Charles Farr (builder)

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

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

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]

Farr se casó con Sophia Morris (c. 1813 – 19 de marzo de 1879) antes de partir hacia Australia Meridional. Sus hijos fueron:

• Charlotte Farr (c. febrero de 1839 – 4 de septiembre de 1866) se casó con Harry Bickford (1843–1927) el 24 de febrero de 1866. No tuvieron hijos. Él se casó de nuevo el 10 de marzo de 1870 con Rosina Mary Ferguson (1845 – 5 de octubre de 1898). Hubo una disputa por un terreno en North Adelaide que Farr le había regalado a Charlotte. ^{[ 37 ]}
• Sophia Farr (1843 – 30 de junio de 1918) falleció en la casa de su hermana Martha Laurence.
• Charles George Farr (1845 – 1 de abril de 1908) se casó con Paruna Minnie Ann "Mina" Russell (c. 1863 – 4 de agosto de 1940) el 26 de junio de 1879.
• Alfred Farr (1847 – 29 de mayo de 1912) se casó con Mary Prynn Sands ( – 7 de marzo de 1903) en 1865 y vivieron en Hurtle Square. Se casó de nuevo en 1905 con Ann McInnes y falleció en Jaffrey Street, Parkside .

• Alfred John Farr (– 1938) se casó con Mary Lucy Greayer (– ) el 20 de mayo de 1907.

• Martha Farr (1849– ) se casó con Walter Laurence ( – ) el 8 de febrero de 1871.

• Walter James Laurence (1883–1907)

• Eliza Farr (1851 – 10 de enero de 1930) falleció en Napier Terrace, Hawthorn.

Tenían una casa en Franklin Street y, desde alrededor de 1880, en Grove Street, Unley Park , donde él falleció. Es posible que esta residencia haya pertenecido anteriormente a Dugald Herschel Babbage . ^{[ 38 ]}