Charles Farr (c. 1812 – 25 February 1888) was a timber merchant and builder in the young colony of South Australia.

History

Charles Farr c. 1885

Farr emigrated to South Australia from Britain aboard D'Auvergne arriving in March 1839.

Portion Victoria Square and Franklin Street taken from the GPO tower in 1865. Farr's woodyard in middle foreground.

Farr, by trade a bricklayer, had premises on Hindley Street, and by 1850 owned a business on Franklin Street, a timber yard possibly purchased from Philip Santo.[1] By 1868 he employed up to 115 men and his sawmill and timber yard, which employed around 35 men, extended over two acres between Franklin and Grote streets, and included the Farr residence.[2] He later moved to Waymouth Street, then in 1883 moved to Grote Street, west of Brown Street. That same year he had a timber yard in Wakefield Street.[3]

His two sons, who were educated at J. L. Young's Adelaide Educational Institution, were brought into the business, but later went their separate ways: Charles George was licensee of the Talbot Hotel, Gouger Street, then the International Hotel, Rundle Street; Alfred was city manager for Walter & Morris, who owned the Sarnia timber mills in Port Adelaide,[4] and influential president of the Builders and Contractors' Association.[5]

Farr died after several years an invalid. His remains were interred in the West Terrace Cemetery.

He evidently had good relations with the men in his employ, and paid skilled tradesmen slightly more than other employers; from 8/6d to 10s. per day.[6] For twenty years his company was probably second only to English & Brown / Brown & Thompson, who owned the Glen Ewin quarry.[7]

Some works

BuiltNameArchitectClientLocationNotes
1856Head officeEdmund WrightUnion BankPirie StreetBecame "Union Hall", Adelaide headquarters of WCTU 1896, demolished 1925
1858[8]Church of the Immaculate ConceptionG. S. KingstonCatholic ChurchPort Adelaide
1859Branch officeE. WrightBank of South AustraliaCommercial Road, Port Adelaide
1859Branch officeE. WrightUnion BankLipson Street, Port Adelaide
1860[9]Head officeJames MacgeorgeSouth Australian Savings BankKing William Street
1863[10]Coal store and retort houseSA Gas CompanyBrompton
1863–1869Adelaide Town HallE. Wright
E. J. Woods		Adelaide City CouncilKing William Street
1864[11]Chemist's shopR. G. ThomasMrs. A. M. BickfordHindley Street
1864[12]WarehouseG. S. KingstonGeorge P. HarrisGawler Place, Adelaidebecame Harris Scarfe
1865[13]"Kingsmead House"E. Wright,
E. J. Woods		Charles Jacobs75–78 Brougham Place
1865AthelneyE. Wright, E. J. WoodsP. D. PrankerdAthelney Avenue, Kent TownPeter Dodding Prankerd married Lucy Amelia Wright, sister of the architect. They sold Athelney to H. B. Hughes in 1874. Now part of St Peter's College
1866Wine and spirit storeDaniel GarlickS. R. HallKing William Streetadjacent a similar store same owner and architect but built by English & Brown.
1867[14]Department storeG. S. KingstonGeorge P. HarrisRundle Streetbecame Harris Scarfe
1868[15]Prince Alfred CollegeD. GarlickMethodist ChurchDequetteville Terrace, Kent Townfoundation stone was laid by HRH Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, on 5 November 1867.[16]
1869Buck's Head HotelD. GarlickW. H. GrayNorth Terrace, Adelaiderebuilt on same site
1868[17]Parkside Lunatic AsylumD. GarlickSA Governmentcnr Greenhill and Brownhill Creek (now Fullarton) roads
1868[17]York HotelD. Garlickcnr Rundle & Pulteney streetsrebuilt on same site
1869[18][19]Norwood Baptist ChurchJames CummingBaptist Association134 The Parade, Norwoodheritage-listed on the SA Heritage Register in 1982.[20][21]
1871,1872[22]East, west wingsJ. CummingBushmen's ClubSE corner, Whitmore Squaresold to the Salvation Army (the current owner) in 1899
1871[23]Norwood Public SchoolJ. CummingEducation DepartmentThe Parade, Norwood
1871[23]ExtensionG. S. KingstonBank of AustralasiaKing William Street
1873ResidenceD. GarlickThomas MagareyMills Terrace, N.A.
1875[24]"Kalymna"T. EnglishC. A. Hornabrook28 Dequetteville Tce, Kent Townstill stands, as "Oreon House"
1876[25]drapery shopD. GarlickT. Wilcoxcnr. Rundle & Pulteney streets
1876[25]King's Head HotelT. EnglishW. ThomsonKing William Streetrebuilt on same site
1877[25]Universal BuildingsT. EnglishL. A. Jessop
M. C. Davis		Grenfell Street
1878[26]Blind, Deaf and Dumb InstitutionT. EnglishBrighton Road, BrightonNew building in front of the old one, previously the "Grace Darling Hotel".
1878Royal Admiral HotelT. EnglishC. BanburyHindley Streetrebuilt on same site
1878[27]extensionsD. GarlickG. & R. Wills
1879Southern Cross HotelD. GarlickWilliam Chambers
F. J. Blades		King William Streetrebuilt on same site
1879[28]Clubhouse "Albert Hall"G. R. Johnson[29]Deutsche ClubPirie Streetsold to the Salvation Army in September 1898, and became its HQ, "Memorial Hall"
1879[30]storesD. GarlickJ. Hodgkiss & Co.Stephens Place, Adelaide
1879[30]clubhouseT. EnglishNew South Australian ClubPirie StreetNot to be confused with (Trew's) South Australian Club Hotel on North Terrace,[31] this was an exclusive establishment comparable to the Adelaide Club. An earlier incarnation (1839–44) on Hindley Street, whose members included Sturt, Morphett and Fisher[32][33] failed financially.
1880Exchange Building / Queens ExchangeE. Wright
J. H. Reed		eastern corner, Pirie Street and Exchange Lane"Commercial Union Building" demolished 1980
1880[34]Exchange BuildingE. WrightExchange Land CompanyCurrie Street
1882Adelaide Swimming BathsAdelaide City CouncilKing William Road
1882WarehouseDavid Williams, jr.Blackwell, Felstead, & Co.Pirie Street, Adelaide
1884ClubhouseSmeatonYMCAcnr. Grenfell Street and Gawler Place
1885[35]InstituteR. ReesSummertown
1885[36]shopsD. GarlickE & W. HackettRundle Street
1887Western annexe, Jubilee Exhibition BuildingWithall & WellsNorth Terracefor Adelaide Jubilee International Exhibition

