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Dictionary of Scottish Architects (1660 - 1980)
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Basic Biographic Details
Name:
George Alexander Troup
Designation :
Architect
Date of Birth:
Exact Date
Exact DOB:
21/10/1863
Year of Birth :
Circa Year of Birth :
Date of Birth Before (Year):
Date of Birth After (Year):
DOB (1st 'Or' Year):
DOB (2nd 'Or' Year):
Date of Death:
Exact Date
Exact DOD:
11/10/1941
Year of Death:
Circa Year of Death:
Date of Death Before (Year):
Date of Death After (Year):
DOD (1st 'Or' Year):
DOD (2nd 'Or' Year):
Town of Birth :
Bio Notes :
George Alexander Troup was born in London on 21 October 1863 to a family of Scottish descent, and was brought up in Aberdeen and educated there at Robert Gordon's College. In 1879 he was articled to Edward Calvert in Edinburgh, moving to John Chesser's office in 1882 and attending classes at the Royal Institution where he was awarded several Queen's Prizes. He spent his holidays making sketching tours of Britain but did not venture further afield until 1884, when he emigrated to New Zealand and found employment in the Survey Department, Otago Province. In 1887 he transferred to the New Zealand Railways Department, becoming chief draughtsman in 1890 and thereafter designing a series of ambitious free Flemish Renaissance railway stations, notably that at Dunedin (1904) which brought him the sobriquet of Gingerbread George. His work for the Railways Department also involved technical experiments, in particular testing of the strengths of local timbers and of reinforced concrete arches. He was elected FRIBA on 3 December 1906, his proposers being Frederick de Jersey Clere, Alfred Atkins, and Thomas and William Turnbull, and was promoted Officer in Charge of the Railways' architectural branch in 1919.
In 1927, two years before his retirement in 1929, he was elected Mayor of Wellington, and he remained in office until 1931. He was active in several spheres of public life as President of the Academy of Fine Arts, President of the Wellington Boys Institute and President of the British and Foreign Bible Society. He was knighted in 1937 and died on 11 October 1941.
'Biography authored by the Dictionary of Scottish Architects Compilation Team.'
Bio Notes continued...
Additional Notes
Addresses
The following private or business addresses are associated with this person:
Business Addresses
Business Addresses2 classic
Address
Class
Date From
Date From Type
Date To
Date To Type
Notes
Wellington New Zealand
Business
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Employment and Training
The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this person (click on an item to view details):
Employers2 classic
Name
Name Link
Date From
Date To
Position
Notes
Edward Calvert
100061
In year 1879
In year 1882
Apprentice
John Chesser
100287
In year 1882
In year 1884
Assistant
Otago Province Survey Department
205347
In year 1884
In year 1887
Assistant
New Zealand Government Railway Department
205348
In year 1887
In year 1890
Draughtsman
New Zealand Government Railway Department
205348
In year 1890
In year 1919
Chief Draughtsman
New Zealand Government Railway Department
205348
In year 1919
In year 1929
Chief Architect
Officer in Charge
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RIBA Proposers
The following individuals proposed this person for RIBA membership (click on an item to view details):
RIBA PROPOSERS2 classic
Proposer
Proposer Link
Date Proposed
Notes
Thomas Turnbull
203860
1906/12/03
for Fellowship
William Turnbull
203861
1906/12/03
for Fellowship
Frederick de Jersey Clere
204615
1906/12/03
for Fellowship
Alfred Atkins
204912
1906/12/03
for Fellowship
row(s) 1 - 4 of 4
References
Bibliographic References
The following books contain references to this person:
Bib ref classic
Author
Title
Date
Publisher
Part
Notes
McCoy, E J and Blackman, J G
Victorian City of New Zealand
1968
British Architectural Library, RIBA
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914
2001
Historic Buildings of New Zealand
Historic Buildings of New Zealand, South Island
Historic buildings of New Zealand
Historic buildings of New Zealand: North Island
Troup, Gordon
George Troup, architect and engineer
1982
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Archive References
The following archives hold material relating to this person:
Arc ref classic
Archive Name
Source
Source Cat No
Building Id
Item Name
Notes
RIBA Nomination Papers
RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert Museum
100005
F v18 p41 no1194 (microfilm reel 12)
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