Ian Fairbairn
Encyclopedia
Ian Fairbairn (14 April 18965 December 1968) was a British
financier and rower
who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics
.
Fairbairn was the son of Stephen Fairbairn and his wife Eleanor née Sharwood. He was educated at Eton
, and then attended Royal Military College Sandhurst, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant
in the Royal Horse Guards
on 11 November 1914. By then the First World War was underway, but he was not posted to France until 19 May 1915, having just been promoted to lieutenant
on 14 May. He transferred to the Guards Machine Gun Regiment
on 12 August 1918, and was promoted captain
on 18 October 1918. He ceased to be employed with the Guards Machine Gun Regiment on 31 January 1919, and resigned his commission on 1 May 1919. He was badly wounded during the war.
By this time, he was already a member of Thames Rowing Club
, as was his father, taking part in a race on the Thames at Putney
on 12 April 1919. In 1920 was runner up in Silver Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta
in a coxless pair
with Bruce Logan
. In 1923 Fairbairn stroked
the Thames crew which won the Grand Challenge Cup
, and was again stroke in the Thames crew that made up the eight
rowing for Great Britain at the 1924 Summer Olympics, finishing fourth. He was Captain of Thames (again following his father) in 1933, a Vice President from 1927 - 67 and President from 1967 until his death a year later. He was a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta from 1948 until his death.
Fairbairn pioneered the unit trust
industry at M&G Investments which he joined in 1931. He believed that investments in equities should be available to everyone so that there was a wider ownership of stakes in the nation's economy.
Fairbairn married Cynthia Isabelle Theresa Arbuthnot, daughter of Gerald Arbuthnot MP for Burnley on 27 July 1925. They had two daughters and were divorced in 1941 and he married a second time in 1941 to Esmée V. H. Bethell. She was killed by a V-1 flying bomb
in 1944. Fairbairn appears to have held a reserve commission during the Second World War, but it is not clear if he saw any service. From 1943 he was chairman of M&G.
In 1955 he became chairman of the parent group White Drummond. In 1961 created the Esmée Fairbairn Charitable Trust
as a memorial to his second wife, transferring his personal holding in White Drummond to the trust – through this investment it became one of the largest charities in the UK.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
financier and rower
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
who competed in the 1924 Summer Olympics
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
.
Fairbairn was the son of Stephen Fairbairn and his wife Eleanor née Sharwood. He was educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, and then attended Royal Military College Sandhurst, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Royal Horse Guards
Royal Horse Guards
The Royal Horse Guards was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry.Founded August 1650 in Newcastle Upon Tyne by Sir Arthur Haselrig on the orders of Oliver Cromwell as the Regiment of Cuirassiers, the regiment became the Earl of Oxford's Regiment during the reign of...
on 11 November 1914. By then the First World War was underway, but he was not posted to France until 19 May 1915, having just been promoted to lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on 14 May. He transferred to the Guards Machine Gun Regiment
Guards Machine Gun Regiment
The Guards Machine Gun Regiment was a regiment of the British Army. It was initially formed in 1915 when machine gun companies were formed in the Guards Division. In April 1917, the four companies were grouped together as a single battalion of the Machine Gun Guards, before being re-designated by...
on 12 August 1918, and was promoted captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
on 18 October 1918. He ceased to be employed with the Guards Machine Gun Regiment on 31 January 1919, and resigned his commission on 1 May 1919. He was badly wounded during the war.
By this time, he was already a member of Thames Rowing Club
Thames Rowing Club
Thames Rowing Club is a rowing club situated on the River Thames in Putney, London, United Kingdom. It was founded in 1860.-Club colours:Red, white and black in stripes, the white stripe lying between the red and black and being of half their width....
, as was his father, taking part in a race on the Thames at Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
on 12 April 1919. In 1920 was runner up in Silver Goblets at Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
in a coxless pair
Coxless pair
A Coxless pair is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars.The crew consists of a pair of rowers, each having one oar, one on the stroke side and one on the bow side...
with Bruce Logan
Bruce Logan (rower)
Hubert Bruce Logan was a British rower who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics.-Life:Logan was born at Chesterton, Cambridge, the son of John Maxwell Samuel Logan and his wife Alice Mary Bullard. He became a member of Thames Rowing Club and in 1909 and 1911 was a member of the crew that won the...
. In 1923 Fairbairn stroked
Stroke (rowing)
Stroke is a term which has multiple meanings within the sport of rowing. It is used to refer to the action of propelling the boat with oars, to a rower seated in a particular position and to one side of the boat.-Stroke action:...
the Thames crew which won the Grand Challenge Cup
Grand Challenge Cup
The Grand Challenge Cup is a rowing competition for men's eights. It is the oldest and most prestigious event at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England. It is open to male crews from all eligible rowing clubs...
, and was again stroke in the Thames crew that made up the eight
Eight (rowing)
An Eight is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for eight rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars, and is steered by a coxswain, or cox....
rowing for Great Britain at the 1924 Summer Olympics, finishing fourth. He was Captain of Thames (again following his father) in 1933, a Vice President from 1927 - 67 and President from 1967 until his death a year later. He was a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta from 1948 until his death.
Fairbairn pioneered the unit trust
Unit trust
A unit trust is a form of collective investment constituted under a trust deed.Found in Australia, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Jersey, New Zealand, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia and the UK, unit trusts offer access to a wide range of securities....
industry at M&G Investments which he joined in 1931. He believed that investments in equities should be available to everyone so that there was a wider ownership of stakes in the nation's economy.
Fairbairn married Cynthia Isabelle Theresa Arbuthnot, daughter of Gerald Arbuthnot MP for Burnley on 27 July 1925. They had two daughters and were divorced in 1941 and he married a second time in 1941 to Esmée V. H. Bethell. She was killed by a V-1 flying bomb
V-1 flying bomb
The V-1 flying bomb, also known as the Buzz Bomb or Doodlebug, was an early pulse-jet-powered predecessor of the cruise missile....
in 1944. Fairbairn appears to have held a reserve commission during the Second World War, but it is not clear if he saw any service. From 1943 he was chairman of M&G.
In 1955 he became chairman of the parent group White Drummond. In 1961 created the Esmée Fairbairn Charitable Trust
Esmee Fairbairn Charitable Trust
The Esmée Fairbairn Foundation is a registered charity founded in England in 1961. It is one of the largest independent grantmaking foundations in England, making grants to organisations which aim to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK, both now and in the future.The...
as a memorial to his second wife, transferring his personal holding in White Drummond to the trust – through this investment it became one of the largest charities in the UK.