George Henry Farr

The Ven. George Henry Farr, M.A., LL.D. (2 July 1819 – 7 February 1904) was an Anglican priest in South Australia.

History

Farr was born in Tottenham, London, a son of John Farr, and was admitted to Christ's Hospital school shortly after his eighth birthday, the youngest boy in the school of 700 students; the future Sir H. S. Maine, and Canon Buckle of Wells, were fellow-students. At age 15 he won a school exhibition for Cambridge University, but was forced by illness to defer his going up to Cambridge until he was 20. As an undergraduate of Pembroke College he served as oar-captain and stroke of the Pembroke Eight, a sport he continued to participate in with some success after he graduated in 1843 in both classics and mathematics. With an eye on a career in Law, he entered the Middle Temple, and after graduating read with a leading conveyancer, but abandoned his studies to to take holy orders. He was ordained deacon in 1844 and priest the following year by the Bishop of Exeter. He was eight years in Cornwall, serving at Redruth and St Buryan, and for a time the cure of Stapleton, in the diocese of Gloucester and Bristol.

In 1854 he was offered the position of headmaster of St. Peter's College, Adelaide, which he promptly accepted, and left England shortly afterwards. The college was in its infancy, with only two habitable classrooms, and a dining hall that doubled as the chapel. There were two masters and 70 students. For 25 years Farr served as head, with conspicuous ability and success. Among those he influenced were Sir Denzil Ibbetson, Ven. Archdeacon Bussell, Rev. C. Hornabrook, George Leake (Premier of Western Australia), Sir John C. Bray; Sir John Downer, Dr. E. C. Stirling, Sir Lancelot Stirling, Dr. W. B. Blue; Sir Richard Butler, J. S. O'Halloran, T. J. S. O'Halloran (father of T. S. O'Halloran), and A. Buchanan.

Three years after his arrival in Adelaide he was appointed Canon of St. Peter's Cathedral, serving in that position concurrently with his College duties, and assisted in laying its foundation stone on 29 June 1869.

In 1879 Dr. Farr resigned from St. Peter's College, and in 1880 was appointed Archdeacon of the missionary districts in the Diocese of Adelaide, a position which entailed many long and arduous journeys. He then served as incumbent of St. Bede's Church, Semaphore; St. Michael's, Mitcham; and St. Luke's, Adelaide, where he served for 12 years. In 1896 , his health failing, he took a long holiday on Norfolk Island, where one of his daughters was a missionary.

but during his long and brilliant career in South Australia as a clergyman and schoolmaster he gained the respect and admiration of all classes in the community, and his death will occasion sincere regret in all parts of the state. For many years Dr. Farr was an enthusiastic supporter of numerous educational and philanthropic organizations, which had for their object the moral, intellectual, and physical welfare of the people; and his services are still remembered with gratitude by those who had the privilege of working with him, as well as by those who benefited by his disinterested labours. As a clergyman he won the respect of his fellow-ministers by his ability and integrity, while he endeared himself to his parishioners by the kindly interest which he took in their temporal and spiritual affairs. Men of all ages and in widely diverse social positions found in him a true friend and wise counsellor, who was ever ready to help them in times of difficulty and sorrow, and to encourage them in their efforts to make the best use of their talents and opportunities. Many prominent citizens in Adelaide and other parts of the state owed much of their success to later life to the training which they received at St. Peter's College while the late Archdeacon was head master of that institution, and no schoolmaster was more highly respected by his "old boys" than was Dr. Farr. Many other of his pupils, if they have not come into such prominence as those mentioned, have yet done good work in their respective spheres, and proved that the theory upon which their education was based was capable of standing the most severe test, namely, that of results. Archdeacon Farr was one of the early movers in the project to establish a University in Adelaide, and held the offices of warden from 1880 to 1882 and Vice-Chancellor from 1887 to 1893. At the expiration of the term he did not seek re-election, but continued to occupy a seat on the council until his retirement from active work in 1896. He thus rendered valuable service in helping to mould ideals upon which the highest seat of learning in the colony was founded. He Was also an active member of the board of the Public Library, Museum, and Art Gallery, being Chairman on three occasions between 1869 and 1886. —Ministerial Work.— —A Many-sided Man.— Although he never courted publicity or put himself forward as an agitator, yet in more than one direction Archdeacon Farr did good public service is a quiet, unostentatious manner. South Australia may well reverence and honour the memory of one who accomplished so much to form the characters and mould the thought and ideals of those who have taken a prominent part in framing the laws and deciding the lines upon which the political, commercial, intellectual, and religious institutions of the state should be conducted. As a preacher the late Archdeacon never attempted to soar into flights of oratory or to perplex his hearers by reading carefully prepared essays on subtle and profound theological dogma and doctrines. With him the simple Gospel was considered sufficient for the spiritual needs of the average hearer, and he always endeavoured to forget that he was a scholar, and suited his teaching to the vicissitudes and perplexities of the average human life rather than to the intellectual needs of the few whose minds might demand more substantial mental food. His favourite attitude when in the pulpit was to lean over the reading desk, and without the assistance of either manuscript or notes converse with rather than preach to his congregation.

He died at his residence in North Adelaide after some nine years of failing health.

Family

George Henry Farr married Julia Warren Ord (14 August 1824 – 21 April 1914) on 5 February 1846. Julia was a daughter of Sir Robert Hutchinson Ord, of Grimstead Hall, Essex, and a noted social worker for whom Adelaide's Julia Farr Centre was named. Their children included:

• Eleanora Elizabeth Farr (1847–1901) married Lewis Blackmore in 1872
• Dr. Coleridge Farr ( – ), of the Magnetic Observatory, Christchurch, New Zealand
• Mary Edith Patteson Farr ( – ) married William Hey Sharp ( – ) in 1876. He was better known as Canon Sharp, warden of St. Paul's College, Sydney.
• Louis Henry Ord Farr (1859– ), of Teatree Gully
• Gertrude Margaret Farr (1862–1956)
• Julia Coleridge Farr (1864– )

The Rev. John Coleridge Patteson was a cousin.

References

Category:1819 births Category:1904 deaths Category:Australian Anglican priests Category:Australian headmasters