Obituaries Australia

Charles Fairbairn, n.d.

from Pastoral Review, 16 November 1925

Regret will be felt at the news of the death of Mr. Charles Fairbairn which occurred at his home, Feenan (?) Domain Road, South Yarra, early yesterday morning. Mr. Fairburn who was aged 67 years had been in poor health for some time, but his death was unexpected. With his brother, Mr. George Fairbairn, the present Agent-General of Victoria, he had been largely interested in pastoral pursuits, owning several stations in Queensland. He disposed of these interests several years ago, and recently had been living quietly at his property Wooloomanata near Lara.

Mr. Fairbairn was the second son of the late Mr. George Fairbairn, who arrived in Melbourne from Scotland on New Year's Day 1839. His other surviving brother is Mr. Stephen Fairbairn who is now in England. His wife died some years ago. There are five children, three sons and two daughters. The elder sons are Mr. C. Osborne Fairbairn and Mr. James V. Fairbairn, while the third son is a pupil at the Geelong Grammar School. The elder daughter (Mrs. Wheatley) is the wife of General L. L. Wheatley who was military secretary to Lord Novar during his term as Governor General.

Mr. Fairbairn was educated at Geelong Grammar School and stroked the first crew from that school in the Head of the River race. At Cambridge he rowed for Jesus College in the Head of the River race, and was also a member of a crew of the college which won the Grand challenge cup at Henley. He was six in a victorious Cambridge crew in the inter-Varsity race. The Fairbairn Challenge Cup which is competed for by Victorian public schools in the annual Head of the River race was the gift of Mr. Fairbairn.

His funeral will take place this afternoon. The burial will be at the Brighton Cemetery.