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Title
Date(s)
- 7th February 1935 (Creation)
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1 item, paper
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Steve Fairbairn was born in Melbourne, Australia, on 25th August 1862. He followed his brothers to Jesus College, Cambridge, where he read law, graduating in 1884. He was called to the bar by the Inner Temple in 1886 but did not practice. In 1884 he returned to Australia, where he worked at the family's farming interests in Victoria and western Queensland.
On 18th November 1891 he married Ellen Sharwood. They had two sons.
In 1904 they returned to England and thereafter Fairbairn devoted himself to coaching various rowing clubs, both in London and in Cambridge.
Fairbairn rowed in the losing Cambridge crews of 1882 and 1883 and in the victorious crews of 1886 and 1887, and won many other races. However, his claim to fame rests on his methods of coaching and the success of the crews that he coached. He was always ready to try new ideas in coaching or equipment and he did much to make rowing popular. In 1925 he instituted the ‘head of the river’ race on the Putney to Mortlake course: a bronze bust of Fairbairn, by George Drinkwater, is held each year by the winning crew as the trophy. He coached many successful crews of the London Rowing Club, the Thames Rowing Club, and Jesus College.
He died at his home, the Mostyn Hotel, Portman Square, London, on 16th May 1938. His ashes are buried at Jesus College.
He is remembered in Cambridge by the Fairbairn cup races, which he inaugurated in the late 1920s as a handicap race between Jesus crews to serve as a form guide towards the end of Michaelmas term. The event later expanded to include other colleges and, in 1976, a women's event
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N.B. Letter does not fit envelope.
Letter from Steve Fairbairn to Frank Stammers, dated 7th February 1935. Great Eastern Hotel, Liverpool Street, London EC2. Envelope addressed: Mr Fairburn, Late Coach to Oxford University, Oxford. Also Rothbury, Westcliffe Gardens, Bournemouth. Crossed out addresses: Leander Club, Henley-on-Thames; 38 Hamilton Terrace, NW8.
"My dear Frank, You have got to swing it high on the feather to make your rowing quite true so beware that.
Signed by Stephen Fairbairn, Church of England Grammar School, Geelong."
Reverse:
F.M.G. Stammers, 11st 10lb
J.D. Usher, 11st 7lb
P.H.H. Irving, 12st 7lb (arrow showing position swap with D.W. Burnford)
H. Marnham, 13st 4lb
A.T. Bardwell, 13st 4lb
D.W. Burnford, 12st 10lb (arrow showing position swap with P.H.H. Irving)
T.S. Cree, 11st 10lb
M.B. Hewitt, 11st 10lb
Total 98st 6lb
H.J.P. Crawford
A.E.B. Williams
R.T. Coulton
R. Corbet Ward
W.R. Milne
Owen Mills in Lent Boat
Bow: G.B. Bowles
3rd boat:
(?)
Sore fingers
Talking machine
J.S. Manifold?