Joseph Farr and Mary Ann Whitford

Bones in the Belfry home page
Parents :      Joseph Farr and Ann Carter           William Whitford and Martha Manning

Joseph Farr (b abt 1782 probably Bayford Herts, m Mary Ann Whitford 1806 St George Hanover Square London, d 1850 Bourne, Edmonton, Middlesex)    
Mary Ann Whitford (b 1779 Westminster, d 1859 Southgate Middlesex)
    Mary Ann Farr (b 1807 Edmonton London, m Joseph Sims 1837 Isleworth, Middlesex,, d 1881 Ealing)   
    Sarah Farr (b 1809 Southgate, d 1874 Hackney)   
    Amelia Farr (b 1811 Southgate Middlesex, d 1885 Hackney)  
    William Farr (b 1812 Southgate)   
    Martha Farr (b 1815 Southgate, d 1888 Greater Hackney London)   
    Maria Farr (b 1817 Southgate, m Rands, d aft 1890)   
    Hannah Farr (b 1819 Southgate, m William Pollard 1855 St Margaret Lothbury London, d 1877 England)   
    Caroline Farr (b 1821 Southgate, d 1826 England)   
    Harriet Farr (b 1821 Southgate, m William Henry Farr 1852 Pentonville Middlesex, d 1904 Wandsworth)   
    Thomas Farr (1824 Southgate, m Hannah Martin 1849 Camden Town, London, d 1901 St Kilda Vic)
         Edwin Farr (b 1858 Ballarat, m Louisa Jane Briant 1884 Presb Manse Ballarat, d 1943 Northcote)
               Winifred Emma Farr (b 1890 Northcote, m Norman Thompson 1918, d 1994 Preston) 

Farr children from Amelia onwards are recorded Weld Chapel, Southgate Middlesex

1841 Census

Winchmore Hill. Edmonton Middlesex, Hope House Chaseside  
Farr Joseph                   55                   Agricultural Labourer       Not born Middlsex
Farr Mary                     60                                                              Born Middlsex

1851 Census

Edmunton, Bourne, Southgate Groveland Lodge(?)                  occupation     born
Mary Ann Farr               Head         Widow             71         Infirm(?)          Westminster
Hannah Farr                   Dau            Unm                32                                 Southgate Mdx
Harriet Farr                    Dau            Unm                 30                                ditto
Note Hannah Farr is the daughter, not Hannah Martin who married Thomas Farr

It is interesting to look at the fate of the children of this large family

Mary Ann (1807-1881)

1837 Mary Ann Farr Marriage to Joseph Sims
1841 Census - two possibles
1844 Birth Frederick Sims Woolwich Kent
    Joseph given as Gunner Royal Horse Artillery
1846 birth Edward Elisha Sims 24 August - St Peter, Leeds (Victoria Terrace)
    Joseph is Gunner in the Royal Horse Artillery
1856 Mary Ann Sims Workhouse admissiom Camden 26 Jun. Seems to be from (illegible) hospital (Possible only but age exact match)
1861 Census living in Ealing, her sister Amelia is living with her
    Horntow Place (?) near Uxbridge Road, St Mary Middlesex
    Mary Ann Sims married 49 wife of Lunatick's Attendant
    Frederick Sims 17  Army Sapper Born Woolwich Kent
    Edward Sims 16 Scholar born Leeds Yorkshire
1881 Census Mary Ann living with husband Joseph (Laundry ?? man) (aged 70) and neice Mary Ann Pollard in Ealing
Ealing and Old Brentford Cemetery Grave
    1874 Edward Elisha Sims d Sep 6,  aged 28    tallies with 1861 Census
    1881 Mary Ann Sims d July 15 aged 73    tallies with born 1807
    1883 Elizabeth Sims d Jun 9 aged 39
    1887 Joseph Sims d Feb 23 aged 75     tallies with 1881 census

Sarah (1809-1874)

1841 Census Tower Hamlets South Hackney
    William Tidy,     Charlotte Tidy    4 children aged 11 to 1
    Sarah Farr ,   more  servants,     Martha Farr
    and another 20 year old female servant
    As Martha started service here aged 14, was Sarah the guardian elder sister?
1851 Census finds her in Glatton (6 miles south of Peterborough) working for Phillip Costel Sherwood a 47 year old widowed landed proprietor as leading household servant
    She is followed by three others and a groom, There are no children, Only Phillip and the servants
1861 she is still working for Phillip a housekeeper
    She is followed on the listing by the other members of the household  - Butler, Housemaid and Kitchen Maid
1874 Sarah Farr dies Hackney London       << probable

Amelia (1811-1885)

1851 census Munster Road Fulham, household of Thomas Pearson   42 Widower, Curate of Fulham and his sister
    various
    Amelia Farr 40 Servant (cook)  born Edmonton
1861 living in Ealing with her sister Mary Ann as a Domestic Servant   
No census information after this
1871 Workhouse Westminster St Marlebone London In - 6 May    Out - 2 June  Age 61   <<<< maybe
1885 - 14 Feb Burial, Ex Hackney Infirmary - age 74        <<<< probable

William (1812-)

Only thing established so far is he did not marry Julia Sayers
    1812 b Huddesfield parents Joseph and Mary Farr
    1812 b Southgate parents Joseph and Mary Ann Farr
    1838 Willam Farr maries Julia Sayer in Islington giving his father as Joseph Farr
    1861 Census William and Julia Farr in Islington. William gives his place of birth as Huddersfield
    ie the 1938 marriage is not our William
All searches made unproductive. But from the list of deaths in the family bible it seems that if he died before 1877 the family did not know.

