[1] Carson was born at Dunedin in 1866 and educated at Otago Boys' High School.
He was the third engineer on SS Wairarapa when it sunk off of Great Barrier Island in 1894, with the loss of 130 passengers and crew.
Carson survived the sinking and at the time of his death was one of the few remaining survivors of the wreck.
[3] Having played club cricket for Grange Cricket Club in Dunedin,[4] Carson made his first-class debut at the age of 18 for Otago in a February 1885 match against Canterbury at Carisbrook.
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