Thomas Murray was a contractor who with Peter Hill formed the firm Murray & Hill, contractors and joiners. They specialized in high grade work and amongst their achievements are the Customs House and the Mint in Melbourne. Murray was a prominent member of the Cairns Memorial Church and when the church needed enlarging in 1888 he supervised the work in a voluntary capacity. He died in 1892 leaving 3,000 pounds to the church to complete the spire, which, however never happened. He also owned the land next door to his house on the eastern side and the land behind facing Victoria Parade on which he built houses for rental. His workshop was on an island block behind his house. In 1866 Murray & Hill lodged a Notice of Intent to Build two cottages in Grey and Albert Streets, between Powlett and Simpson Streets. This is possibly one of those cottages. The site is now occupied by a block of apartments.