Trevail was born at Carne Farm, Trethurgy, in the parish of Luxulyan, Cornwall on 11 November 1851.

[1][2] Trevail rose to become Mayor of Truro and, nationally, President of the architects' professional body, the Society of Architects.

He was said to be a man ahead of his time, a campaigner for sanitation improvements and an entrepreneur.

Trevail had a history of depression and had been unwell for some time before killing himself.

On 7 November 1903 he shot himself in the lavatory of a train[5] as it entered Brownqueen Tunnel a short distance from Bodmin Road railway station.