He was christened at St Dunstan & All Saints, Stepney in 1726, the son of Israel Devonshire, a chandler and his wife Joyce.
In 1753 he applied for freedom of the City of London by redemption in the Goldsmiths Company. The document records he had served 5+years of his apprenticeship when his master Jeremiah Lee failed in his credit, went abroad but sent a message to Thomas Devonshire telling him not to turn himself over to a new master because he expected his finances soon to recover and that Lee would then return to the country. Lee died abroad having not returned.
Indentures were signed by John Dawson in 1756, Henry Hutson (brother of John Hutson, Grimwade p.556) in 1760 and Richard Bowker in 1763 to be his apprentices.
He also paid Duties for the apprentice indentures of Timothy Knight in 1764.
The indentures signed for his son John to be his apprentice are dated in 1768 not 1778 as Grimwade recorded.
The Parliamentary Report of 1773 into the manner in which the English Assay Offices conducted business shows between 23rd May 1771 and 29th May 1772 68lbs of his plate failed to meet the standard.
No further information has been found.