Family

Farr married Sophia Morris (c. 1813 – 19 March 1879) before leaving for South Australia. Their children were:

  • Charlotte Farr (c. February 1839 – 4 September 1866) married Harry Bickford (1843–1927) on 24 February 1866. They had no children. He married again, on 10 March 1870 to Rosina Mary Ferguson (1845 – 5 October 1898). There was a dispute over a North Adelaide block given to Charlotte by Farr.[37]
  • Sophia Farr (1843 – 30 June 1918) died at the home of her sister Martha Laurence
  • Charles George Farr (1845 – 1 April 1908) married Paruna Minnie Ann "Mina" Russell (c. 1863 – 4 August 1940) on 26 June 1879
  • Alfred Farr (1847 – 29 May 1912) married Mary Prynn Sands ( – 7 March 1903) in 1865, lived on Hurtle Square. He married again in 1905 to Ann McInnes, died at Jaffrey Street, Parkside.
  • Alfred John Farr ( – 1938) married Mary Lucy Greayer ( – ) on 20 May 1907
  • Martha Farr (1849– ) married Walter Laurence ( – ) on 8 February 1871
  • Walter James Laurence (1883–1907)
  • Eliza Farr (1851 – 10 January 1930) died at Napier Terrace, Hawthorn

They had a home on Franklin Street, and from around 1880 on Grove Street, Unley Park, where he died. This residence may have previously been the property of Dugald Herschel Babbage.[38]

