Federer, Charles A LCP

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Watercolour portrait of Charles A Federer LCP aged 71, Professor of Languages

from John Sowden's notebook:

"Mr Federer was a native of Switzerland. His grandfather & his father were both masters of schools in the Canton of St. Gall & his father in particular had a wide reputation by his innovation in the teaching of music in schools. Mr Federer adopted the same profession and studied at St. Gall & afterwards a Lausanne where he took his diploma.

After teaching in Switzerland he came to England in 1857 as assistant in the Bakewell Grammar School, Derbyshire & afterwards at Wetherby, Gildersome & Low Moor. From 1864 he had settled in Bradford as a teacher of languages & had a thorough knowledge of, besides the classic language, Greek & Latin, French, German, Italian & Spanish. For 35 years he acted as teacher of languages at the Bfd Mechanics’ Institute & for some times also at the Bfd Technical College and at several other institutions at Leeds & Brighouse. He was one of the founders of the Bfd Antiquarian Society & the president of the Society at the time of his death. For many years he was the editor of the societies’ journal “The Bradford Antiquary”. His own contributions to the journal were numerous. He was editor for some years of the “Yorkshire Magazine” & published a number of scholastic books. He was associated with the Bronte Society & the Yorkshire Dialect Society.

His own library was exceptionally rich in Yorkshire books & pamphlets and in the literature if Wesleyan Methodism. When he came to England Mr Federer was a Roman Catholic, but he subsequently came under Methodist influence & adopted that Church in which during the latter half of his life he was an enthusiastic worker, filling many offices of the circuit. Mr Federer died in 1908 leaving 2 daughters & one son, the latter being now head master at St. Gall in which his grandfather had taught."

Year

1907

Creator

John Sowden

Image filename

sowden-260