William McMinn

William McMinn (1844 – 14 February 1884) was an Irish-born Australian surveyor and architect, based in Adelaide in the colony of South Australia.

[citation needed] After completing school, he was articled to the architect James Macgeorge, and was appointed to the Architect-in-Chief's office, but in April 1864 left for employment as a chainman in Boyle Travers Finniss's 1864–65 expedition to Northern Australia surveying the area around Escape Cliffs and the Adelaide River.

Following a breakdown of morale in the settlement, McMinn and six others (Stow, Hamilton, Hake, Edwards, White, and Davis, the last two being boatmen) purchased a 23-foot open boat which they dubbed the Forlorn Hope and sailed it 2,000 miles (3,200 km) to Champion Bay, near Geraldton, Western Australia.

[7] In late 1870 or early 1871 he was appointed as overseer of construction of the Overland Telegraph section from Port Augusta to Darwin, and on 3 May 1871 cancelled the contract tendered by Darwent & Dalwood, they having fallen behind schedule due to heavy rain.

These were built in stages from east to west, and included the Austral Hotel as well the building which later housed Malcolm Reid & Co. Ltd furniture emporium.

[1] William McMinn (1844–1884) married Mary Frances Muirhead (1853–1929) at Glenelg on 14 March 1877; their family included: They had a home "Rutherdale" in Lower Mitcham.