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Title
Date(s)
- 18th November 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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Letter from Steve Fairbairn to Percy Bullock, dated 18th November 1935. 10 Dorset Square, London NW1. Envelope addressed to Mr Percy Bullock, 3 Short Street, Cambridge.
Contents include: Enclosure of H. Schutte's letter; request to reply direct and tell him when could go over; suggestion of going 21st-28th if that would suit; instruction to talk from fixed tub and show movements from there; suggestion of payment for passage there and back, board and lodging, and whatever fee is fair; suggestion to ask what fee is fair (depending on duration); request for notification when response received, meanwhile will write a line what to say in a lecture (JCPP/FAIRBAIRN/1/2/6).
Signed by Steve Fairbairn.
Postscript of address: H. Schutte Esq, J.M. Coenenstraat 10 hs, Nederlandsche Roeibond, Amsterdam, Holland.
Numbers on back of envelope: 9. 8 1/2, 2.9, 6.11 1/2.