Thomas Farr and Hannah
Martin
Parents : Joseph Farr and Mary Ann Whitford
Charles Martin and Francis Prickett
Thomas Farr (1824 Southgate Middlesex, m Hannah Martin 1849 Camden
Town, London, d 1901, St Kilda Vic)
Hannah Martin (b 1829 Islington Middlesex, d 1890 St Kilda)
Alice Louisa Farr (b
1850 Somers Town London, m John Bisset 1872 Ballarat, d 1916
Murrumbeena Vic)
Sarah Ann Prickett Farr
(b 1852 Camden Town London, m Francis Longmore 1875 Ballarat, d 1920
Kensington Vic)
Charles Augustine Farr (b 1854 Islinton London, d
1855 Collingwood Vic)
Emma Elizabeth Farr (b 1856 Ballarat Vic, m
Francis Thomas Axford 1879 Ballarat, d 1909 Ballarat)
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)
Arthur Farr (b 1861
Ballarat West, m Rose Emma White 1894 St.Pancras London, d 1927
Adelaide)
Leigh Farr (b 1864
Ballarat, m Ellen Coralie (Corrie) Valentine 1889 Ballarat, d 1938
St Kilda)
Edith Lucy Farr (b 1866 Ballarat, m William
George Hansen Ellson 1894 St Kilda, d 1951 Croydon Vic)
Lucius Farr (b 1869 Ballarat, d 1888 St Kilda)
Ethel Maude (Jum) Farr (b 1871 Ballarat, m Arthur
Vincent Kemp 1899 Melbourne, d 1952 Sydney NSW)
Millicent Caroline (Tim) Farr (b 1874 Ballarat, d
1962 St Kilda)
Sarah (Annie) Farr
An interesting read is Thomas and Hannah's letter to Francis on
his alkin for her hand in marriage Letter
to Francis Longmore
Also her clash with the church over her singing. Annie's singing
Picture of the family (big but
good)
Thomas was a Carpenter, so was Edwin
Hannah, Leigh, Lucius and Thomas are all in the same grave in St
Kilda cemetery
Picture of Thomas Farr's
Mining Right, from David Farr
Picture of Arthur Farr's
Ballarat house, 1890, from David Farr.
Embroidery found in the
bible, from David Farr.
The following material is based
on material prepared by Glenis Crocker for a Martin and Farr
reunion she organised in Ballarat
THOMAS AND HANNAH
Hannah Martin's Sampler
Letter to Francis Longmore
Acknowledgements
THOMAS AND HANNAH
Thomas Farr was born in Southgate, Middlesex. His family were
Non-Conformist, attending the Weld Chapel, where the births of the
third daughter Amelia and subsequent children were recorded.
Hannah Martin was born at the house of
her parents Charles Martin and Frances Prickett, at 134 Upper
Street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex on 21st. September
1829.
Thomas and Hannah lived with Hannah's parents for at least some of
the time after their marriage. At the time of the 1851 Census,
they are listed as living in the same household as Hannah's parents
Charles & Francis, and her brother Henry and sister Louisa. in
38 Goldington St North, Camden Town. Their first daughter
Alice was born there.
Thomas together with his wife Hannah and three
children Alice, Sarah and Charles came to Melbourne on the
"Aberfoyle". arriving in December 1854 having left England in
August. Also on the ship were his wife's parents, Charles and
Frances Martin and their daughter Louisa with her husband James
Crump and their child Jasper.. Thomas is recorded as saying he
came to Australia in 1853, yet shipping records show him listed with
all the family on the "Aberfoyle" in 1854. A Thomas Farr is
listed as an unassisted passenger on the "Woodstock" in 1853, so
perhaps he sailed out to look at the opportunities for himself
before the whole family emmigrated to join Hannah's two brothers,
Charles and Henry, who had come out in 1852. Support for this
would come from looking at shipping lists from Australia to England,
looking for Thomas returning to England.
Ballarat Rate Books show that Thomas Farr was living in Dawson St
(no allotment number given) from 1856. He was paying rates on
two adjacent blocks, one with a workshed on it, the other a
cottage. Thomas Farr was a carpenter, as also was Charles
Martin and James Crump.
According to directories 1855/1856 he is listed as "Carpenter
Ballarat", and from the birth notices of the children he was still
living in Ballarat up to 1874
All his subsequent children were born in Ballarat, and his first
daughter Alice was married to John Bisset of Castlemaine from the
house in Dawson St.
In the 1880's the family moved from Ballarat to Melbourne. The
exact date is uncertain, but Rate records should give an answer to
this. Post Office directories listed Thomas as still being in
Ballarat for a number of years after he was known to have shifted to
Melbourne. Possibly his business continued under someone
else's management, or else the directories are not very reliable..
