Samuel Shenton (architect)

Samuel Shenton
Samuel Shenton
Born	July 8, 1829 Leicester, England
Died	July 3, 1893 Rose Hill, Newtown
Occupation	Building contractor, architect and politician
Known for	Mayor of Ipswich (twice)

Samuel Shenton (8 July 1829 – 3 July 1893) was a building contractor, architect and politician in Ipswich, Queensland, Australia. He was mayor of Ipswich. A number of the buildings he designed are listed on the Queensland Heritage Register.

Samuel Shenton was born at Leicester, England on 8 July 1829, the son of a building contractor of that town. At thirteen years of age he was apprenticed as a carpenter and joiner, and subsequently acquired good practical experience in his trade at Liverpool. On the advice of his sister Elizabeth who had already immigrated to Australia, on 26 October 1850 he sailed on the Tartar from Plymouth arriving in Sydney on 8 February 1851. After a fortnight's stay in Sydney, he arrived in South Brisbane on 1 March 1851 and in Ipswich on the following day. He was accompanied by his mother and sister, and also by the Rev. Thomas Deacon and his niece, Eliza Thorpe. Shenton at once commenced business as a carpenter and contractor. In the early 1850s he also acted as an undertaker in Ipswich, organising burials. However, as he did not have a hearse, the coffins were carried to the cemetery in a firewood cart.

His early works included:

He also fitted up the first church in which the Rev. Edward Griffith (father of the Queensland Premier Samuel Griffith) preached on his arrival in the Queensland colony and also the first Presbyterian Church for the late Rev. Dr. Nelson (father of the Queensland Colonial Treasurer).

About 1879 ago he retired from the active work of contracting, and devoted his attention to the architectural part of the business, carrying on business as an architect for many years in the premises, in Brisbane Street, later occupied by his successor, George Brockwell Gill. Buildings designed by Samuel Shenton include:

...
Wikipedia