Samuel Amess

Who was Samuel Amess?

Samuel Amess was Mayor of Melbourne from 1869–1870, after having joined the council in 1864. Born in Newburgh, Fife in Scotland, Amess immigrated to Victoria in 1852, and after success on the goldfields established himself as a building contractor. Among several prominent projects, Amess' firm was involved in the building of the Kew Asylum, Old Treasury Building and Customs House, and he personally funded the celebrations of the opening of the Melbourne Town Hall. After his term as mayor ended in 1870, Amess remained heavily involved in public life until his death in 1898.