In 1888 their youngest son Lucius died from tubercular meningitis,
and Hannah died of TB in 1890.
The 1889 directory listed Thomas as "St Kilda" and it appears that
in 1890/1891 he was in partnership with his sons Leigh and Arthur as
contractors at Nicholas Chambers, 101 Swanston Street, Melbourne.
From 1890 to 1898 his residential address was 175 Hotham Street, St.
Kilda. . Melbourne directories for 1893/94, have his son Leigh was
at 173 Hotham St. By 1898, W.G.H. Ellson, one of Thomas's
sons-in-law, had shifted into 193 Hotham St.
"The Argus"
Thursday 13th, February, 1890.
FARR On 12th. Feb. at her
residence "Hiawatha Terrace", Hotham Street Balaclava, Hannah,
beloved wife of Thomas Farr, late of Ballarat, Age 60 years.
The Argus" Saturday 20th July 1901.
FARR
On
19th.
July
at "Amnesty" Brighton Road, St. Kilda, Thomas Farr, Age 77
years.
He is buried in St. Kilda cemetery, Grave Number B,0242, 00761.
According to death records the family were Baptists.
Hannah Martin's Sampler
This is a photograph of the needlework sampler done by Hannah as a
young girl.
Letter to Francis
Longmore
This letter is from Thomas and Hannah Farr, written by Thomas to
Francis Longmore, in reply to Francis asking for Annie's hand in
marriage. Transcribed by Robyn Lawther.
30 Dawson Street, Ballarat
January 31st 1873.
Mr. Longmore,
Dear Sir,
Your letter
has been read by Mrs. Farr and myself we are not surprised at
your request but young man do you know what you are asking for?
do you know what a prize you are seeking to obtain? Have you
fully considered the responsibility and care you are trying to
entangle yourself with? have you looked all these things and a
number besides full in the face-- some perhaps you have some
perhaps you have not, for recollect - love is blind. We will
hope you are not unmindful of the great gtt we have in our
procession, ready and walling to bestow it on any-one who will
undertake to guard and protect it as well or better than we have
done. You have shown a most persevering and undaunted spirit in
at least gaining the consent of your hearts best love, we hope
such a spirit and determination to succeed may never flag.
You herewith
have our consent to one of the best bit of flesh and blood to be
found in petticoats, now consider yourself a lucky fellow. But
don't dance about like that, you have not got her yet. We know
not of your intentions as to the way and means you are going to
adopt as to time, it must remain a question you know we are both
to part with it, its all very well to open the cage and let the
bird fly, better it live with the old birds until as good or as
safe a cage presents itself. Take our advice don't be in to
great a hurry, your comfort in after life depends in a great
measure in making a fair start. Should your circumstances look
at all favourable, we will not stand in the way of you making
your happiness complete. You of course do not think of altering
your state in your present situation. Wishing you every success
whether related to us or otherwise we remain
Dear Sir your's truly
Thomas and Hannah Farr
Alice
Farr
Notice in The Argus.
Bissett - Farr. - On the 26th
December, 1872, at the residence of the bride's parents, by the
Rev. A.W.Grant, John, second son of the late Mr. John Bissett,
senr., Castlemaine, to Alice Louisa, eldest daughter of Mr. Thomas
Farr, Dawson Street, Ballarat, silver wedding. Present address,
"Kellie-Law", Shamrock Street, Bendigo.
Extract from the Bendigo Advertiser :
A PLEASANT SURPRISE. - A few
evenings ago a pleasant surprise party, consisting of several
ladies and gentlemen connected with the Presbyterian Church,
Golden Square, waited on Mr. and Mrs. J.Bissett at their
residence, Kellie-Law, Shamrock Street. The visitors were heartily
welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. Bissett, and the Rev. W.Agnew, on behalf
of those present and the members of the congregation, presented
their hostess with a handsome silver hot water kettle on the
occasion of their silver wedding. In making the presentation, Mr.
Agnew referred to the active part taken by Mr. and Mrs. Bissett in
the work of the church for many years past, and mentioned the
coincidence that the silver anniversary of the church was on the
same date. Mr. W.Anderson also made a few remarks, and hoped that
Mr. and Mrs. Bissett would be spared to celebrate their golden
wedding.
Sarah
(Annie) Farr
"Sarah was an aspiring star with
natural singing abilities. She was a member of the Dawson
Street Baptist Choir as well as a member of the Philharmonic
Choir that often performed at the Mechanics' Institute. She was
selected to continue her singing career in London, however she
choose marriage over this promising future."
Quoting a note from Robin Lawther, who also
said she had an opportunity to sing with Dame Nellie Melba.
