Background
Owen Smyth was born in Ferrybank, County Kilkenny, the son of a naval architect.
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Charles Owen
Edit Profilearchitect Sailor civil servant
Education
He was educated at Erasmus Smith High School, Dublin, and then travelled the world as a sailor and house painter before settling in Australia in 1873.
Career
He spent two years as a builder"s foreman and manager in Victoria before moving to Adelaide and joining the civil service in May 1876. He was appointed clerk to the architect Edward J. Woods, and remained with him when he was appointed Architect-in-Chief of South Australia in 1878. In 1886, Owen Smyth was appointed superintendent of the new Works and Buildings Department, which he headed for the rest of his career until his retirement in 1920.
He supervised the construction of, among other notable buildings, the Exhibition Building, the Museum and Art Gallery of South Australia, Magill Home, Bedford Park Sanatorium, Thebarton Mounted Police Barracks, the South Australian School of Mines and Industries, and the Torrens Parade Ground.
Owen Smyth was always an ardent imperialist, was active in several imperialist and patriotic organisations, and made sure portraits of the monarch were hung in all notable locations within his buildings.
Achievements
Awards
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Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later King George IV, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, King George III.The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later King George IV, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, King George III.