Obituaries Australia

Anne Fairfax, n.d.

photo provided by family

A private cable message was received in Sydney yesterday announcing the death on Wednesday last, at Ashburn Place, London, of Mrs. Anne Fairfax, the widow of Mr. Charles John Fairfax, of the firm of John Fairfax and Sons, proprietors of the Sydney Morning Herald, and the Sydney Mail. The deceased lady was born in Warwick, England, in 1832, and came to Australia when quite young. For upwards of 20 years past, however, she had been resident in England, but during that period paid two visits to Sydney.

Mrs. C. J. Fairfax devoted the greater part of her life to philanthropic work, and she was intimately associated with many charitable movements. She endowed a cot in the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Children, in the work of which both she and her daughters evinced a great deal of interest. The deceased lady also took a deep interest in the Boy Scouts.

The needs of the sick and helpless always appealed to her, and in an unostentatious manner she assisted in relieving a great deal of suffering. In England Mrs. C. J. Fairfax was connected with many worthy institutions, including the Cheyne Children's Hospital at Chelsea, the Soldiers' Home at Westminster, and the Needlework Guild in London.

During the Boer War Mrs. C. J. Fairfax was foremost among those who organised funds for forwarding garments and comforts of every description to our men engaged on the battlefield.

Her husband, a brother of Sir James Fairfax and of Mr. E. Ross Fairfax, predeceased her by 48 years, and her only son, Mr. John Alfred Fairfax, died 29 years ago. Mrs. C. J. Fairfax has left two daughters—Miss Amy Sarah Fairfax and Miss Caroline Elizabeth Fairfax.