Martha (1815-1888)

An obit card for Martha, found in the Family Bible, says:
"For 57 years the faithful and devoted friend and servant of Charlotte Tidy, of Mare Street, Hackney".
From this card she must have started at age 14. Though possibly with her older sister Sarah because Sarah was ther in 1841
Also she may have lied about her age. In the 1851 census she gives her age as 37 when she is only 34
1841 Census Tower Hamlets South Hackney
    William Tidy
    Charlotte Tidy
    4 children aged 11 to 1
    Sarah Farr   servants
    Martha Farr
    and another 20 year old female servant
1851 Census Cambridge Heath Hackney
    Mr C Tidy (52) General practicioner (M R C S)
    Charlotte Tidy (48) wife, three sons (aged 14 to 8) and a daughter (3)
    Martha Farr (37) House Servant,  and another servant
1861 Census - 2 Cambridge Heath South Hackney
    William Callander Tidy (63)  M D Kings College Aberdeen, (M R C S London)
    Charlotte Tidy (59), sons 22 and 18, daughter 12
    Martha Farr (46) General Servant,  plus a groom and a cook
1871 Mare St Hackney
    Charlotte Tidy (wiow) plus two unmarried sons and a daughter
    Martha Farr housekeeper
    A groom
    Maria Farr cook
1881 Census 61 Mare St South Hackney
    Charlotte Tidy, widow, Dividends and House Property Owner
    Unmarried son and daughter (now 40ish)
    Martha Farr Housekeeper is the only staff
1888 she dies (late of 61 Mare St Hackney) leaving 90 pounds to Harriet in her will

Maria (1817-after 1890)

1851 Census for Totteridge Hertfordshire, she is working in Park School as what looks like "house servant"
A post on the internet describes the school
      "It would appear to be a boys boarding school for sons of the gentry which could well have been used by Officers serving abroad although the few associations that I found were with sons of the clergy."
1871 Mare St Hackney
       She is a cook for the Tidy's in the same household as Martha
1891 Census st George Hanover Square Belgrave
    Living in Harriet Farr's house with Harriet
    Maria Rands (74) Widow living on own means b Southgate
    Surname is hard to read. This is Ancestry's guess. But she is Harriet's sister
    All other searches unsuccessful

Hannah (1819-1877)

1851 Living with her mother in Edmunton, Bourne, Southgate Groveland Lodge
1853 married William Pollard in parish of St Margaret Lothbury, london
1861 Census All Hallows in the Wall Mead St London
    Willim Pollard (50) Bootmaker from Trowbridge Wiltshire
    Hanna farr (42) wife
    William W (4) b Holloway
    Fanny  A (3)
    Mary A  (1} born St Hallows in the Wall
1871 Census bethnall green North Hackney
    William Pollerd (60) xxx in tea warehouse born Trowbridge Wiltshire
    Hannah Pollard (52) wife
    William (14)    xxxxx  Clerk London Docks born Holloway
    Mary Ann (11) Scholar born city of london
1877 Died  (family bible)

Caroline (1821-1826)

1826 Death

Harriet (1821-1904)

Her name is spelt Harriot in the family bible, but other evidence point st Harriet. She has spread confusion by marrying a Farr
1851 Census unmarried, living with her mother in Edmunton, Bourne, Southgate Groveland Lodge
1852 Marries William Henry Farr (4 Nov)
1861 Census, living in Marylebone with four children (William not present)
    Alfred (7) b Southwark  - Elizabeth (2) b Marylebone
    William (4) b Marylebone  -  Emily (3/12)  b Marylebone
1881 Census St George Hanover Square
    William H Farr Head (56) Lodging Housekeeper b Bayford Herts - Insane
    Harriet Farr wife (60)  b Edmonton Middlesex
    William J Farr Son (26) Booksellers assistant b Marylebone
    Eliza M Farr (22) daughter Machinist b Marlebone
    Emily S Farr (20) daughter b Marlebone
1888 Maria dies leaving 90 pounds to Harriet in her will
    Harriets address is given as 85 Warwick St Eccelston Square Middlesex
1891 Census st George Hanover Square Belgrave
    Harriet Farr Head Widow (70) Lodging Hoise Keeper b Southbank
    William J Farr son single (34) Booksellers Assistant b Marylbone
    Eliza Farr daughter single (32) Lodging House Keepers Assistant b Marylbone
    Emily Farr daughter single (30) Dressmakers Assistant b Marylbone
    Maria Rands sister (74) Widow living on own means b Southgate
1901 Census Elsley Road East Battersby
    Harriet Farr widow (80) b Southgate with two children
    William J Farr Single (40) Booksellers Collector b Marlybone
    Eliza Farr single 42 daughter  b Marlybone
1904 Probable death Wandsworth London

