Robert Scarf (1834 - 1918)

Born 1834 in Shelley, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Jane (Double) Scarf — married 4 Oct 1856 in Raydon, Suffolk, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Elizabeth (Craddock) Scarf — married 1870 in Timaru, South Canterbury, New Zealand

Husband of Emily (Booth) Scarf — married 1894 in Canterbury, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 6 Jul 1918 at about age 84 in Timaru, South Canterbury, New Zealand

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Biography

Robert Scarf was born in 1834.

He married Jane Double in 1856. ^[1]

He and Jane arrived in Timaru in early 1859 on board the Strathallan. Also on board were Jane’s brother William and family, and Robert’s brother William and family. ^[2]

Robert and Jane had at least three children (some sources suggest four) before Jane’s death in 1870.

Later that year, Robert married Elizabeth Craddock. ^[3]

Robert and Elizabeth had at least ten children before Elizabeth’s death in 1893.

In 1894, he married Emily Booth, 25 years his junior. (In 1887 his son Walter had married Emily’s sister Ida.)

They had at least three children.

He passed away in 1918.

Mr Robert Scarf, who died at his residence, North street, Timaru, on July 6th, at the age of eighty-four, was one of the early settlers. He went to Timaru in the Strathallan (the first immigrant ship to go to Timaru) in 1859. He and his wife came out under engagement to Captain Woollcombe, magistrate and harbourmaster. Mr Scarf afterwards became one of the first, if not the first, retail butchers in Timaru. He bought merino wethers from the Levels at 40s a head and sold the mutton at 1s per lb. Later he took to road-making, and made the roads out of Timaru - north and south, also from Winchester to Geraldine, and several others in the Hilton and Kakahu districts, including Pipeclay Cuttings. He also started a timberyard where J. Jackson and Co.'s factory now stands. For his home, he made an early purchase at £2 per acre of 20 acres with a frontage to North street. This he subdivided and sold as time went on, retaining one acre, on which he resided until his death. Mr Scarf was married three times, and leaves a widow and eight children, two of whom reside in Christchurch—Mr Walter Scarf and Mrs. E. Leaver. His eldest daughter, Mrs Waters, of Makikihi, was born in Woolcombe's barn on October 24th, 1859, and was the first female child to be christened in St Mary's Church. There are now sixteen grandchildren and twenty-three great-grandchildren.^[4]

He is buried in Timaru cemetery. ^[5]

Sources

1. ↑ England Marriages, 1538–1973", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NLM5-TW5 : 13 March 2020), Robert Scarf, 1856.
2. ↑ https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/Digitised/Emigration/EmbarkationLists/Strathallan-1858/Strathallan-1858.pdf
3. ↑ NZ BDM 1870/3833 Elizabeth Cradock Robert Scarf
4. ↑ New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10025, 17 July 1918, Page 3
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/166579711/robert-scarf: accessed 16 August 2023), memorial page for Robert Scarf (unknown–1918), Find a Grave Memorial ID 166579711, citing Timaru Cemetery, Timaru, Timaru District, Canterbury, New Zealand; Maintained by Cyndi (contributor 47314338).

Robert Scarf from Oamaru wife desertion https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD18771231.2.12