Julia Warren Farr

Julia Warren Farr née Ord (14 August 1824 – 21 April 1914) was an English-born South Australian philanthropist.

History Julia was a daughter of Major Robert Hutchinson Ord (1789–1828), whose family were associated with Greensted Hall, Essex, and his wife Elizabeth Ord (née Blagrave). She was young when her parents died and she and her siblings went to live with an uncle.

Farr assumed responsibility for running the boarding school for the College, overseeing the dairy and poultry that supplied the kitchen.

Philanthropy The frontage of the Orphan Home for Girls in Carrington Street, Adelaide. Farr was concerned at the plight of orphaned girls who had been committed to the Adelaide Destitute Asylum, an unsatisfactory situation in many ways. She organised a group of like-minded friends and founded the Church of England's Orphan Home for Girls. Located near the corner of Carrington Street and East Terrace, previously a German hospital, it opened in October 1861. The all female founding committee consisted of Millicent Short (wife of the first Bishop of Adelaide), Mrs. Jane Kent Hughes, Lady Amelia 'Emily' Grace Cooper, (wife of Chief Justice Charles Cooper), a Mrs. Prankerd, Stuckey and Farr.

The girls were looked after, fed, clothed and educated to the age of 14, then most found employment as servants to middle-class households. The first secretary of the Home was H. Kent Hughes, and matron Mrs. Sarah Birt. The Home was relocated to 588 Fullarton Road, Mitcham in August 1909, after the management of the home bought the residence of T. O'Halloran Giles (son of pastoralist Thomas Giles). The Home was renamed Farr House in honour of Julia Farr 1935 and closed in 1982.

Farr was also concerned with alleviating problems for people with intractable physical problems, and set about establishing the Home for Incurables. A committee was formed in 1878 and a house on Fisher Street, Fullarton was purchased. Over the years, as demand increased, new buildings were added, and wings were appended to those. A section of the complex was demolished in 2011 and some retirement homes were built on that piece of land.

Julia Farr died at her residence on Barnard street, North Adelaide, after an extended period of ill-health. She is buried with her husband at North Road Cemetery, Nailsworth.

Her daughter Julia, granddaughter Mary Clift, and great-granddaughter Joan Clift followed her in succession as committee members of the Orphan Home.

Other interests The Farrs purchased a property near Tea Tree Gully and built there a holiday house, dubbed "Brightlands". later known as Canon Sharp, warden of St Paul's College, University of Sydney, on 17 June 1876. Lewis Henry Ord Farr (1859 – 20 November 1912) married Mabel Beatrice Steward Bruce in 1901. He was a surveyor of Teatree Gully, later of Port Lincoln. He disappeared from the vessel Rupara, presumed drowned, while travelling to Streaky Bay on business. Suicide was not suspected. He had "a family of four or five children" including: Mary Stuart Ord Farr (3 September 1896 – ) married Lawrence Clift, of Guntur, India, in Colombo on 22 December 1921. (Lewis Henry) Bruce Farr (1 May 1901 – 1969) engaged to (Eva) Marion Ffloyd Chomley of North Bungaree in July 1940, married outside SA. Henry Coleridge Farr (1902– ) granted Land Agent's licence in 1937; living at Church terrace, Walkerville. Gertrude Margaret Farr (1862–1956) studied art, exhibited at least once. Julia Coleridge Farr (1864 – 7 October 1951) also studied art, became missionary on Norfolk Island. She was author of Early Days at St. Peter's. (Clinton) Coleridge Farr (22 May 1866 – 27 January 1943) married Maud Ellen Haydon at Papanui on 22 April 1903. He was a noted physicist and academic in New Zealand.

It is likely that Muriel Farr OBE (1914–1968), who may have been an Orphan Home committee member in 1919, was unrelated. She was organizing secretary for the Australasian National League, secretary for the Wattle Day League, activist for equal pay for women, the Liberal Union, and the (later Royal) Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. She was awarded an OBE in 1918. Muriel was a daughter of Edmund Arnold Farr ( –1957) who married Mildred Elizabeth Booker on 25 April 1905; he was the eldest son of Joseph Farr of Kings Walden, Hertfordshire, and a manager at G. & R. Wills & Co., then partner Charles Birks & Co.

Edith Jane Stewart Bayley (George's half-sister, died in London on 8 June 1876) married George Wright Hawkes (16 September 1828 – 5 January 1908) on 18 December 1854.