Fairfax family papers, 1804-1948

MLMSS 459

fonds

1804-1948

Textual Records, Clippings

442658

1 vol. and 2 boxes of textual material - manuscript, printed, and typescript
Clippings

John Fairfax (1804-1877), newspaper proprietor and parliamentarian, was born at Warwick, England, son of William and Elizabeth Fairfax. Fairfax arrived at Sydney in 1838. He worked as a journalist and in 1841 bought the Sydney Herald in partnership with William Kemp and in 1842 the newspaper became the Sydney Morning Herald. In 1853 Fairfax bough out Kemp's share and brought his sons into the business as partners. He was nominated to the NSW Legislative Council (1874-1877).
In 1827 John Fairfax married Sarah, daughter of James Reading of Warwick, England. James Reading Fairfax (1834-1919) was the son of John and Sarah Fairfax and he married Lucy, nee Armstrong. Mary Elizabeth Fairfax, Charles Burton Fairfax and Edward Willard Fairfax were the children of James Reading Fairfax and Lucy Fairfax. James Griffyth Fairfax was the son of Charles Burton Fairfax. John Fitzgerald Fairfax was the son of Edward Wilfred Fairfax and his wife Mary Marguerite, nee Lamb. Anne Armstrong was the sister of Lucy Fairfax.

I. JOHN FAIRFAX, 1804-1866
1855; Letters received (2) from William Timothy Cape, 4 June 1855 and Alfred Pope, 29 Sept. 1855 (Call No.: MLMSS 459/1X)
1804-1866; Miscellaneous printed material (Call No.: MLMSS 459/1X)

II. SARAH FAIRFAX, nee READING, 1840-1857
1840-1857; Subscription book for the erection of the new Congregational Church, Pitt Street, Sydney, 1840-1857 (Call No.: MLMSS 459/1X)

III. SIR JAMES READING FAIRFAX, 1853-1918
1853-1917; Letters received (19) from John Fairfax, Sarah Fairfax, Edward Wilfred Fairfax, Emily Ross and Oswald Brierly (Call No.: MLMSS 459/1X)
1855-1918; Miscellaneous papers, including a memoir of John Fairfax, 1878 (Call No.: MLMSS 459/1X)
1873-1889; Diaries concerning his trips to England and Europe, 20 Apr.-5 May 1873, 27 Apr.-1 Nov. 1889, 30 June 1890-3.Feb.1891; diary containing reminiscences of his family's arrival in Australia in 1838, 15 May 1915 (Call No.: MLMSS 459/2)

IV. LUCY FAIRFAX, nee ARMSTRONG, 1888
31 Dec.1888; Circular letter received from Lady Carrington (Call No.: MLMSS 459)

V. MARY ELIZABETH FAIRFAX, 1879-1943
1879-1941; Letters received (6) from James Reading Fairfax, Rev. John G. Fraser, Charles Lloyd Jones, W. Farmer Whyte and Percy S. Allen, 17 Feb. 1879-6 Mar.1941; together with newspaper cuttings concerning the Sydney Morning Herald centenary and J.F. Fairfax's 'The Story of John Fairfax', 6-14 Feb.1941 (Call No.: MLMSS 459/2)
1881-1943; Diaries concerning her trips to England and Europe, 28 Aug.1881-22 Sept.1883, 27 Apr.-31 Dec.1889; diary conerning her trip to India, 2 Nov.1896-10 Jan.1897; pocket diaries, 1942-1943; address book, date unknown; miscellaneous papers found loose in diaries (Call No.: MLMSS 459/2)

VI. CHARLES BURTON FAIRFAX, 1919
1919; Letters received from James Reading Fairfax (Call No.: MLMSS 459/3)

VII. EDWARD WILFRED FAIRFAX, 1932
1932; Letter received from Mary Elizabeth Fairfax (Call No.: MLMSS 459/3)

VIII. MARY MARGUERITE FAIRFAX, nee LAMB, 1948
1948; Letter received from Charles Lloyd Jones enclosing copies of letters from David Jones and his wife Jane to their children, 1849 (Call No.: MLMSS 459/3)

IX. JOHN FITZGERALD FAIRFAX, ca.1941-1947
ca.1941; Draft ms. of chapters VIII-XI of 'The Story of John Fairfax' (Call No.: MLMSS 459/3)
1946-1947; List of contributors to the Bega District News, 5 Dec.1946-16 Jan. 1947 (Call No.: MLMSS 459/3)

X. JAMES GRIFFYTH FAIRFAX, 1936
1936; Newspaper cuttings of article and poems (Call No.: MLMSS 459/3)

XI. ANNE ARMSTRONG, 1900-1901
22 Oct.1900-21 July 1901; Letters received (4) from Mary Elizabeth Fairfax (Call No.: MLMSS 459/3)

This collection was listed in 2004 as part of the Sesquicentenary of Responsible Government in NSW 1856-2006 Project.
A microfilm of selected items is located at MAV FM3/390
This collection includes pictorial material located at Pic.Acc. 5056.