George Kiss

George Kiss (1830-1882) was born at Hampton Lodge, Warwickshire, England. He met John Fairfax, founder of the Sydney Morning Herald, in England and decided to emigrate.

Upon his arrival in Australia, Fairfax helped Kiss set up his Hackney Carriage business which introduced the first Hansom Cab to Australia.

George Kiss was also responsible for introducing the first Clydesdale draught horse and by 1871 had expanded into auctioneering, owning Kiss' Horse Bazar in George Street in Sydney.

In 1875, Kiss became an alderman of Randwick Council and later, in 1878, became Mayor.

Kiss was also a prominent member of a committee established in 1878 to bring the railway to the Eastern Suburbs and Randwick. This committee failed and it was another 100 years before the Eastern Suburbs obtained a rail link which went only as far as Bondi Junction.