References

  1. ↑ "Another Pioneer Gone". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XXV, no. 7, 260. South Australia. 27 February 1888. p. 3. Retrieved 25 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ↑ "The Sawmills of Adelaide". South Australian Register. Vol. XXXII, no. 6741. South Australia. 15 June 1868. p. 3. Retrieved 26 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia. Also mentioned are J. Pulsford, E. Wentzel, H. W. Ehmcke, English & Brown / Brown & Thompson, A. Clausen.
  3. ↑ "A natural curiosity". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XX, no. 5, 915. South Australia. 24 September 1883. p. 2. Retrieved 26 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. ↑ "The Sarnia Timber Mills, Port Adelaide". Adelaide Observer. Vol. LX, no. 3, 224. South Australia. 18 July 1903. p. 22. Retrieved 2 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ "About Men and Women". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XXXIX, no. 11, 669. South Australia. 30 August 1902. p. 4. Retrieved 2 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ "The Labor Question—Meeting at the Hotel Europe". The Adelaide Express. Vol. III, no. 800. South Australia. 28 July 1866. p. 3. Retrieved 30 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ↑ "Glen Ewin Quarry". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. IV, no. 999. South Australia. 29 March 1867. p. 3. Retrieved 30 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia. The principals of the two companies were Thomas English, Henry Brown (died 30 May 1881) and Henry Thompson (died 4 March 1890)
  8. ↑ "Port Adelaide". The South Australian Advertiser. Vol. I, no. 31. South Australia. 16 August 1858. p. 2. Retrieved 29 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ "The New Savings Bank". The South Australian Advertiser. Vol. III, no. 685. South Australia. 25 September 1860. p. 4. Retrieved 29 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ↑ "The South Australian Gas Company's Works". The South Australian Advertiser. Vol. V, no. 1375. South Australia. 17 December 1862. p. 2. Retrieved 29 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ↑ "Architectural Improvements". South Australian Register. Vol. XXVIII, no. 5665. South Australia. 24 December 1864. p. 6. Retrieved 29 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ↑ "Opening of Mr. G. P. Harris's Store, Gawler-place". South Australian Weekly Chronicle. Vol. VI, no. 300. South Australia. 30 April 1864. p. 5. Retrieved 24 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ↑ "Adelaidepedia: Kingsmead House". Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  14. ↑ "Building Improvements in the City". The South Australian Advertiser. South Australia. 16 January 1867. p. 2. Retrieved 28 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ↑ "Building Improvements". South Australian Register. Vol. XXXII, no. 6626. South Australia. 31 January 1868. p. 4. Retrieved 29 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ↑ "Visit of H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. IV, no. 1, 184. South Australia. 6 November 1867. p. 2. Retrieved 30 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  17. 1 2 "Building Improvements". South Australian Register. Vol. XXXIII, no. 6938. South Australia. 2 February 1869. p. 4. Retrieved 29 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ↑ "Latest News". The Evening Journal (Adelaide). Vol. I, no. 60. South Australia. 13 March 1869. p. 2. Retrieved 25 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  19. ↑ "Baptist Church, Norwood" (Photo + text). State Library of South Australia. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  20. ↑ "134 The Parade Norwood". The South Australia Heritage Places database. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  21. ↑ Maidment, John (10 August 2011). "Former Baptist Church The Parade, Norwood, South Australia". Organ Historical Trust of Australia. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  22. ↑ "Adelaidepedia: Bushmen's Club". Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  23. 1 2 "Building Improvements for 1871". South Australian Register. Vol. XXXVII, no. 7842. South Australia. 4 January 1872. p. 7. Retrieved 29 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  24. ↑ "Private Houses". South Australian Register. Vol. XLI, no. 9098. South Australia. 12 January 1876. p. 2. Retrieved 30 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  25. 1 2 3 "Building Improvements during 1876". The South Australian Advertiser. Vol. XIX, no. 5687. South Australia. 10 January 1877. p. 6. Retrieved 31 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  26. ↑ "The Blind and Deaf and Dumb Institution". The Express and Telegraph. Vol. XIII, no. 3, 872. South Australia. 25 November 1876. p. 3. Retrieved 30 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  27. ↑ "Building Improvements for 1878". South Australian Register. Vol. XLIV, no. 10, 025. South Australia. 1 January 1879. p. 1. Retrieved 31 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  28. ↑ "Opening of the German Clubhouse". The South Australian Advertiser. South Australia. 15 July 1879. p. 6. Retrieved 31 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  29. ↑ George R. Johnson was a Melbourne architect, later based in Perth, remembered as designer of the Cremorne Theatre, Perth, opened 1896. He died of blood poisoning 25 November 1898 aboard Pilbarra between Albany and Adelaide
  30. 1 2 "Building Improvements during 1879". South Australian Register. Vol. XLV, no. 10, 338. South Australia. 2 January 1880. p. 5. Retrieved 31 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  31. ↑ "Trew's South Australian Club Hotel". The South Australian Advertiser. South Australia. 29 October 1879. p. 5. Retrieved 3 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  32. ↑ "Henry Calton versus South Australian Club". The Southern Australian. Vol. IV, no. 263. South Australia. 23 November 1841. p. 4. Retrieved 3 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  33. ↑ "Resident Magistrate's Court". The Adelaide Observer. Vol. III, no. 156. South Australia. 20 June 1846. p. 4. Retrieved 3 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  34. ↑ "Opening of the New Exchange". South Australian Register. Vol. XLV, no. 10, 494. South Australia. 2 July 1880. p. 6. Retrieved 1 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  35. ↑ "Opening of Summertown Institute". South Australian Register. Vol. L, no. 11, 922. South Australia. 29 January 1885. p. 7. Retrieved 2 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  36. ↑ "Building Improvements". South Australian Register. Vol. L, no. 11, 969. South Australia. 25 March 1885. p. 5. Retrieved 2 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  37. ↑ "Supreme Court — In Banco". South Australian Register. Vol. LI, no. 12, 376. South Australia. 14 July 1886. p. 7. Retrieved 26 October 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
  38. ↑ "Land and House Property". The South Australian Advertiser. South Australia. 11 November 1879. p. 1. Retrieved 2 November 2018 – via National Library of Australia.
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