Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 15th April 1935 (Creation)
Level of description
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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
Archival history
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Content and structure area
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Letter from Steve Fairbairn to Frank Stammers, dated 15th April 1935. Ten Dorset Square, N.W.1. Pad. 8547. Envelope addressed: Frank Stammers Esq, 6 Blackwater Road, Eastbourne, Sussex (Jesus College, Cambridge crossed out).
Contents include: Instructions for sculling exercises and racing Sixes in the fixed tub as won't be up until Thursday evening; suggestions for racing Eights against each other in fixed tub; such work will benefit the team in the May Races and Henley; suggestions for Eight crew; command for obtaining a true finish; suggestions and comments on Four crews; notification of a hard day on Thursday, but will look in about 6pm and can talk things over.
People mentioned include: E.A. Szilagyi, T.S. Cree, D.W. Burnford, C. Ward, D.D. Anderson, M.B. Hewitt, F.M.G. Stammers, J.D. Usher, H. Marnham, P.H.H. Irving, A.E.B. Williams, A.T. Bardwell.
Signed by Steve Fairbairn.
Further page: Suggestion that A.E.B. Williams may have to be seven - concern he is young for position; comment Cambridge crew going to Germany in July - may lose E.A. Szilagyi at Henley.
People mentioned include: A.E.B. Williams, T.S. Cree, F.M.G. Stammers, E.A. Szilagyi.
Lists on reverse of envelope:
Bowles
Hunter
Crawford
Bardwell
Milne
Coulton
Williams
Morgan
Bowles
Crawford
Milne
Bardwell
Irving
Coulton
Williams
Morgan
Szilagyi
Cree
Burnford
C. Ward
Anderson
Hewitt
Stammers
(?)
Rise
Tom
Hunter
Bardwell
Rise
(?)
Hewitt
Anderson
Morgan