The story behind Queensland’s first female funeral director

Born in Dublin in 1846, Kate Mary Farrell (pictured above) emigrated to Australia at the age of 18 and four years later went on to marry a young man two years older than her who had also emigrated to Australia at the same time (in his case from London). His name was John Smith¹.

They met when they were both living in Somerset² (the northernmost settlement on the Cape York Peninsula) and were married there, Kate later gave birth to the very first white child born in the area.

After a relatively short period living in Sydney, the family, now with six children, moved up to Brisbane where John (pictured left) opened a cabinet making business in 1877, also working as a carpenter and an occasional coffin maker. Six years later he bought an undertakers in George Street in Brisbane called William Walsh.

Sadly John fell ill and died in 1886 at the age of 42, three years after buying the business.

Kate however was determined to continue the business and, in addition to raising their six children (aged 8-17), shortly thereafter became the very first female funeral director in Queensland. Back then it was very unusual for women to even attend funeral services at the time!

Her married name being Kate Mary Smith, it made sense to name the business after her – and K.M.Smith Funeral Directors was born.

After a long life and career as a funeral director, Kate passed away in 1932 at the age of 86 and was buried next to her husband in Toowong cemetery in Brisbane. In 2010 she was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame.

Today K.M.Smith Funeral Directors is still a 100% family owned business with great-grandchildren of Kate and John – Allen Smith and his sister Denise Smith – serving as directors, and her great-great-grandson Liam as chairman.

K.M.Smith, as well as being one of the oldest funeral directors in Brisbane, has also expanded to twelve locations around Greater Brisbane, from North Lakes in the north down to Victoria Point to the south.
Wynnum is one of the longest established locations having been here since 1996, originally in Bay Terrace and now located on the corner of Tingal Road and Florence Street in Wynnum Central.

Did you know…?

K.M.Smith has records of every funeral they have conducted since 1877. So if you’re researching your family tree, the team are always happy to help if they can!

¹ John Smith, an ex Royal Marine, was two years older than her and also emigrated to Australia at the same time as Katy did, in his case from London.
² Somerset is 2698km north of Brisbane – Google Maps says it takes one day and eight hours to drive there but back then …a little longer.

K.M.Smith Funeral Directors are members of Brisbane Business Bayside and supporters of this site.