Farmer and Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail, Radio broadcasting |
| Founded | 1869 |
| Founder | Joseph Farmer, Caroline Farmer |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
| Products | Drapery, mercery, haberdashery, retail goods |
| Parent | Myer Emporium (from 1961) |
Farmer and Company, often referred to simply as Farmer's, was a retail establishment located in Sydney, Australia.
History
In September 1840, Joseph Farmer and Caroline Farmer launched a drapery enterprise situated in Victoria House at 259 Pitt Street, Sydney.
Following Joseph Farmer's retirement in 1847, the premises were leased to Price and Favenc, evolving into Price, Favenc and Gwyn with the addition of George Boyce Gwyn. William Farmer, Joseph’s nephew, joined the firm in 1849 and became a partner by 1854, leading to the formation of Farmer, Williams and Giles, which focused on drapery, mercery, and haberdashery. This partnership dissolved in March 1860, after which William Farmer and Richard Painter assumed control; with John Pope joining, the business operated as Farmer, Painter and Pope.
The company dissolved again in August 1869 and was re-established as Farmer and Company, managed by Farmer and Pope. John Pope (1827–1912) played a pivotal leadership role for many years and was succeeded by his sons Parke W. Pope and Norman Pope; Parke’s son Eric Pope also held a directorial position.
Expansion occurred in 1874 when the neighboring property on Pitt Street was acquired. In 1906, the original frontage on Pitt Street, designed by Horbury Hunt, was replaced with an uninterrupted display window. A substantial reconstruction in 1907 modernized the central building’s floors to match those of adjoining properties.
In 1916, Farmer and Company purchased the freehold of Roberts's Hotel at the intersection of Market and George streets, previously owned by Charles James Roberts MLC.
2FC
In 1923, Farmer and Co. Ltd. collaborated with the Evening News, Sydney Morning Herald, JC Williamson's, J & N Tait, and Dalgety & Company to create a privately owned radio station. Trial broadcasts commenced on 5 December 1923 from a studio on Pitt Street to a transmitter located at Willoughby. The station operated at 500 watts on a wavelength of 1100 metres (270 kHz), utilizing an antenna suspended between two masts each measuring 200 feet.
Receivers tuned to this frequency were marketed soon after launch. Subscribers under the Sealed Set system paid £3/3/ annually for access to 2FC. Following the repeal of sealed set legislation, in 1927 2FC upgraded to a more powerful 5000 watt transmitter broadcasting on 422 metres (665 kHz). In 1929, ownership transferred to the Australian Broadcasting Company, where Farmer and Company held significant shares. Due to financial difficulties caused by unauthorized reception, the broadcaster was nationalized in 1932 as the Australian Broadcasting Commission.
Industry consolidation, acquisition by Myer, and demise of the brand
During the consolidation phase of department stores in the 1960s, Farmers expanded by acquiring New South Wales regional retailer Western Stores in 1960. Early in 1961, ownership of Farmer's passed to Myer Emporium through an exchange of ordinary shares. The New South Wales outlets continued operating under the Farmers name throughout that decade. After Myer acquired all remaining Farmer & Co. preference shares in 1969, all stores were gradually rebranded as Myer around 1974.