Devon, William

DEVON, William(1858–1897) was born at Kirkinner, Wigtownshire, south-west Scotland, third and youngest son of James Devon (spelt variously Divins, Devans) an agricultural labourer, and Margaret Gorman. By 1871, his father may have died, and he was at school, living with his mother at Kirkinner. Devon trained as a joiner, probably in Kirkinner where in 1871 there were 12 joiners. By 1881 was working in London, living at Lambeth. He arrived in Queensland at Cooktown in 1883. It is possible that he was the “Professor” W Devon, who in 1886, gamely lost a boxing match for the Queensland Championship against Harry “Cochin-China” Stanley at the Academy of Music, the former Bijou/Royal Alexandra Theatre in Edward St, Brisbane. He later participated in boxing exhibitions and was a judge at tournaments at the Brisbane Gymnasium. He may have been employed during this time with FDG STANLEY and was his clerk of works at Maryborough where he superintended construction of HE Aldridge’s Buildings in Kent Street in 1888-89. Devon stayed in Maryborough as an architect as well as clerk of works for Victor CARANDINI’s additions to the Boys and Girls Grammar Schools in 1890-91, and for Stanley’s St Michael’s Convent in 1892-93. In 1893, he undertook maintenance and improvements to GP ASTON’s Dalhousie. In that year he was briefly in Ipswich before resuming work at Maryborough where he may have designed Blairholme. In 1892, he was a finalist in a competition for St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church at Rockhampton, won by VOLLER & GRAHAM. Devon died at Maryborough.