Farrar was born in 1859 in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire, the son of Charles Farrar, a Chatteris medical doctor, and Helen Howard, the daughter of John Howard of Cauldwell House Bedford and sister of Sir Frederick Howard of Bedford and James Howard MP of Bedford. George Herbert Farrar was educated at Bedford Modern School after which he joined Howard, Farrar & Co., the engineering business of his uncle, Sir Frederick Howard, travelling to South Africa in 1879 to work at the firm's branches in Port Elizabeth and East London. He was the brother of John Percy Farrar, soldier and mountaineer.
Later lifeedit
In 1887, shortly after the discovery of gold on the Reef, he and his brothers established themselves in Johannesburg. Here he became one of the leading figures in the mining sector on the East Rand. His main creation was forming the East Rand Proprietary Mines (ERPM),[2] remaining chairman of the company throughout his life. In 1893 Farrar sold 1,300 claims to the ERPM and received ERPM shares to the value of £705,000 for his claims in the south of Boksburg, excluding Boksburg Lake. Farrar later received further ERPM shares for his claims over Boksburg Lake, and became effectively the controlling shareholder of the ERPM. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Transvaal and Leader of the Opposition. For his part in the Jameson Raid he was sentenced to hang, but the sentence was commuted to a fine of £25,000, paid by cheque by Farrar's brother Sydney.[3]: 115
Following the end of the war, he became chairman of the Chamber of Mines. Farrar was an ardent supporter of the scheme to solve the labour problems of the mines by importing poorly paid Chinese workers on three-year contracts.[8] Despite strong opposition, the plan was implemented in 1904 and over 60,000 Chinese were brought into the country over a period of three years, resulting in even further ethnic tensions on the Reef. With the attaining of autonomy for the Transvaal in 1906, he represented Boksburg East in the Legislative Assembly and was leader of the Opposition.[3]: 115 He represented Georgetown in the first parliament of Union of South Africa in 1910–11 and was created a baronet on 2 February 1911.[3]: 115 In December 1911 he withdrew from politics and devoted all his time to his enterprises on the East Rand.[3]: 114
With the outbreak of World War I he was visiting England and about to join the staff of General Sir Hubert Hamilton in Belgium, but instead was ordered to German South West Africa as Assistant Q.M-General to Brigadier-General Duncan McKenzie's force with the rank of Colonel. From Lüderitz Bay he was in charge of the restoration of the railway and of supplying the forces with water, critically important in the semi-desert region. On 19 May 1915 while returning from a tour of inspection, his motor trolley collided with a construction train at Kuibis, near Gibeon, and he succumbed to his injuries the following day.[3]: 115 He was buried in Bedford Farm Cemetery east of Johannesburg – Bedford Farm was named for his boyhood hometown.[3]: 115 Farrarmere, a suburb of Benoni in the East Rand of Johannesburg, South Africa is also named after him as his hunting lodge was located there.
Marriageedit
He married Ella Mabel Waylen (c.1869–1922) on 3 June 1893 and had six daughters:
^"Farrar, Sir George Herbert, (17 June 1859–19 May 1915), Chairman East Rand Proprietary Mines". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U185877. ISBN978-0-19-954089-1.
Geoffrey Wheatcroft. The Randlords – The Men Who Made South Africa (Jonathan Ball 1986) ISBN0-86850-135-2
Standard Encyclopaedia of South Africa (vol 4) (NASOU 1971) ISBN0-625-00320-9
John Pinfold. "Farrar, Sir George Herbert, baronet (1859–1915)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, online edn, Oxford University Press, Oct 2007 Retrieved 23 Dec 2007
External linksedit
External image
Memorial to GH Farrar and others that died in the Great War. Kensington War memorial, Johannesburg.
