Born in Ireland in 1854, William Farrell has been credited
as consolidating virtually all of the telephone interests throughout
BC to create the foundation of the BC Telephone Company/TELUS
as we know it today.
William Farrell moved to Vancouver with his wife Jessie Maude
in 1891 as the first General Manger of the Yorkshire & Canadian
Trust Ltd. for BC. With small private telephone exchanges springing
up through BC in the early 1890’s Farrell took a large
interest in the New Westminster & Burrard Inlet Telephone
Company. Working with the owner he worked to amalgamate it with
smaller companies eventually forming BC Telephone Company Limited
in 1904. As president, William was the hand that guided BC Tel
through the first 20 years initiating programs and balancing
growth. Under his leadership, the company connected up the local
exchanges in every community from Prot Alberni to Victoria and
Agassiz to Vancouver to create the telecommunications network
we rely on today.
Under Farrell’s stewardship, during the First World War,
Vancouver was the only city in the world that had virtually
no wait time for service connection. In 1916 he was granted
a charter by an act of the Federal Parliament for a new federally
incorporated Western Canada Telephone Company and in the same
year the first long distance call from Montreal was received
personally by Farrell. Mr. Farrell also acquired and became
president of Evans, Coleman and Evans which later became Ocean
Cement.
Ever involved in civic and community enterprises he created
and awarded a prize for the best plan for the new Vancouver
Civic Centre and took a leadership role in the Victory Loan
Campaign for the First World War. He built the Capilano Suspension
Bridge’s Tea House and was part of the ownership group
of Union Steamships.
William Farrell passed away in 1922 at age 68, but his descendants
continue the tradition of playing leadership roles in business
and community involvement throughout BC.
