Queensland Architects Database

Faram, George

FARAM, George (1813–1871) was born at Church Lawton, Cheshire, England, son of James Faram, a farmer, and Penelope Holland. By 1841 George had trained as a stone mason, married Mary Faram at Lawton, Cheshire, and worked on canals, viaducts, roads and bridges and more especially railways, supervising heavy works in England, France and Wales. In 1848, George Faram with his wife, their six surviving children, as well as five siblings or siblings-in law migrated to Australia arriving at Port Phillip in February 1849. After opening an Office for Surveying and Contracting in Melbourne, he undertook civil engineering jobs including i

n Flinders Lane before being employed by unidentified contractors for larger works. In June 1862 when he applied unsuccessfully for a position as superintendent of works in the Queensland Department of Lands and Works, he had testimonials from Edward Woods (1814–1903), engineer to the Liverpool & Manchester Co; GW Buck (1789–1954), engineer to the Manchester & Birmingham Co, Samuel Holmes, builder of Liverpool, Thomas BASSEY (1805–1870), railway contractor, and others. He had considerable colonial experience having built a great many bridges in Victoria and superintended portion of the Ballarat Railway. Instead he was employed as an inspector of works by AC FITZGIBBON, Chief Engineer of the Southern & Western Railway until May 1865 when his employment transferred to the Commissioner of Railways. In 1869 Faram was still in Queensland (but his wife had remained in Melbourne) when a son married. Also in Queensland was his cousin Sarah, daughter of his uncle William Faram (1787–1854), a civil engineer and surveyor. Sarah was married to Joseph Robins (1812–1898) who worked on Louis HOPE’s sugar plantation at Ormiston. George Faram died in Melbourne. In Victoria, four of his sons became well known: William (1835–1906) as a civil engineer and surveyor in Gippsland; Henry Charles (1838–1907) as a coastal mariner; George James (1842–1916) as a civil engineer, and Arthur John (1848–1914) as an auctioneer.

Education

-1841
As stone mason, ?Middlewich, Cheshire

Migration and Travel

1849
10 Feb 1849: Arr Port Philip from London; passengers on “Lord Hungerford”
Employed:
-1841-
stone mason, Middlewich, Cheshire
-1850-
Engineer, Victoria
1862-
Inspector of Works for AC FITZGIBBON, Chief Engineer, Southern & Western Railway, Ipswich
1865-
Inspector of Works, Commissioner of Railways, Qld
Self-employed:
1849-
G. Faram, Office for Surveying and Contracting, Melbourne

Genealogy

[PGF] John Faram (1760–1830) b. Nov 1760, Fishlake, Yorkshire, Eng; d. 27 Sep 1830, St. Michael’s, Middlewich, Cheshire, Eng.

[11C/1-6B / F] William Faram (1787–1854) b. 23 Dec 1787, Stoke-on-Trent, Etruria, Staffordshire, Eng; d. 15 Feb 1854, Sandbach, Congleton, Cheshire Eng. [civil engineer and surveyor]

  • [S, 28 Dec 1809, Middlewich Cheshire Eng / M] Hannah Latham (1790–1831) b. 1790, Coppenhall, Astbury, Cheshire, Eng; d. 26 Jan 1831, Newton, Middlewich, Cheshire, Eng.
  • [10C/3-4G] Sarah Faram (1826–1911) b. 7 Oct 1826, Newtown, Cheshire, Eng; d. 19 Sep 1911, Cleveland, Qld
  • [S, 17 May 1855, Pentridge, Victoria / F] Joseph Robins (1812–1898) b. 28 Oct 1812, St Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands; d. 23 Dec 1898, Cleveland, Qld

[11C/3-6B / F] James Faram (1791–1848) b. 1791, Etruria, Staffordshire; d. Apr 1848, Odd Rode, CHS

  • [S / M] Penelope Holland (1791–1830) b.c1791; d. Apr 1830, Church Lawton, Cheshire
  • [8C/1-5G] Anna Maria Faram (1811–?) b. 1811, Church Lawton, Cheshire, Eng; d. ?
  • [8C/1-3B]George FARAM(c1813–1871) b. c1813, Church Lawton, Cheshire; d. 21 Sep 1871, West Melbourne (108 Victoria St)
  • [S, 2 Apr 1835, Lawton Cheshire / M] Mary Faram (1813–1882) b. 1813, Middlewich, Cheshire, Eng; d. 29 Mar 1882, Albert Park, St.Vincent Place, Melbourne
  • [8C/[1-5B] William Faram (1835–1906) b. 21 Apr 1835, Church Lawton, Cheshire; d. 24 Sep 1906, St. Kilda, Vic (128 High St) [civil engineering contractor and surveyor, Gippsland]
  • [S, 12 Oct 1870, Fitzroy, Vic / M] Jane McNiece (1849–1938) b. 1849, Melbourne, Vic.; d. 1938, Mornington, Vic
  • [8C/1-3G] Mary Faram (1837–1837) b. 1837, Middlewich, Cheshire, Eng; d. June 1837, Middlewich, CHS, England
  • [8C/2-5B] Henry Charles Faram (1838–1907) b. J-M 1838, Middlewich, Cheshire, Eng; d. 19 May 1907, North Carlton, (Princes Street) [Henry Charles Faram, a master mariner, 1903]
  • [8C/2-3G] Emily Faram (1840–1842) b. Oct 1840, Middlewich, Cheshire, Eng; d. May 1842, Middlewich, CHS, England
  • [8C/3-5B] George James Faram (1842–1916) b. aft. Jan 1842, Middlewich, Cheshire, Eng; d 9.8.1916, Richmond, Vic. Clifton Street), civil engineer [1914, CE]
  • [S, 27 Sep 1876, Angaston, SA / M] Mary Keynes (1853–1940) b. 11 Dec 1853, Angaston, SA; d. 1940, SA.
  • [8C/3-3G] Anne Jane Faram (1844–1899) b. J-M, 1844, Middlewich, Cheshire, Eng; d. 13 June 1899, South Yarra, Vic (“Goodrest”)
  • [8C/4-5B] Frederick Faram (1846–1898) b. aft. Jan 1846, Cheshire; d. 15 Jan 1898, Melbourne, Vic. (Melb East Hosp)
  • [8C/5-5B] Arthur John Faram (1848–1914) b. June-Sept 1848, Liverpool, Lancs, Eng; d. 30 Mar 1914, South Melb, Vic (“Noojee”) [auctioneer,
  • [8C/2-3B] James Faram (1815–1881) b. July 1815, Church Lawton, Cheshire, Eng; d. 30 Jan 1881, Stoke upon Trent, Staffordshire, Eng. [grocer, 1851]
  • [8C/3-3B] William Faram (1817–1895) b. c1817, Cheshire, Eng; d. 1895, Stone, Staffordshire, Eng. [police constable, 1851]
  • [8C/2-5G] Penelope Faram (1820–1879) b. c1820, Church Lawton, Cheshire, Eng; d. Apr 1879, Church Lawton, Cheshire, Eng
  • [8C/3-5G] etc.

References

Port Phillip Gazette, 5 May 1849, 3; Melbourne Daily News, 30 Aug 1849, 3; LWO/A1 1862/271, QSA; QGG, 13 May 1865; Argus, 9 May 1914, 17.