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John Fairbairn (educator)
Encyclopedia
John Fairbairn was a newspaper proprietor, educator, financier
and politician
. According to the Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, “The embryo of the State education system we know today, trial by jury, the principle of the mutual life assurance company – all these were fruits of his endeavours at the Cape”.
, Scotland on 9 April 1794, the son of James Fairbairn and Agnes Brack, who married at Lauder, Berwickshire 20 March 1783, James living in the Parish of Westruther, Berwickshire at the time.
He attended the University of Edinburgh where he studied Medicine “acquiring at the same time a more than passing knowledge of classical languages and mathematics”. In 1818, however, he turned to education, and for more than 5 years taught at Bruce’s Academy in Newcastle upon Tyne. Here he also joined the Literary and Philosophical Society.
In 1822, Thomas Pringle
persuaded him to emigrate to Cape Town, promising a literary and teaching career in the recently annexed Cape Colony
.
Fairbairn arrived in Table Bay
on 11 October 1823 aboard the brig Mary.
on 24 May 1831.
Five children were born to Fairbairn and Eliza.
Fairbairn’s wife, Eliza, died on 30 May 1840, four days after the birth of May Emma, at the age of twenty-eight.
As a widower, Fairbairn was responsible for the education of his children. Jane and Eliza were sent to a private school in Claremont, Mrs Rose’s School for Ladies.
When an English-medium co-educational high school was established in Goodwood
, Cape Town in 1977, the School Governing Body decided to name it Fairbairn College
.
Fairbairn Capital is an investment company within the Old Mutual
group of companies. It was named after the founder of Old Mutual
, John Fairbairn. According to the Fairbairn Capital website, in naming it Fairbairn Capital, “we recognise his contributions, draw on his heritage and laud his values”.
Old Mutual International is based in Fairbairn House in St Peter Port
on the island of Guernsey
in the Channel Islands
.
On 24 August 1994, the John Fairbairn boardroom was opened at the South African Chamber of Business parliamentary information centre in Cape Town by SA Chamber of Business director-general Mr Raymond Parsons. The boardroom together with the Rainbow Room was sponsored by Shell SA and Old Mutual
and is used for meetings of businessmen and politicians.
on 5 October 1864 at the Wynberg home of his son-in-law, advocate F.S. Watermeyer, and was buried in the Somerset Road cemetery in Cape Town.
Before the levelling of the Somerset Road Cemetery and building started on the site in about 1922, a number of inscribed stones were lifted from their graves and deposited at the Woltemade cemetery at Maitland which had been opened as Cape Town’s principal graveyard in 1886. Here can be found the stones of John Fairbairn, his wife Elizabeth and other members of the Fairbairn and Philip
families.
to South Africa, in order to prevent them falling into hostile hands. HMSAS Transvaal
was dispatched in great secrecy, and on 4 January 1948, Lieutenant Commander
John Fairbairn, great grandson of John Fairbairn, landed on Prince Edward Island and claimed the islands for South Africa
. The meteorological station is known as Fairbairn Settlement and is on Transvaal Cove.
In 2007, Fairbairn's great great great granddaughter, Tessa Fairbairn, was awarded the Order of Simon of Cyrene
. She was the head of St. Cyprian's School
, a progressive girls’ boarding and day school in Cape Town, South Africa for 17 years.
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. According to the Standard Encyclopaedia of Southern Africa, “The embryo of the State education system we know today, trial by jury, the principle of the mutual life assurance company – all these were fruits of his endeavours at the Cape”.
Early life
John Fairbairn was born in Carolside Mill in the Parish of Legerwood, BerwickshireBerwickshire
Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a registration county, a committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy area of Scotland, on the border with England. The town after which it is named—Berwick-upon-Tweed—was lost by Scotland to England in 1482...
, Scotland on 9 April 1794, the son of James Fairbairn and Agnes Brack, who married at Lauder, Berwickshire 20 March 1783, James living in the Parish of Westruther, Berwickshire at the time.
