George Scarfe

Scarfe was called a "genius of commerce",[1] he was largely credited with the firm's early success and gained great personal wealth.

Scarfe first arrived in South Australia in February 1849 aboard Candahar from Plymouth, English presumably to assess the business opportunities in the new British colony.

Scarfe returned to Britain at some not-too-distant date, perhaps as their London agent, as he was back at Port Adelaide aboard Frances Henty in July 1853.

Scarfe was preeminently a business man, upright and diligent, regarded as one of the best and truest of Adelaide's merchants, fair and just and approachable by the humblest employee.

As prosperity came to the colony (and for a time South Australia was the wealthiest in the British Empire) rivals became numerous and competition fierce, but the firm more than held its own, thanks largely to his industry and business sense.

He lived alone as a guest of the elegant York Hotel, corner of Rundle and Pulteney streets, until around 1880 when he purchased the large property near Stonyfell and Burnside, named "Wattle Park", where he took a keen interest in his orchard and flower beds.

[9] He enjoyed vigorous good health, and never missed a day's work until the last year of his life, when in February 1903 it began to break down, and he took to his bed.

The latter gentleman lives at Eden Park, Marryatville, and is one of the directors of the firm of Messrs. George P. Harris, Scarfe, & Co. Two sisters survive him, both residing in England.

[11] Siblings and others mentioned in reference to the will were: Other relations mentioned in his will or in the legal proceedings which followed: The firm of Harris, Scarfe & Company continued to trade profitably through to the 1970s as a conservative Rundle Street department store with a greater emphasis on hardware than nearby competitors John Martin's, Foy's and Myer's, then became the target and vehicle of entrepreneurs.