Date Published:
September 2007

L’Encyclopédie de l’histoire du Québec / The Quebec History Encyclopedia

Gerald W. Farrell

Senior member of firm of G. W. Farrell & Co. Montreal, Que.

GERALD WILLIAM FARRELL one of the progressive and successful young financial men of Montreal, senior member of G. W. Farrell & Co., was born at Halifax, N. S., December 7th, 1878, the son of the late Hon. Edward Farrell, M. D., and Mary Walsh Farrell. His education was obtained at Ampleforth College, Yorks, England. After completing his schooling, Mr. Farrell entered the Canadian Permanent Forces, from which he resigned on his return from the South African war. In 1903 he joined the Royal Securities Corporation as a clerk, rising to the position of managing director in 1907. In the latter part of 1907, and during the year 1908 he was associated with the Mackenzie & Mann interests in a financial capacity. Mr. Farrell next organized the conservative banking house of C. Meredith & Co., Limited, and became its secretary-treasurer, a position from which he retired in 1910 and formed the firm of G. W. Farrell & Co., Financial Agents. He is a director of the Ritz Carlton Hotel Co., Montreal; Carlton Investing . Co., New York; Atlantic Fruit Co., New York; Brinton Carpet Co., Peterboro, Ont.; Monklands Limited; North Montreal Land Co.; Upper Fraser River (British Columbia) Lumber Co., Limited; president Cote St. Luc Realties, Limited, Montreal.

Mr. Farrell saw active service, and served as lieutenant with the Second Canadian Mounted Rifles in South Africa, and participated in the battle at Harts River. He is also an athlete of renown and played cricket for the Gentlemen of Canada against the Americans of Philadelphia in 1901, was vice-president of the International All Canadian Football Team that toured England in 1902-3 and successfully met England's crack players. Mr. Farrell was married June 22nd, 1910, to Eileen, daughter of Mr. D. D. O'Meara, Inspector of Customs for Province of Quebec, and they have two sons.

The club memberships are: St. James, Montreal Hunt, Montreal Racket, Montreal Jockey, Toronto Hunt, Halifax Clubs. His principal recreations are hunting, cricket and football.

Source: Canadian History Makers. A Volume Containing Accurate and Concise Sketches of Men who have Done Things in The Dominion of Canada Past and Present Together with Photogravures Made from their Latest Photographs, Montreal, Canadian Publication Society, 1913, 159p., p. 79.