MR. THOMAS REDDEN.

Evening Post, Volume LXXX, Issue 38, 13 August 1910, Page 5

MR. THOMAS REDDEN.

VARIED CAREER. Mr. lliomas Redden, a resident oi Wellington for many years, who was born in Staffordshire, England, 95 years ago, died yesterday after an illneus of three weeks. The deceased had enjoyed remarkably good health all his life, and in spite of Jiis great age was able to walk about the city until he was taken ill last month For a considerable period he worked for the Cunards, the great contractors, in tho United States, and while so employed he was selected by Messrs. John Brogden and Sons to come to New Zealand in the early "seventies to assist them in carrying out the construction of the Hutt railway and other large contracts which they had secured as the result of the adoption of the Vogel Public Works policy. Mr. Redden worked for the Brogdens for some time, and then entered tho emploj of Mt. Charles M'Kirdy, contractor for tho Rimutaka railway tunnels. Subsequently ho was employed by the City Council in connection with the inauguration of the Karori water supply scheme, and he gained some kudos for tho way in which he overcame the difficulty of laying down the mama across a morass winch then existed at the junction of Willis-street and •Bouleottstreet. About 20 years ago Mr. Redden went to Australia, and while there he assisted to woodblock George, Pitt, and Parramatta streets and Circular-quay, Sydney. Before lie took to contracting work Mr, Redtlen was in the British Army, and saw sorvico in 'tha Crimea. Ho was wounded on tho head while at Sevastopol and bore the scar for the remainder of hia life. For over thirty years before his death ho was a staunch teetotaller. His wife died before he came out from the Old Country, but he has left two sons in Wellington— -Mr. Thos. Redden, late of the corporation staff (now in tho hospital), Mr. Wm, Beddcn and. _a, daiUJfeter'-aymfi. abroad., "