Farrell, Ralph Barstow

Ralph Barstow Farrell was born at Waverley, New South Wales on 4 February 1908. His father was John Farrell, an insurance inspector, and his mother Margaret Winifred (nee Barstow). He attended Bondi Public School and Sydney Boy's High School, where he was apparently a sprinter of some note. His Leaving Certificate gave some inkling of what was to come, as it included high passes in Greek, English, Latin, French and German. He entered the University of Sydney in 1926, having gained the Lithgow Scholarship No. 1 for French and German. He gained the Garton Scholarship No.1 for his 1st year results in French and German,and the Garton Scholarship No.2 for his 2nd year. He completed his B.A. in 1929, with Ist Class Honours in German and 2nd Class Honours in French, but delayed his graduation until 1930 in order to complete English 111, and to attend the Teachers College to gain a teaching qualification. This he did, gaining an Honours Class 1 pass in English, and completing his teaching course. He completed his M.A., graduating in 1933 with Honours Class 1 and the University Medal in German. Farrell was then awarded the Woolley Travelling Scholarship in 1933, enablng him to proceed to the University of Berlin, where he studied from October 1933 until December 1936. He graduated Dr Phil from Berlin with a thesis on the life and works of Stefan George.

From February 1930 until July 1933, Farrell taught modern languages in New South Wales high schools, one of which was Newcastle Boys High School. In January 1937, he was appointed Assistant Lecturer in German at the University of Sydney and in January 1945 was promoted Senior Lecturer in German. He was appointed to the McCaughey Chair of German in the University of Sydney from the 1st May 1946. He retired from the Chair on 31 December1973. During his years as Professor of German, he had also been elected Dean of the Faculty of Arts from 1950 to 1954, and again from 1963 to 1967. He was also a Fellow of Senate from 1966 to 1967. He was appointed Professor Emeritus in 1973.

Farrell was granted his full amount of study leaves, going to Europe in 1948,1955,1962, and 1969-1970. Only one of his study leave reports is on his official staff file, however, that being the last one. He published three monographs, and twelve essays and articles, dating from the time he was a post graduate student in Berlin in 1937 to 1972. His first publication was a published version of his Dr.Phil. thesis, the subject being Stefan George. He published a second monograph in 1953, this being the Dictionary of German Synonyms, and a third in 1960, No.3 of the Studies in German Literature. The essays and articles date from 1952 to 1972. There seems no doubt that the Dictionary is regarded as his major achievement, and it went to six reprints with corrections, and one revised and enlarged edition. This work, and the book on Eduard Morike that he never finished, occupied his attention for every study leave from 1948 to 1970. There does seem to be evidence that Farrell was more a teacher than a researcher, even though he had a formidable reputation as a scholar. His influence in the various German departments in Australia was considerable, and he was very well known and respected in Germany. In 1958 Farrell was awarded the Gold Medal of the Goethe Institute, and in 1959 was made a Commander of the Order of Merit by the government of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Farrell never married, and had few relatives. He was very close to his elder sister, Catherine, who died at the age of 44 in 1949, and they lived in the same house in Roseville for some years. He did not enjoy great health himself for his last two decades, and particularly following his retirement in 1973. He died on 24 June 1983.