Richard Trahar

Background

Richard Trahar (Snr) (*R#1of4) established Ballarat’s first iron foundry in 1855, with the foundry bearing three different names during its 121 years:

1. Yarrowee Foundry
2. Trahar and Sons’ Foundry / Trahar and Sons
3. Trahar Brothers’ Foundry / Trahar Bros. Foundry

(*ref. Trahar family records)

History

Son of Hopson Woolcock Trahar, blacksmith, Richard Trahar was born in 1827 in Perranarworthal, Cornwall.

He and his new young bride arrived in Ballarat, via Geelong in 1853.

Upon arriving in Ballarat, Richard Trahar unsuccessfully tried his luck on the goldfields and was present at the Eureka Rebellion the following year.

He used his foundry skills to assist the miners, initially working as a blacksmith and opening a smithy on the site of the gasworks (later Coles and Woolworths carpark). The frequent demands to repair broken castings proved a problem, so Trahar set about to mark a start with casting at Ballarat.

In 1855, Richard Trahar became the proprietor of the Yarrowee Foundry.

He had been a foundryman in England before coming to Australia.

Richard Trahar Jnr (R#2of4) worked in succession at both of Ballarat's Phoenix Foundry and Victoria Foundry. He and his younger brother William (Snr) (W#1of5) later joined their father Richard Trahar Snr at the Yarrowee Foundry which subsequently became Trahar and Sons, then re-named Trahar Bros. Foundry upon the death of Richard Trahar Snr in 1882.

Some of Richard Trahar Snr's grandsons were the third generation of Trahar brothers’ partnerships, with the next generation’s sons of those brothers, often inheriting their father’s partnership role. Many other family members including some for their entire working lives, worked at the foundry over the years.

The foundry’s 1976 closure as ‘Trahar Bros. Foundry’, dissolved the 20 year partnership of two, fourth generation Trahar cousins/great-grandsons of Richard Trahar Snr.

Also upon closure, a fifth generation great-great grandson had for several years worked alongside his father’s cousin, joining the foundry from another profession upon his father’s retirement/continued partnership.

(refs. include Trahar family knowledge/records)

Legacy

• In 1855 Trahar produced the first foundry melt of about 40lb of scrap cast, from a crude furnace using a handblower and charcoal as fuel. This small flow soon became a mighty stream, and over the next 40 years the engineering industry prospered in Ballarat.

• Two cast iron oven doors were still present in Maryborough's Caledonian House.

• ’Trahar Place’ - Richard Trahar Snr and descendants were honoured by the naming of Trahar Place in Stage 1 of the Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ) at Mitchell Park, Greater Ballarat. A City of Ballarat letter of 16 March, 2020 to a Trahar family member states “Trahar Place at the Ballarat West Employment Zone was named after the Trahar family that operated foundries in Ballarat until the 1970s”.

Obituary

Mr Richard Trahar of Ballarat East, died unexpected of it on that night. He was aged 68 years.

(Jnr/Snr) (R#2of4)

Family

Family of Richard William Trahar (Snr) (R#1of4) (1827-1882) and Emily Johns (1838-1882)

1. Richard Trahar (Jnr/Snr) (R#2of4) (1855-1924)
2. William Trahar (Snr) (W#1of5) (1858-1926)
3. Edward Trahar (1860-1961 - aged 5 months)
4. Jane Trahar (1861-1885)
5. Mary Trahar (M#1of2) (1864-1865 - aged 7 months)
6. Mary Trahar (M#2of2) (1867-1867 - aged unknown months)

Family of Richard Trahar (Jnr/Snr) (R#2of4) (1855-1924) and Caroline Maria Benbow (1858-1919):

1. Richard Trahar (Jnr/Snr) (R#3of4) (1878-1959)
2. Caroline Anne (Annie) Trahar (1880-1958)
3. Emily Jane Trahar (1882-1918) (m. 1902 William Charles Copperwaite)
4. William Trahar (W#2of5) (1884-1958)
5. Ethel May Trahar (E#1of2) (1886-1887 - aged 8 months)
6. Charles Alexander Trahar (1888?-1919 - aged 34) Late AIF.
7. Walter Arnold Trahar (1890-1925)
8. Stephen Edward Trahar (1892-1934)
9. Janet (Essie) Louden Trahar (1894-1963)
10. Ernest Alexander Trahar (1896-1960)

Family of William Trahar (Snr) (W#1of5) (1858-1926) and Janet (Jessie) Louden Wilson (1867-1951):

1. William Trahar (Jnr) (W#3of5) (1891-1891 - aged unknown months)
2. Leslie Louden Trahar (1892-1978)
3. Jessie Trahar (1894-19?)
4. Norman Trahar (1899-1935)
5. Beryl Alexander Trahar (1902-1952)
6. Ethel Trahar (E#2of2) (1904-1952)
7. Mavis Trahar (1907- )
8. John Trahar (1909- )

Namesakes - seven of whom were employed at foundry including forefather:

Richard Trahar - four
Four known family members sharing name (direct family lineage of Richard name x 4); all four worked at foundry; three listed above, one below -

1. Richard Francis Trahar (R#4of4) (1900-1989)
   [son of Richard Trahar (Snr) (R#3of4)]
   Both had foundry partnerships.

William Trahar - five
Five known family members sharing name (includes direct family lineages); three of whom worked at foundry (W#1,2,5); three listed above, two below -

1. William John Trahar (Snr) (W#4of5) (8.11.1928 - 2-2-2000)
   [son of Norman Trahar (1899-1935), grandson of William Trahar (W#1of5)]
   Not employed at foundry.
   

1. William Richard Trahar (W#5of5) (18.11.1928 - 12.6.2000)
   [son of Richard Francis Trahar (Jnr) (R#4of4)]
   Employed at foundry/employed elsewhere prior to and following its closure.

N.B. Lifespan similarities of William John and William Richard, as above.

William John ~ great- grandson of Richard Trahar Snr (R#1of4).

William Richard ~ great- great- grandson of Richard Trahar Snr (#R1of4).

The two Williams (both known as Bill) were meeting for the first time at a Trahar Family Reunion held in Ballarat in March 2000, organised by William Richard. Sadly, William John passed away one month prior to, and William Richard passed away three months after the reunion, both aged 71.

(ref. Trahar family knowledge/records)

See also

Yarrowee Foundry

Trahar and Sons' Foundry / Trahar and Sons

Trahar Brothers' Foundry / Trahar Bros. Foundry

Foundries

Notes

From Richard Trahar, of the Yarrowee Foundry, stating that he had been served with notice to remove a blacksmith's shop, &c., from the site of Lewis street, further remarking that the buildings in question were erected there before any survey was made for a street. He therefore " requested compensation, and a lengthened period of time."

Received. On the motion of Cr Hassell, seconded by Cr Duncan, it was resolved to inform the writer that the Council had no money to give him compensation.

Cr Campbell thought that a man who built on a street before it was proclaimed was entitled to compensation, but those who built subsequently were not entitled to such compensation.

External links

Image of 'R. Trahar' stamp on a forge air blower - Park

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1734805883428102&id=1709552389286785&refid=17&_ft_=top_level_post_id.1734805883428102%3Atl_objid.1734805883428102%3Athid.1709552389286785%3A306061129499414%3A2%3A0%3A1459493999%3A7763806417987572428&__tn

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--Beth Kicinski 10:23, 29 January 2013 (EST); --C.K.Gervasoni 14:08, 14 February 2013 (EST)