He attended the University of Edinburgh where he studied Medicine “acquiring at the same time a more than passing knowledge of classical languages and mathematics”. In 1818, however, he turned to education, and for more than 5 years taught at Bruce’s Academy in Newcastle upon Tyne. Here he also joined the Literary and Philosophical Society.
In 1822, Thomas Pringle
Thomas Pringle
Thomas Pringle was a Scottish writer, poet and abolitionist, known as the father of South African Poetry, the first successful English language poet and author to describe South Africa's scenery, native peoples, and living conditions.Born at Blaiklaw , four miles south of Kelso in Roxburghshire he...
persuaded him to emigrate to Cape Town, promising a literary and teaching career in the recently annexed Cape Colony
Cape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
.
Fairbairn arrived in Table Bay
Table Bay
Table Bay is a natural bay on the Atlantic Ocean overlooked by Cape Town and is at the northern end of the Cape Peninsula, which stretches south to the Cape of Good Hope. It was named because it is dominated by the flat-topped Table Mountain.Bartolomeu Dias was the first European to explore this...
on 11 October 1823 aboard the brig Mary.
Family life
Fairbairn married Elizabeth (Eliza) Philip, daughter of John PhilipJohn Philip (missionary)
Dr John Philip , was a missionary in South Africa. Philip was born at Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland to a local schoolmaster...
on 24 May 1831.
Five children were born to Fairbairn and Eliza.
- Jane Agnes b. 1832. m. F.S. Watermeyer
- John Philip b. 1834. Drowned in the Gamtoos River near Hankey in the Eastern Cape on 1 July 1845
- James Alexander b. 1836. m. Kate Lamb
- John b. 1863. m. Winifred Difford d. 12 November 1925. Buried in St. Saviour's Church Cemetery, Claremont, Cape TownClaremont, Cape TownClaremont is a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. It is situated six miles south of the city, and is one of the so-called "Southern Suburbs". It is an important commercial and residential area, which is currently experiencing significant growth and development.-History:Until the arrival of Dutch...
- John b.1912. m. Rozanne Robinson. Annexed Marion Island for South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
in 1947 during Operation Snoektown
- John b.1912. m. Rozanne Robinson. Annexed Marion Island for South Africa
- John b. 1863. m. Winifred Difford d. 12 November 1925. Buried in St. Saviour's Church Cemetery, Claremont, Cape Town
- Elizabeth Ann Wills (Eliza) b. 1838.
- May Emma b. and d. 1840.
Fairbairn’s wife, Eliza, died on 30 May 1840, four days after the birth of May Emma, at the age of twenty-eight.
As a widower, Fairbairn was responsible for the education of his children. Jane and Eliza were sent to a private school in Claremont, Mrs Rose’s School for Ladies.
The convict ship
The British Government made an attempt in 1849 to form a penal settlement at the Cape, but when the ship Neptune arrived at Simon's Bay, with 282 convicts aboard, the citizens declined to supply anything to persons having dealings with her. So strictly was this pledge observed that no food whatever was obtainable, either for the convicts or for the troops. During the riots which ensued, Newspaper Editor, John Fairbairn's house at Sea Point was wrecked by a crowd who had lost their employment through the boycott. In the end the colonists were victorious, and on 21 February 1850, the Neptune set sail for Tasmania.Recognition
“Few men could have lived lives as full of worthwhile activity as John Fairbairn did. Few men could have got so little recognition from history”.When an English-medium co-educational high school was established in Goodwood
Goodwood, Cape Town
Goodwood is a suburb situated between the northern and southern suburbs of Cape Town, South Africa. It is 10 kilometres from the city centre and accessible from the N1, N7 and N2 highways....
, Cape Town in 1977, the School Governing Body decided to name it Fairbairn College
Fairbairn College
Fairbairn College is a public, co-educational high school in the suburb of Goodwood in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.-History:The Goodwood/Vasco English-medium High School was founded on 1 October 1976 with the appointment of Mr CE de Wet as Headmaster...
