George Troup

Who was George Troup?

Sir George Alexander Troup CMG 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 was the first official architect of the New Zealand Railways. Other stations he designed are 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 to 1927; he was a member of the 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 for the parliamentary seat of Wellington North as the Reform candidate in the 1931 election.