M. W. Lewis
M. W. Lewis ( -1879), the first town surveyor for Sydney, NSW
1879 Obituary [1]
The death is announced in New South Wales of Mr. M. W. Lewis.
Mr. Lewis arrived in the colony in March, 1830. Under the orders of the surveyor-general, Sir Thomas Mitchell, he proceeded at once into the interior to survey the main dividing range between the eastern and western watershed. He was engaged in this work for upwards of two years, and obtained the expressed approval of the surveyor-general for the manner in which he performed his work.
Sir Richard Bourke, having heard of his former employment in the Ordnance Department, appointed Mr. Lewis as the first town surveyor for Sydney, and afterwards made him colonial architect. His efforts in this position earned him the expressed approval of Sir Richard Bourke, Sir George Gipps, Sir Charles Fitzroy, and the then colonial secretaries. Among the public buildings erected by him may be mentioned the court-house and gaol, Darlinghurst, the Colonia Treasury, Custom House, and Government House, Sydney. He also designed the court houses and gaols at Newcastle Maitland, Muswellbrook, Parramatta, Berrima, &c., and also the Lunatic Asylum, Gladesville, and several churches and private buildings. He farther carried out the alteration of the old building in Macquarie-street into the first Parliament House, and the conversion of the old Military Hospital into the first national school. He was acting colonial engineer, and had to attend to harbour and river works, and had the roads and bridges of the colony under his control, in addition to the duties pertaining to the office of colonial architect.