Annie's singing career in fact incurred the censure of her Baptist
Pastor, which caused a lively flurry of correspondence in the
Ballarat Times, and lead to the Farr family cutting ties with the
Dawson St Baptist Church. Full
details This affair is the subject of an
interesting newsletter from the Ballarat Historical Society (Vol
11 No 3, May/June 2009)., written by Anne Doggett
Arthur
Farr
Arthur's
occupation
is shown in his son John's Marriage Certificate as "builder". It
appears Arthur was in partnership with his brother Leigh and his
father, Thomas, in the early 1890s, as the Sands & McDougall
directory at this time shows his address at 101 Swanston Street,
Melbourne as "Agent, brickworks and contractors". He left the
partnership early in 1892/93 and went to England as a wine merchant,
representing Irvine Wines.
On January 1, 1894 he married Rose Emma White in
London. Their first child, Thomas, was born at 138 Mercers Lane,
Islington, England..The next reference we have is that their second
son, John, was born in 1901 at Balaclava, Victoria, so they
obviously returned to Australia at some stage. There is an entry in
the Sands & McDougall directory of 1898 giving their address as
13 Smith St, St. Kilda. Again they returned to England as their
daughter Clarice Annie was born there in 1907.
In West Australian shipping records there is an entry; "Suevic
arrived Albany 11th August 1911 from Liverpool, passengers; Mr. and
Mrs. Farr and infant, also John, child with parents. Mr. Farr,
Commercial Agent". After Arthur settled back in Perth he
established business as a builder.
Tom stayed on in England to complete his education as an electrical
engineer.
Their next child, Robert, was born in 1914 at Cottesloe, Western
Australia.
Arthur died of hydatids in Adelaide in 1927 en
route to WA. He was transferred from the ship to the Adelaide
Hospital where he died.. His Will was presented for probate at both
the Supreme Courts of Victoria and Western Australia. The gross
value of his estate in Western Australia was not exceeding four
hundred and thirty seven pounds, and the value in Victoria not
exceeding nine hundred pounds. At the time of his death his address
was 60 Forrest St., Cottesloe. At the time of making his will, 9th
April 1918, the address was 25 John St., Cottesloe.
In the 1926 Sands & McDougall directory his address is shown as
Station St., West Burswood, Victoria. In probate documents this is
described as "Certificate of Title Volume 4977 Folio 995234 upon
which is erected a weather board house consisting of 5 rooms known
as Ilkley, Station Street, Burswood."
David Farr, a descendant of the son,
provided an explanation for the trips to London.
Arthur was in partnership with his
father and Leigh at 101 Swanston St as "Agent, brickworks and
contractors" in the early 1890s. He left the partnership early in
1892/3 and went to England as a wine merchant, representing Irvine
Wines. He met Emma in London, marrying on 1 Jan 1894, with Tom
born on 13 June of that year. I wrote to Irvine Wines a couple of
years ago but no response. In 1898 his address is given as 13
Smith St, St Kilda and their second son, John Elliott (my father)
was born there on 21 July 1901. Again thery returned to England,
date unknown, as their daughter, Clarice Annie was born there on
15 Sep 1907. In West Australian shipping records there is an entry
: "Suevic arrived Albany 11th August 1911 from Liverpool,
passengers: Mr & Mrs Farr and infant, also John, child with
parents. Mr Farr, Commercial Agent". Tom stayed on in London to
complete his education as an electrical engineer. After Arthur
settled back in Perth he established business as a builder.
Leigh
Farr
Leigh was in partnership with his brother, Arthur, and father,
Thomas, at 101 Swanston Street, Melbourne in the early 1890s as
"contractors and brickworks agents".. He lived at 173 Hotham Street,
St Kilda, next door to his father, Thomas, who was at number 175.
Acknowledgements
Most of the material on the Farrs and Martins comes from Glenis
Crocker, with help from Robyn Lawther and Helen Millward. Glenis's
material prepared for the Martin reunion she organised has been
quoted directly here. They have traced the family back to the 16th
century, by a lot of detective work on old wills.
Also Len Martin produced an excellent book on Charles Henry
Martin, Hannah Martin's brother
Research Notes
Information Sources:
Weld Chapel birth records. St Georges Hanover Square Parish
Records. Farr family bible
David Farr queries
(1) Charles Augustine Farr. Is that
second name Augustus?. Could be, but it looks like Augustine
on his birth certificate. Death certificate has no second name
(2) Thomas and Hannah's daughter Emma
Elizabeth. Your records say she died 1909 - mine show 1908
LR I have both dates in my FTM file. I
am always inclined to believe the source that has a day and
month.
But it should be checkable
(3) Ethel Maude - you show she was married in Melbourne - mine
show Ballarat.
LR Not sure, but I have a certificate number in my files
MC459, which should be checkable
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