Famous Devon Figures

William Kitson
Torquay in 1800 was little more than a fishing hamlet but by the vision of William Kitson, so-called 'The maker of Torquay' it would by 1864 be transformed into what the Western Morning News called 'the most opulent, the handsomest, and the most fashionable watering place in the British Isles'. This achievement was possible mainly due to the unique positions of authority held by Kitson over many years. By 1835 he was chairman of the local board of health, a churchwarden (at the time an office of some significance), a land agent, a local solicitor and a banker. In addition to all this he held many directorships. He died in 1883 but the Kitson family continued to serve the local community for decades.