Tonight, we make our first posthumous induction into the North Harbour Business Hall of Fame – the Alison brothers, Alexander and Ewen.
Alexander Alison, Junior – their father had the same name – was born in 1846. Ewen Alison was born in 1852. They were educated at Flagstaff School in Devonport.
In 1864, Alexander established a boatbuilding business. At age 13, Ewen joined the staff of the newly established NZ Herald as an apprentice compositor, becoming one of the best.
The gold rush started in 1867. Aged just 15, young Ewen worked in a mine in Thames for 18 months. At 16, he went farming and stock grazing, joined nine months later by Alexander and their butchery business began.
They also ran livery stables, collected bottles for recycling, produced fertiliser and later conducted yearling sales from horses bred at Browns Island.
The Alison’s purchased land and built properties in the Devonport area – selling them on a time-payment basis.
In 1878, Ewen’s political career started, being elected to the Takapuna Riding seat on the Waitemata County Council, aged just 26 – he topped the poll.
In mid-1881, at a public meeting at the Masonic Hotel in Devonport, Ewen moved a resolution to form the Devonport Steam Ferry Company. He became chairman of the company. That company took over the Devonport ferry service and acquired the Auckland and North Shore Ferry Company.
Alexander managed the Devonport Steam Ferry Company. At age 14 he had built himself an open boat which he used to ferry people from Devonport to Auckland. He is recognised as being the key driver of the Alison’s transport empire.
In 1927 the Alison brothers formed the North Shore Transport Company to take a similarly dominant role in bus services on the North Shore.
Alexander was a prominent member of the Auckland Yacht Club, Commodore of the North Shore Yacht Club and like his higher profile brother manifested a keen interest in local affairs – serving on the Devonport Road Board and later the Borough Council. For many years he was also a member of the Auckland Harbour Board and had a seat on the Eden and Waitemata Licensing Committee.
While some land used by the Takapuna Jockey Club was leased from the Auckland Harbour Board, the remainder of the racecourse land was owned by the Alison’s. The brothers were founders of the Jockey Club, Ewen was Club President from 1885 until the Jockey Club was wound up in 1938.
The Alison brothers took full advantage of the Auckland real estate boom, owning 163 acres in the Devonport and Takapuna area, making them men of substantial wealth.
Ewen was Mayor of Devonport Borough from 1890-95 and 1902-07, as well as the first Mayor of Takapuna Borough, 1913-14.
By the age of 38, Ewen Alison had built up a significant business empire. He also took up directorships in the coal industry, served on the Auckland Harbour Board, as an MP (1902-1908) and as a member of the Legislative Council (1918-1932).
Ewen Alison was also a foundation member and first President of the Waitemata Golf Club (1905) and a Foundation member of Takapuna Bowling Club (1927).
While mayor, Ewen was also responsible for the building of the borough water supply system from Lake Takapuna (Lake Pupuke), and the establishment of foreshore reserves, the formation of King Edward Parade, the sealing of roads and footpaths and the acquisition of Rangitoto as a public domain. The clock tower at Devonport Wharf was erected in 1928 as a mark of public esteem for Ewen Alison, while Alison Avenue in Takapuna and Ewen Alison Avenue in Devonport are other reminders of the Alison’s service to the North Shore.
Alexander Alison was married to Annie, they had eight children, and he lived in King Edward’s Parade, Devonport, until his death in 1923, aged 76.
Ewen Alison remained a resident of Takapuna until his death in 1945, aged 93. He and wife Mary Ann had six children.
