John Young (b.1827)
John Young (1827- )
1879 Bio Note [1]
YOUNG, JOHN, the eminent Australian builder and contractor, was born in 1827 at Foot's Cray, county of Kent, England.
His father and most of his relatives were contractors or engaged in one or other department of construction. John Young was familiar with building operations at a very early stage in his career, and took a pride in making lathes before he had attained his thirteenth year.
At 15 going as an improver at Dartford, the first week the carpenters struck, when he took several labourers, and put in the joists of the Wesleyan Church, thereby allowing the bricklayers to continue their work. For this he was threatened by the carpenters, and he at once went to London to the firm of Winsland and Co., Bloomsbury, where after a few months he was promoted to setting out work and afterwards as estimating clerk; at the same period studied drawing under Sir Sydney Smith's head-draughtsman, and shortly after was the pupil of Messrs. Garland and Christopher, of London, engineers and architects, and attended lectures at the London University.
When nearly 18 years old took an appointment under Messrs. John and Joseph Sykes, contractors, of Leeds and Goole in Yorkshire, as head-foreman, cashier, and draughtsman; assisted in construction of Goole Docks and other works for the Aire and Calder Navigation Company and the railway from Wakefield, Panfret, Goole, and stations for the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Company.
When between 18 and 19 years of age, he obtained premium for design for gasworks and laying out the town of Snaith with gas against thirty competitors, and superintended the construction of same with his other duties in the railway.
In 1849 he went to London and superintended a contractor's business in Cursitor-street, Chancery-lane, for about 18 months, then as draughtsman for E. J. Kelly, Shane's Inn, Helton, for a time, and was employed by Mr. Mapleston on the Sanitary Commission of Southwark during the cholera outbreak.
During the 1851 Exhibition he for two years was draughtsman under Sir Joseph Paxton, during which time he made drawings for the 1851 Exhibition and one for New York, also a Sanitarium for the East End, and other works not carried out; illustrative portions of works published by Paxton, and assisted with the design for Baron Meyer Rothschild's mansion at Wentmore.
After leaving Sir J. Paxton, Mr. Young commenced business as contractor; constructed a number of gothic villas at Sydenham, a church at Bexley, schools at Crayford, then erected the church and presbytery at Chislehurst, Kent, where the late Emperor Napoleon lies buried, W. W. Wardell, Esq., architect, of Sydney, being the architect; also erected a church for the present Duke of Norfolk at Chichester in Sussex, under the same architect; just before leaving England for Australia Sir J. Paxton offered John Young the superintendence of Baron Lionel Rothschild's mansion at Paris.
In 1855 he came out to Melbourne, and after being a draughtsman for some time commenced business as a contractor, and has constructed a great many works of various kinds, among others St. Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne, Ballarat Gaol, Messrs. Sargood's store, Melbourne, Interior of Jews' Synagogue, churches at Heidelberg, Williamstown, Pentridge, Prahran, large Independent Church, corner of Collins and Russel-streets, Melbourne, and a great many villas at Toorak and around Melbourne.
In 1859 he came to Sydney and commenced St. John's College, and erected the first traveller ever constructed in New South Wales for building purposes, since so largely used. In Tasmania he erected St. Mary's Cathedral, Hobart Town, and a church for Sir R. Dry at Quamby. In New Zealand he erected the Cargill monument at Dunedin, and a large store for Messrs. Sargood there.
In 1866 came to permanently reside in Sydney and commenced St. Mary's Cathedral; since erected the General Post Office, the Exhibition building of 1870 (which was erected in six months in spite of 53 days of rain), also erected the Redfern railway-station, Messrs. Farmer and Co.'s premises, also the stores of Dalton, Bros. in Pitt-street, the new Lands Office, the present great Exhibition building of 1879, and numerous other works.
It will be seen that many of the principal buildings in the cities of Australia have been constructed by Mr. Young; it is only necessary to add that his honourable and straightforward conduct has gained for him the confidence of the armies of workmen under his control, and the public have reason to be thankful to him for doing them justice in good work.
A few years ago, Mr. Young was elected an alderman of the City of Sydney, which position he still maintains with advantage to the ratepayers.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ 1879 Australian Dictionary of Dates and Men of the Time by J. H. Heaton