William Jay (1792-1837)

William Jay, Architect, of London & Savannah, Georgia

Associated Houses

Bulloch-Habersham House

Orleans Square, Savannah

Hermitage Plantation

Savannah

Owens-Thomas House

Savannah

He was born in England at Bath in Somerset. He served his apprenticeship as an architect in London and practised in Savannah, Georgia, from 1817 to 1820 where he made a name for himself designing several of its most important buildings. In 1820, he was appointed Architect of the South Carolina Board of Public Works but returned to England two years later (1822). A speculative venture for the development of Pittsville ruined him and by 1836 he was bankrupt, forcing him to accept the position of Colonial Architect and Civil Engineer at Mauritius, where he died in 1837.
Contributed by Mark Meredith on 19/02/2020 and last updated on 19/02/2020.