11 - Letter

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

Born on December 31st 1892 at Caistor, North Lincolnshire, his father was a Congregational Minister and Manning was particularly close to him. He may have joined the Ministry himself but health complications set him back. While attending the Caistor Grammar School as a boy, he contracted an illness, severe enough to deprive him of the use of one of his lungs. The effect of this was drastic enough for Manning that it was impossible for him to walk at anything faster than a slow walking pace. If the weather was extreme, he would also have troubles breathing.

Manning arrived at Jesus College in 1912 and in 1915, he took his degree with a double first in History. He was awarded the Lightfoot Scholarship in Ecclesiastical History, the subject of which remained his primary passion. In 1917 he was awarded the Thirlwall Prize for one of his essays and during 1916-1918, he was also an editor for 'The Cambridge Review', whilst also being a Bye-Fellow of Magdalene College.

During WWI Manning worked at the Ministry of Munitions, although suffered an attack of tuberculosis whilst there.

In 1919, he became an educational adviser to the Indian Students and held the position for two years. He also returned to Jesus as a Fellow in the same year. In 1920, he was appointed Bursar and held this position for 13 years. His time in the position saw a number of architectural additions to the college, such as 50 sets of rooms for accomodation in the Carpenter Building. Additionally, he was a lecturer in History for the College and later was appointed a University lecturer.

In 1933, the position of Senior Tutor of the College became vacant and Manning was asked to fill the vacancy. Throughout this role, he was known for his afflable nature with undergraduates, maintaining strong relationships with them. As a historian, Manning also published a number of works on ecclestiastical history and similar subjects. Indeed, Manning kept his religion very close to his heart. He died aged 48 on December 8th 1941 at the Evelyn Nursing Home due to heart disease.