraser Island. He moved to this isolated, sand island with his young bride and they lived there for 12 years. While at Sandy Cape, Elizabeth gave birth to four children – Esmond, Mervyn, Clarence and Bessie (called Claire). With no hospitals or ambulances near by, Elizabeth had to care for the children herself. Her second child Mervyn died at the age of only four months.
Elizabeth’s wedding gift from George was an upright piano, which was shipped out from Washington D.C.. Her youngest daughter, Claire, recalls lots of musical evenings around the piano, ‘which was a great source of comfort to my mother and of entertainment to the other people on the [lighthouse] station’. Together the Byrne family and the families of the three assistant lighthouse keepers built a small community. Claire remembers an idyllic childhood spent climbing trees, picking wildflowers and bathing in the sea. Elizabeth’s early education proved very useful. With her training as a school teacher, she was able to teach all the children at the lighthouse station.
In 1913, George Byrne was promoted to Superintendent of the lighthouse at Moreton Island. His family moved there until his retirement in 1916, when Cape Moreton lighthouse became a naval station during World War I. George died at Wellington Point in 1932 and Elizabeth died in 1963. Their youngest daughter Claire lived to 101 years and died in 2007.
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The State Library of Queensland would like to thank Claire Craig and other descendents of George and Elizabeth Byrne for sharing their story and donating items to the State Library.
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Last updated: 17th November 2009
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