George Troup (architect)

Sir George Alexander Troup CMG (21 October 1863 – 4 October 1941) was a New Zealand architect, engineer and statesman. He was nicknamed "Gingerbread George" after his most famous design, the Dunedin Railway Station in the Flemish Renaissance style (he preferred his alternative design in the Scottish Baronial style). He was the first official architect of the New Zealand Railways. He designed many other stations, including Lower Hutt and Petone.

Troup was the 23rd Mayor of Wellington, capital of New Zealand, from 1927 to 1931, after being a Councillor from 1925 (the year he retired from the Railways) to 1927; he was a member of the (anti-Labour) Civic League. He supported many civic improvements, like the widening and paving of many Wellington streets, and the developing of Rongotai Airport and the National Art Gallery and Museum on the Mount Cook site. He decided not to stand for a third term as Mayor in 1930 for health reasons, though with the Depression there was opposition to municipal spending. He was on many boards, e.g. the Wellington Harbour Board.

He stood (unsuccessfully) for the parliamentary seat of Wellington North as the Reform candidate in the 1931 election.

He was born in London, England. His family returned to Edinburgh, Scotland soon after he was born. His widowed mother sent him to Robert Gordon's College, Aberdeen, where he was entitled to free board and tuition as the son of an Aberdeen burgess.

...
Wikipedia