Thomas (1824-1901)

1851 Thomas and wife Hannah (nee Martim) are living with her parents  (31 Mar 1851)     
St Pancras     (38 Goldington North St)
Charles MARTIN         Head                       52        Master Butcher         Twibil, NTH   (probably Twywel, NTH
Frances MARTIN                                        50                                          St Pancras, MDX
Henry MARTIN                                           19
Louisa MARTIN                                          17
Thomas FARR             Head                        27        Carpenter                  Southgate, MDX
Hannah FARR                                              21                                          Islington, MDX
Alice L FARR                                                3 months                             St Pancras, MDX
(all living in number 38)
Twibill is probably Twywel, NTH (29G45)     

Southgate link for Photos

An email from Judy Holmes gave us Mary Ann Whitford's family - see William Whitford's page


The following material is from posters prepared by Glenis Crocker for a Martin and Farr reunion she organised in Ballarat

Mary Ann’s father was a jeweller/silver smith, and she was born in Westminster. She had a sister Martha, but no other family information has been gathered yet.
Joseph Farr was not born in Middlesex, but as yet the place of his birth is not known.  As he died after the introduction of Civil Registration, his death certificate should have this information on it.  He was a gardener.  At the time of the 1851 Census, his widow Mary Ann and two of his unmarried daughters were living in Grovedale Lodge, Southgate, while Grovedale House was occupied by a Gardener/Steward, and an elderly caretaker. It seems likely that Joseph Farr was the previous gardener/Steward of the house and that the family were allowed to stay on in the Lodge after his death. 

Information Sources: 
Weld Chapel birth records
St Georges Hanover Square Parish Records
Farr family bible
Marriage certificate of Thomas Farr & Hannah Martin
Census Information,1851, Southgate

The Family Bible

David Farr has Joseph Farr's Family Bible, and has kindly supplied pictute of the bible and the inside page.
(Images are bigish)      The Bible    Inner page left      Inner page right    Martha Farr Card found in Bible
Written in the bible is
This is the right hand inner page.
Composite text of two pages
At the top of the listing in very faint pencil is written the following:
"Children of Joseph and Mary Ann Farr (TF Oct 9, 1881)"
        Mary Ann Farr Born the 24th of September 1807
        Sarah Farr Born the 29th of July 1809
        Amelia Farr Born the 19th of January 1811
        William Farr Born the 22 of October 1812
        Martha Farr Born the 11 of January 1815
        Maria Farr Born the 30 of January 1817
        Hannah Farr Born the 14 of January 1819
        Harriot Farr Born the 12 of Febuary 1821
        Caroline Farr Born the 12 of Febuary 1821
        Thomas Farr Born the 28th of March 1824
        Caroline  Farr Died 17 of November 1826
Father's Mother - Ann Farr died 19 February 1826
Father's Father - Joseph Farr Died  9 June 1831
Mother's Sister - Martha Whitford Died 16 June 1835
Father          - Joseph Farr Died February 24th 1850
Father's Sister - Susan Farr Died Apr 9 1850
Father's Brother - James Farr Died 29 June 1850
Sarah Elizabeth Si?? Died July 2th 1850          (this is Sarah Ann Sims, Mary Ann's Daughter)
Mother         - Mary Ann Farr Died Sept 7th 1859 aged 78 years
Sarah Farr Died November 25th 1874
Hannah Pollard Died May 25 1877
Thomas Farr Arrived In Australia 1853 - Ballarat

At the bottom of this, faintly in pencil, is written "Sunday Oct 9 1881 TF".
At the top of this page, very faintly in pencil, is written:
"I, Thomas Farr bequeath this book to my son Lucius. Jan 2, 1881."
Lucius of course died in 1888 at the age of 19. Underneath the first sentence is the next poignant sentence:
"Leigh is to have this book. June 12, 1890."

Acknowledgements

A lot of the material on the Farrs comes from Glenis Crocker.. David Farr has supplied pictures and information, much appreciated.
Judy Holmes kickstarted Mary Ann Whitford for us

Research Notes

Glenis  has Mary Ann Farr (Nee Whitford)'s death certificate - informant daughter Maria, age 78, of bronchitis
If you have additions or corrections to this page, please contact us     Bones in the Belfry home page     Page last updated - 2 Aug 2007    30 Oct 2011    17 Oct 2012      28 July 2020