Alfred Raymond Ferrall CBE (1906 - 2000)

Born 27 May 1906 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Lorna Lyttleton (Findlay) Ferrall — married 10 Jun 1931 in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia

Died 1 Jun 2000 at age 94 in Newstead, Tasmania, Australia

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Biography

Ray Ferrall CBE is Notable.

Sir Raymond 'Ray' Ferrall CBE was an Australian businessman, journalist, author and cricketer.

Ray Ferrall CBE was born in Tasmania, Australia

Alfred Raymond 'Ray' Ferrall was born on 27th May 1906 in 9 Ivermay Road, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia. Raymond, as he became known, was the only child of Launceston-born Alfred Charles Ferrall, a storekeeper and merchant, and Victorian-born Edith Oliver. ^[1] Raised in the Launceston suburb of Invermay, he was educated at Monsieur Henri’s private school, Invermay Primary School and then Launceston Grammar School; where he was a prefect 1923 and 1924 and school captain January–June 1925.

On leaving school Ray became a junior reporter with the Launceston Daily Telegraph, until it succumbed to the Depression. He went to work for his father in the growing wholesale grocery business, but 'kept his hand in' by writing sports reports for the Hobart Mercury, and later penned character pieces for the Examiner.

Ray married Lorna Findlay on Wednesday, 10th June 1931 in St John's Church of England (now Anglican Church), Launceston, with the wedding breakfast (reception) following in the substantial dining room of the Metropole. The Advocate of Burnie, Tasmania published the following extensive report of the wedding activities in its newspaper of Friday, 12th June: ^[2]

"In the presence of a large assemblage of relatives and friends the marriage was solemnised on Wednesday evening at St. John's Church, Launceston, of Miss Lorna Lyttleton Findlay, twin daughter of Mr. and Mrs. P. A. Findlay, Wimbourne, Lyttleton street, Launceston, and Mr. Raymond Alfred Ferrall, only son of Mr. and Mrs. A. C. Farrall, George street, Launceston.

"The Rev. J. W. Bethune, C.B.E. (rector of Wynyard), performed the ceremony at 8 o'clock. Mr. A. B. Geo (organist) presided at the organ, and played the "Wedding March" as the bride entered the church, escorted by her father, and attended by a trio of bridesmaids, Misses Nancy Findlay (sister), Gwenda Coogan, and Marjorie Findlay (niece). The bridal party was preceded to the chancel by the choir boys, who sang "O Perfect Love" whilst the register was being signed, and as the party left the church Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" was played ... Mr. Ivan Wyly was best man, and Messrs. Geoffry Edgell and Bob Bain groomsmen ... Afterwards Mr. and Mrs. Findlay held a reception at the Metropole. Wedding supper was served in the spacious dining hall ... When Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ferrall left later for the country Mrs. Ferrall wore a beautiful coat of black ring velvet with white fox collar over a frock of carnation red moire ring velvet. Among the many gifts were a set of crystal from the South Launceston Cricket Club, a clock from the Epicurean Club, and a clock from the staff of Findlays Pty. Ltd."

Together, the couple subsequently had four children: John Alfred Michael Raymond, Margaret Edith and Barbara. ^[3]

Ray, a batsman with the South Launceston Cricket Club, was selected for Tasmania in the 1933-34 and 1934-35 seasons, and captained the State team against Victoria in 1935.

Every moment that he could, however, Ray was out on the complex Tamar River in his yacht. In 1944 he was appointed as a warden of the Marine Board of Launceston (later Port of Launceston Authority). He served several terms as deputy before being elected master warden in 1959; a position he held until 1980.

Ray was sales manager by 1936 and a director of A C Ferrall Pty Ltd by 1942—a business he would later develop into the successful wholesaler Four Roses Foods. He served on the boards or held directorships of several Launceston businesses including the Launceston Bank for Savings, The Examiner newspaper, Boag's Brewery, and forestry company Gunns; and utilities such as the Launceston Gas Company and the Hydro-Electric Commission. He also served as President of the Launceston Chamber of Commerce in 1961-62.

Ray was an author

Raymond wrote several books, under the name R A Ferrall:

• a memoir of his time as a journalist, Partly Personal: Recollections of a One-Time Tasmanian Journalist, 1974
• a fiction novel, Idylls of the Mayor
• biographical compendium, Notable Tasmanians, 1980
• novel, The Age of Chiselry: In Eleven Slightly Irregular Escapades, 1981
• biographical compendium, Tasmanians All, 1982, and
• autobiography, 90 Years On: A Tasmanian Story, 1995

For his role as warden of the Port of Launceston Authority, Ray was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1969 Queen's Birthday Honours. ^[4] In the New Year Honours 1982, Ray was created Knight Bachelor 'in recognition of service to industry, commerce and to the community'. ^[5] In that year he was appointed a Freeman of the City of Launceston and, in 1999 awarded an honorary doctorate of letters by the University of Tasmania.

Sadly, aged eighty years, Lorna passed away in May 1987. ^[6]

Ray married a second time, to widow Sallie Sinclair Barnett nee Thyne on 30th July 1988 in the the Grammar School chapel, Launceston. Sallie was a noted charity worker and founder of the Motor Neurone Disease Association of Tasmania.

Aged 94 years, he passed away on 1st June 2000 in Newstead, Launceston. ^[7] He was survived by Sallie, and his four children and their families.

Both the University of Tasmania's Newnham campus and the Launceston Church Grammar School have named buildings in Sir Raymond Ferrall's honour: respectively the Sir Raymond Ferrall Centre and the Sir Raymond Ferrall Building.

Sources

1. ↑ Tasmania Birth Index #2070958/1906
2. ↑ Advocate (Burnie, Tas. : 1890 - 1954) Fri 12 Jun 1931 Page 4 Ferrall—Findlay; accessed 29 Apr 2024
3. ↑ unsubstantiated family records
4. ↑ Australian Honours: CBE; accessed 29 Apr 2024
5. ↑ Australian Honours: Knight Bachelor; accessed 29 Apr 2024
6. ↑ unsubstantiated family records
7. ↑ unsubstantiated family records

See also

• Ratcliff, Eric Ratcliff. 'Ferrall, Sir Raymond Alfred (Ray) (1906–2000)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published online 2023; accessed online 29 Apr 2024.
• Wikipedia: Raymond Ferrall; accessed 29 Apr 2024.