.
Fairbairn Capital is an investment company within the Old Mutual
Old Mutual
Old Mutual plc is an international long-term savings group. Established in 1845 in South Africa, it is now a FTSE100 listed company operating in 33 countries.-History:...
group of companies. It was named after the founder of Old Mutual
Old Mutual
Old Mutual plc is an international long-term savings group. Established in 1845 in South Africa, it is now a FTSE100 listed company operating in 33 countries.-History:...
, John Fairbairn. According to the Fairbairn Capital website, in naming it Fairbairn Capital, “we recognise his contributions, draw on his heritage and laud his values”.
Old Mutual International is based in Fairbairn House in St Peter Port
St Peter Port
Saint Peter Port is the capital of Guernsey as well as the main port. The population in 2001 was 16,488. In Guernésiais and in French, historically the official language of Guernsey, the name of the town and its surrounding parish is St Pierre Port. The "port" distinguishes this parish from...
on the island of Guernsey
Guernsey
Guernsey, officially the Bailiwick of Guernsey is a British Crown dependency in the English Channel off the coast of Normandy.The Bailiwick, as a governing entity, embraces not only all 10 parishes on the Island of Guernsey, but also the islands of Herm, Jethou, Burhou, and Lihou and their islet...
in the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
.
On 24 August 1994, the John Fairbairn boardroom was opened at the South African Chamber of Business parliamentary information centre in Cape Town by SA Chamber of Business director-general Mr Raymond Parsons. The boardroom together with the Rainbow Room was sponsored by Shell SA and Old Mutual
Old Mutual
Old Mutual plc is an international long-term savings group. Established in 1845 in South Africa, it is now a FTSE100 listed company operating in 33 countries.-History:...
and is used for meetings of businessmen and politicians.
Death
Fairbairn died suddenly in Cape TownCape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
on 5 October 1864 at the Wynberg home of his son-in-law, advocate F.S. Watermeyer, and was buried in the Somerset Road cemetery in Cape Town.
Before the levelling of the Somerset Road Cemetery and building started on the site in about 1922, a number of inscribed stones were lifted from their graves and deposited at the Woltemade cemetery at Maitland which had been opened as Cape Town’s principal graveyard in 1886. Here can be found the stones of John Fairbairn, his wife Elizabeth and other members of the Fairbairn and Philip
John Philip (missionary)
Dr John Philip , was a missionary in South Africa. Philip was born at Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland to a local schoolmaster...
families.
Descendants
In 1947 the British Government decided to give Marion Island and Prince Edward IslandPrince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
to South Africa, in order to prevent them falling into hostile hands. HMSAS Transvaal
Loch class frigate
The Loch class was a class of anti-submarine frigate built for the Royal Navy and her allies during World War II. They were an innovative design based on the experience of 3 years of fighting in the Battle of the Atlantic and attendant technological advances.-Design:The Lochs were based upon the...
was dispatched in great secrecy, and on 4 January 1948, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
John Fairbairn, great grandson of John Fairbairn, landed on Prince Edward Island and claimed the islands for South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. The meteorological station is known as Fairbairn Settlement and is on Transvaal Cove.
In 2007, Fairbairn's great great great granddaughter, Tessa Fairbairn, was awarded the Order of Simon of Cyrene
Order of Simon of Cyrene
The Order of Simon of Cyrene is the highest award given by the Anglican Church of Southern Africa to laity for distinguished service. It was established in 1960, during the reign of Archbishop Joost de Blank, following a proposal by Bishop Robert Selby Taylor. Membership in the Order is limited...
. She was the head of St. Cyprian's School
St. Cyprian's School (South Africa)
St. Cyprian's School is a private boarding and day school for girls in Oranjezicht, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa. It is situated not far from Table Mountain and has a breathtaking view. The school is also a member of the G20 Schools Group.-History:...
, a progressive girls’ boarding and day school in Cape Town, South Africa for 17 years.