George Manson (1) was a native of Norway. His real name was Gunvald Markussen. He left Norway at the age of fourteen to take up the seafaring life on the ships trading the Mediterranean, India and China seas. Some time later he ventured South and for a time was a steward on the ship 'Aldinga' which sailed between Melbourne and Dunedin. At some point in time Mr Markussen jumped ship in Dunedin and became Mr Manson. He then headed for the Dunstan goldfields.

George Manson (1) arrived in the Dustan in 1862. From there he went in 1863 to Potters Gully gold field on the southern side of the Carrick range. Here he ran a very successful store, together with stables and sheep run. in 1871 he sold the store and moved over the Carrick Range to the Carricktown gold field. Here he opened a butchery, store and bakery. This business was for sale in March 1872. George was married in Carricktown on 23 May, by the Rev D Drake. His bride was Emily Chadwick who was the daughter of Mr A Chadwick of Carricktown. When the Carrick Range Hotel in Quartzville was sold to Charles Peake he shifted it to Bannockburn (dwelling #60) however the licensing bench would not let Mr Peake transfer the licence to Bannockburn. So, for some time Mr Manson ran the Carrick Range Hotel from Mr Peakes old premises in Quartzville, which was known as Peakseville. Meanwhile, Charles Peake established dwelling #60 in Bannockburn and ran it as a boarding house. Finally the licensing authority granted the Bannockburn Carrick Range Hotel a licence. Mr Manson moved to Bannockburn in 1880 and tool over the lease of the Carrick Range Hotel.He ran the hotel until Mr John Peake took over the licence in 1882. Mr Manson was involved in a number of mining ventures around Bannockburn before settling at Glen Farm in 1888 (dwelling #264), Manson Farm, which he successfully farmed for forty years. There is a strange twist of fate associated with George Musson changing his name to Manson. It appears that a relative in the family of Musson in Norway left George a very large amount of money. Attempts were made in Norway to locate George - his own brother even travelled to New Zealand to try to find him. However, because George had changed his name, his brother was unable to find him and George did not benefit from this legacy.

Mr George Manson takes up the lease of Peakseville in Quartzville from the owner Charles Peake who shifted to Bannockburn with the new Carrick Range Hotel.

On August 10, a billard licence was granted to George Manson for the Carrick Range Hotel in Quartzville.

Mr George Manson takes over the lease on the Carrick Range Hotel - Bannockburn from Mrs R A Brown. The hotel is still owned by Charles Peake. The Kawarau Licensing Bench approved the transfer of the licence of the hotel from Quartzville to Bannockburn.