Third Generation  

3. Mary Ann Arnold PLAYFAIR [45612] (Thomas², John¹) was born in 1830 in Earls Colne Essex England and died on 24 Apr 1909 in Drummoyne NSW Australia at age 79.

Mary married Walter Dean CHAPLIN [45613] [MRIN: 16349], son of William CHAPLIN [45759] and Ann PATTEN [45760], on 27 Feb 1854 in Whitechapel London England. Walter was born on 19 Feb 1828 in Ridgewell Essex England and died on 22 Oct 1905 in St Vincent's Hospital Darlinghurst NSW Australia at age 77.

Children from this marriage were:

   12 M    i. William Walter CHAPLIN [46178] was born in 1855 and died after 1909.

   13 M    ii. John Thompson CHAPLIN [46179] was born in 1856 and died after 1909. Another name for John was Thomas.

+ 14 M    iii. Charles CHAPLIN [46180] was born in 1857 in Clare Suffolk England and died in 1904 at age 47.

   15 M    iv. Edmund CHAPLIN [46181] was born in 1859 and died before 1909.

+ 16 F    v. Mary Ann CHAPLIN [46182] was born in 1861 and died in 1909 at age 48.

+ 17 M    vi. Ernest Alexander CHAPLIN [46183] was born in 1864 in Clare Suffolk England and died in 1929 at age 65.

+ 18 F    vii. Florence Ellen CHAPLIN [46184] was born in 1865 in Clare Suffolk England and died in 1949 at age 84.

+ 19 F    viii. Edith Adelina CHAPLIN [46185] was born on 23 Apr 1868 and died in 1950 at age 82.

   20 M    ix. Herbert Sidney CHAPLIN [46186] was born on 28 Apr 1868 and died in 1901 in Paddington Sydney NSW Australia at age 33.

+ 21 M    x. Septimus Dean CHAPLIN [45614] was born on 09 Jun 1871 in Colchester Essex England and died on 12 Nov 1909 in Gosford NSW Australia at age 38.

4. John Thomas PLAYFAIR [18501] (Thomas², John¹) was born on 04 Jan 1832 in Earls Colne Essex England, was christened on 12 Feb 1832 in Essex England, died on 15 Nov 1893 in Kings Cross Sydney Colony of New South Wales at age 61, and was buried on 16 Nov 1893 in Waverley Cemetery Sydney Colony of New South Wales.

General Notes: (John) Thomas Playfair, known as Thomas, was born at Earls Colne, Essex, England, on 4 January 1832. His mother Mary Anne Arnold was also a native of Essex, and his Father, Thomas Playfair, gave his birthplace as St Andrews, Scotland, at the time of his marriage to Mary Anne, but no record has been found of his birth. Thomas Playfair (senior) gave his profession as a tailor, and a publican, at varying times.

Thomas Playfair (junior) joined the British Royal Navy at the age of 12 in 1845, and served on a number of ships including Hecla, Tyne, Rattler, Hecate, Asia, Swift, Brisk, and Pelorus, on which ship he traveled to Melbourne as Wardroom Steward, arriving on 30 September, 1859. Here he was voluntarily discharged, and almost immediately made his way to Sydney, arriving there on S.S. London on 7 October, 1859.

In 1860 Thomas formed a partnership with Edmund John Bailey, a carcass butcher, trading as Bailey and Co. In the same year he married Ellen Matheson, a younger sister of Bailys wife Margaret. In 1860 the partnership purchased the Shipping Butcher business from George Read at 107 George Street Sydney and traded as Baily and Playfair. After Bailys death in 1862, it appears that his wife Margaret sold his interests in this business and the shops at South Head Road and Crown Street to Thomas Playfair. After the death of Ellen Matheson, Thomas married her half sister, Georgina, in 1867.

The property was originally leased to Thomas, but at sometime prior to 1882 Thomas purchased it and the business remained there until the early 1900s except for a period from c1879 when he leased it to other interests while he rented 101 George Street across the Suez Canal to carry on his business until he returned to 103 in 1885.

The names Baily and Playfair continued to be linked in the business until c.1885. Thomas must have had great respect for Baily as he named his second son Edmund John Baily Playfair. Thomas may have had some knowledge of the meat industry, because his mothers sister Susannah was married to a butcher, Henry Hugh Tipper who had his business at Whitechapel in England. Also his own older sister Mary Ann was married to another butcher, Walter Chaplin. However, Thomas had been at sea for most of his adult life. Thomas two surviving sisters, Mary Ann Chaplin and Susannah Tipper also migrated to Australia.

In 1875 Thomas was elected as an Alderman for the Sydney City Council for Gipps Ward, one of the eight wards into which Sydney was divided at the time, and which included the George Street North and the Rocks area. He served continuously for eighteen years until his death in 1893. He was elected Mayor of Sydney in 1885 (the title of Lord Mayor was not used until 1902, soon after Federation.)

During Thomas term as Mayor a medal was struck to commemorate the Return of the Soudan Contingent, inscribed PRESENTED BY THE CITIZENS OF SYDNEY, T PLAYFAIR, MAYOR 1885. A coloured picture was also published in a supplement to Illustrated Sydney News on Saturday July 4, 1885 to celebrate the occasion. The scene was in Oxford Street and the Baily and Playfair shop was clearly visible in the original picture.

