Fowlds Buildings (889-901 New North Road)

George Fowlds, a Scottish clothier, settled in New Zealand in 1885 by way of the diamond mines of South Africa. He established himself in business, with a menswear shop in Queen St, and bought a large house in Mount Albert in 1890. He was elected to Parliament in 1899 as a Liberal and then sat for Grey Lynn until 1911 after spending five years as Minister of Education and Public Health. He was a radical for his time, known for his ‘fads’, which included equality for women, proportional representation, and quality standards for food. His biggest fad, however, was the ‘single tax’ on land which would replace all other income, sales, and property taxes. Some of the land he would have taxed if this policy had gone through was 889-901 New North Road, where he built a row of shops in the 1920s. His house, ‘Greystone Knowe’ (now called ‘Vi Anna’), can still be seen up the long driveway at 884 New North Road.

Continue along New North Road.