After education at Northam Senior High School he completed a four-year cadetship with the Public Works Department.
In 1926 was admitted to the Royal Institute of Architects of Western Australia as an associate member,[1] and in 1930 was elected assistant secretary.
[2] In 1930–33 he made a trip to England to further his career, working for E. Vincent Harris and studying at the Royal Academy of Arts.
During holidays he travelled by motorcycle through Europe,[3] indulging his passion for painting[4] making pencil sketches, mostly of architectural subjects.
His larger paintings Santa Maria della Salute, Venice and St. George's Cathedral, Perth were reckoned the best by far, also suggesting he try his hand at drypoint and etching.