Thomas Playfair was responsible for the establishment of the Homebush saleyards in 1882 at a cost of £60,000. The brass plaque originally found on the foundation post of the saleyards is now in the possession of Ross Playfair. The plaque reads THIS POST WAS LAID BY ALDERMAN THOMAS PLAYFAIR JP ON 20TH SEPTEMBER 1881. JOHN HARRIS ESQ. MAYOR.

Nearby was the Thomas Playfair Memorial Fountain, which now stands within Sydney Olympic Park. Amongst the memorabilia held by John Feakes is a beautiful trowel with an ivory handle, with the inscription PRESENTED TO THOMAS PLAYFAIR ESQ. MAYOR, BY THE DIRECTIONS OF HER MAJESTYS THEATRE AND GRAND OPERA HOUSE ON THE OCCASION OF HIS LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE. JANUARY 27TH 1885.

Thomas Playfair entered politics on 2 February 1889, being elected to the Legislative Assembly as a member for West Sydney and as a free trade supporter of Sir Henry Parkes. They belonged to no Party, but the sitting members were defeated at the elections on 6 June 1891. These elections were regarded as historical because it was at this time that the Australian Labour Party first won seats in the Legislative Assembly, thus permanently changing the political make-up of the Chamber.

On 6 October 1891 Thomas was called to give evidence at the Chinese Gaming Commission to consider its effect on the local community.

Thomas earliest recorded residential address was Wimbledon Cottage at Waverley in 1864. It is believed that Thomas resided at 103 George Street, Gloucester Street and Argyle Place before moving out of the Rocks area in about 1887 to Goldah House at 61 Darlinghurst road (Kings Cross), which he renamed Chelmsford after the capital of the English county of his birth, Essex.

Thomas Playfair died at his home on 15 November 1893. He was buried at Waverley Cemetery in a family plot with four graves and an impressive brown granite monument. This plot also holds the remains of other Playfair members, including his first son Thomas Arnold and his wife Olive, and Thomas daughter from his second marriage, Jessie with her husband Francis Walker and their son Francis and Alfred (Wakka). A stillborn baby Walker was also interred there on 19 January 1924.

At the time of his death, Thomas Playfairs Estate was valued at over £33,000. This included a good deal of real property, much of which he left to his daughter and sons other than Edmund, to whom he left the meat Company. Thus Edmund became the Companys sole owner. In 1960, to commemorate the centenary of the meat Company, Thomas Playfair Pty Ltd, his descendants erected the memorial Doors in The Garrison Church at Millers Point, in memory of Thomas.

John married Ellen MATHESON [18502] [MRIN: 7420], daughter of Thomas MATHESON [18521] and Mary STRAITH [18522], on 07 Nov 1860 in Woolloomooloo Sydney Colony of New South Wales. Ellen was born on 23 Aug 1839 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales and died on 02 Mar 1866 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales at age 26.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 22 M    i. Thomas Arnold PLAYFAIR [18503] was born on 10 Dec 1861, died on 11 Aug 1898 in St Leonard's Sydney Colony of New South Wales at age 36, and was buried in Waverley Cemetery Sydney Colony of New South Wales.

+ 23 M    ii. Edmund John Bailey PLAYFAIR [18490] was born on 22 Aug 1863 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales, died on 06 Oct 1926 in Waverley Sydney NSW Australia at age 63, and was buried in South Head Cemetery Sydney NSW Australia.

   24 M    iii. Alexander PLAYFAIR [18504] was born on 24 Feb 1865 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales, died on 09 Mar 1865 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales, and was buried in St Jude's Randwick Sydney Colony of New South Wales.

   25 M    iv. Alfred Matheson PLAYFAIR [18505] was born on 23 Feb 1866 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales, died on 12 May 1867 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales at age 1, and was buried in St Jude's Randwick Sydney Colony of New South Wales.

John next married Georgina Hope MATHESON [18509] [MRIN: 7422], daughter of Thomas MATHESON [18521] and Jane WILKINSON [33205], on 26 Feb 1867. Georgina was born on 26 Dec 1849 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales and died in 1878 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales at age 29.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 26 F    i. Jessie PLAYFAIR, MBE [18510] was born on 05 May 1869 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales, died on 19 Mar 1951 in Bondi Sydney NSW Australia at age 81, and was buried in Waverley Cemetery Sydney NSW Australia.

+ 27 M    ii. Alfred Donald PLAYFAIR [18511] was born on 21 Mar 1871 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales, died on 14 Jul 1943 in Randwick Sydney NSW Australia at age 72, and was buried in Randwick Cemetery Sydney NSW Australia.

   28 M    iii. Walter PLAYFAIR [18512] was born on 22 Aug 1872 and died in 1872.

   29 F    iv. PLAYFAIR [46723] .

   30 F    v. PLAYFAIR [46724] .

8. Susannah PLAYFAIR [46303] (Thomas², John¹) was born in 1840 and died on 10 Nov 1893 in Sydney Colony of New South Wales at age 53.

Susannah married Henry TIPPER [46310] [MRIN: 16594]. Henry died before 1863.

The child from this marriage was:

   31 F    i. Clarissa TIPPER [46311] was born in 1857 and died in 1939 at age 82.