John “Skip” Bailey

Introduction

John Pretty Bailey’s grandfather, Francis Andrew Bailey, was born in Calcutta, India and migrated from India to Australia, where he secured employment with the Postmaster General’s Department.

Shortly after his arrival in Australia, his grandfather married Amelia Farmer, the granddaughter of Thomas Farmer Senior (Snr), a soldier who arrived in 1829, on the ship “Sulphur”, with the first settlers to the Swan River Colony (now known as Perth, Western Australia). Thomas Snr arrived with his wife, Ann Catherine Farmer (nee Evans), and two young boys. They were to have two more boys after their arrival in the Colony.

Appendix 1 has a copy of Skip Bailey’s Family Tree

Amelia’s father, Thomas Farmer Junior (Jnr) was a tailor and a staunch Methodist and Temperance Worker and was very active in the Wesleyan Church in Perth, W.A.

This story starts with a history of the Farmer and Bailey families and traces the history of subsequent generations particularly focusing on Skip Bailey’s ancestors. Notable members of the families who made a contribution to the history of Australia will also be mentioned.