george, farrar, george, herbert, farrar, baronet, june, 1859, 1915, south, african, mining, magnate, politician, soldier, colonel, assistant, quartermaster, general, central, force, union, defence, force, colonel, south, african, light, horse, sirbt, dsoborn, . Sir George Herbert Farrar 1st Baronet DSO 17 June 1859 20 May 1915 was a South African mining magnate politician and soldier Colonel and assistant Quartermaster General Central Force Union Defence Force Hon Colonel South African Light Horse 1 SirGeorge FarrarBt DSOBorn 1859 06 17 17 June 1859Chatteris CambridgeshireDied20 May 1915 1915 05 20 aged 55 Kuibis Gibeon South West AfricaNationalityBritish Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Later life 3 Marriage 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksEarly life and career editFarrar was born in 1859 in Chatteris Cambridgeshire the son of Charles Farrar a Chatteris medical doctor and Helen Howard the daughter of John Howard of Cauldwell House Bedford and sister of Sir Frederick Howard of Bedford and James Howard MP of Bedford George Herbert Farrar was educated at Bedford Modern School after which he joined Howard Farrar amp Co the engineering business of his uncle Sir Frederick Howard travelling to South Africa in 1879 to work at the firm s branches in Port Elizabeth and East London He was the brother of John Percy Farrar soldier and mountaineer Later life editIn 1887 shortly after the discovery of gold on the Reef he and his brothers established themselves in Johannesburg Here he became one of the leading figures in the mining sector on the East Rand His main creation was forming the East Rand Proprietary Mines ERPM 2 remaining chairman of the company throughout his life In 1893 Farrar sold 1 300 claims to the ERPM and received ERPM shares to the value of 705 000 for his claims in the south of Boksburg excluding Boksburg Lake Farrar later received further ERPM shares for his claims over Boksburg Lake and became effectively the controlling shareholder of the ERPM He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Transvaal and Leader of the Opposition For his part in the Jameson Raid he was sentenced to hang but the sentence was commuted to a fine of 25 000 paid by cheque by Farrar s brother Sydney 3 115 During the Boer War he raised two regiments of South African Horse and on 1 December 1900 was appointed Major in the Kaffrarian Rifles He saw service in the Orange River Colony took part in the defence of Wepener and saw action at Wittebergen south of the Orange River He was mentioned in despatches 4 and for his service during the war he was awarded the Queen s South Africa Medal with 4 clasps appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order DSO 5 and knighted in December 1902 6 7 Following the end of the war he became chairman of the Chamber of Mines Farrar was an ardent supporter of the scheme to solve the labour problems of the mines by importing poorly paid Chinese workers on three year contracts 8 Despite strong opposition the plan was implemented in 1904 and over 60 000 Chinese were brought into the country over a period of three years resulting in even further ethnic tensions on the Reef With the attaining of autonomy for the Transvaal in 1906 he represented Boksburg East in the Legislative Assembly and was leader of the Opposition 3 115 He represented Georgetown in the first parliament of Union of South Africa in 1910 11 and was created a baronet on 2 February 1911 3 115 In December 1911 he withdrew from politics and devoted all his time to his enterprises on the East Rand 3 114 With the outbreak of World War I he was visiting England and about to join the staff of General Sir Hubert Hamilton in Belgium but instead was ordered to German South West Africa as Assistant Q M General to Brigadier General Duncan McKenzie s force with the rank of Colonel From Luderitz Bay he was in charge of the restoration of the railway and of supplying the forces with water critically important in the semi desert region On 19 May 1915 while returning from a tour of inspection his motor trolley collided with a construction train at Kuibis near Gibeon and he succumbed to his injuries the following day 3 115 He was buried in Bedford Farm Cemetery east of Johannesburg Bedford Farm was named for his boyhood hometown 3 115 Farrarmere a suburb of Benoni in the East Rand of Johannesburg South Africa is also named after him as his hunting lodge was located there Marriage editHe married Ella Mabel Waylen c 1869 1922 on 3 June 1893 and had six daughters Helen Mabel b 1894 Muriel Frances b 1896 who married Anthony Lowther Viscount Lowther Gwendoline b 1899 stage name Gwen Farrar Kathleen Elizabeth b 1907 and Ella Marguerite b 1911 8 Although Farrar had no male heirs and his baronetcy became extinct through his daughter Muriel he was the grandfather of James Lowther 7th Earl of Lonsdale and the great grandfather of Hugh Lowther 8th Earl of Lonsdale 9 References edit Farrar Sir George Herbert 17 June 1859 19 May 1915 Chairman East Rand Proprietary Mines WHO S WHO amp WHO WAS WHO 2007 doi 10 1093 ww 9780199540884 013 U185877 ISBN 978 0 19 954089 1 ERPM Archived from the original on 11 October 2009 a b c d e f Musiker Naomi Musiker Reuben 2000 A Concise Historical Dictionary of Greater Johannesburg Cape Town Francolin ISBN 1868590712 London Gazette 16 April 1901 London Gazette 19 April 1901 New Knights The Times No 36914 London 1 November 1902 p 11 No 27504 The London Gazette 16 December 1902 p 8678 a b Pinfold Burke s PeerageSources editGeoffrey Wheatcroft The Randlords The Men Who Made South Africa Jonathan Ball 1986 ISBN 0 86850 135 2 Standard Encyclopaedia of South Africa vol 4 NASOU 1971 ISBN 0 625 00320 9 John Pinfold Farrar Sir George Herbert baronet 1859 1915 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online edn Oxford University Press Oct 2007 Retrieved 23 Dec 2007External links editExternal image nbsp Memorial to GH Farrar and others that died in the Great War Kensington War memorial Johannesburg Baronetage of the United Kingdom New creation Baronet of Chicheley Hall 1911 1915 Extinct Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title George Farrar amp oldid 1220291439, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
