Sam Fay
Encyclopedia
Sir Sam Fay born in Hamble-le-Rice
, Hampshire
, England, was a career railwayman who joined the London and South Western Railway
as a clerk in 1872 and rose to become the last General Manager of the Great Central Railway
after a successful stint in charge of the almost bankrupt Midland and South Western Junction Railway
. He also played an important role during the First World War as part of the Railway Executive Committee
.
, on 30 December 1856. He was the second son of Joshua Fay (b. 1824 in Awbridge
), a farmer of Hugenot origin, and Ann Philpott (b. 1820 in Eling
). Fay was educated at Blenheim House school in Fareham
.
. His first post was as a junior clerk at , from where he moved to Stockbridge
on the Sprat and Winkle Line
. After a 12 month period spent on the relief staff at various stations, Fay joined Kingston-upon-Thames where, in 1881, he launched the South Western Gazette together with two clerks in the General Manager's office. The profits of the publication went to the L&SWR Orphanage Fund. Two years later, Fay wrote his first book, A Royal Road, which was a brief history of the L&SWR.
In 1884, Fay was transferred to as second clerk in the Traffic Superintendent's office. After a few months he was promoted to chief clerk. He was subsequently considered for manager of the Waterford and Central Ireland Railway, but withdrew his candidature on account of the poor prospects of the job. He became Assistant Storekeeper at Nine Elms
in 1891. In the same year, he was elected to Kingston Council, but this proved to be a short-lived experience.
as Secretary and General Manager; at the time, the railway was in a poor condition, almost bankrupt and in the hands of a receiver
. Within a period of twelve months, he had turned the situation around and restored the company to solvency, taking the place of the receiver. He also succeeded in promoting a bill for the Marlborough and Grafton Railway
which completed the missing link between the two parts of the MSWJR, thereby avoiding the need to use the Great Western Railway
's Berks & Hants Extension and Marlborough Railway from Savernake to Marlborough.
, Chairman of the Great Central Railway
, to succeed Sir William Pollitt
as General Manager of the line in 1902. The Great Central was at that time in a precarious financial position due to the costs of constructing its London Extension, yet Fay was confident in his ability to repeat his performance with the M&SWJ. He was to be paid £3,000 per year and his contract was subject to six months notice on either side. Presumably as a result of his experience with the M&SWJR, Fay appears to have been head-hunted to became General Manager
of the Great Central Railway
. Whilst he was successful in maintaining the Great Central as an effective railway, Fay was not able completely to turn round the financial position of the company.
One of his first decisions was to extend the operation of through passenger services between Newcastle
and , supplemented by express excursions between Nottingham
, Leicester
and Bournemouth. Fay also reintroduced services between Sheffield and Leeds via the Swinton and Knottingley Joint Railway
, as well as through services from Marylebone to Stratford-upon-Avon
. Journey times for expresses between Marylebone and Sheffield were cut to 3 hours, a reduction of 8 minutes at an average speed of 54.9 mph. Fay introduced several notable innovations to the Great Central including the setting-up of a Publicity Department in 1902, and the rolling-out of the first weekly zone season ticket
s in Manchester in 1904. He was also responsible for the setting-up of the Great Central Railway Journal in 1905 and the initiation of competitive examinations in 1907 to create promotion opportunities for promising young members of staff.
Following his service with the War Office
, Fay returned to the Great Central in May 1919. The Great Central's Board of Directors held their final meeting before the railway grouping
on 15 December 1922. It was agreed to award Fay a pension of £3,000 per year.
In 1924, Fay together with Sir Vincent Raven
was appointed by the Australian government to the Royal Commission
on the New South Wales Government Railways
. The Commissioners reported in October 1924 that the metropolitan railway network was at saturation point and recommended the construction of a circular railway around Sydney, as well as the transfer of control over railway finances from the government to the Railway Commissioners. The construction of the City Circle line
was subsequently commenced and a bill was passed amending the constitution of the Railway Commission.
Fay held two Argentine railway directorships - the Buenos Aires Great Southern
and Buenos Aires Western Railway
Companies. In 1923, he replaced Stanley Jackson
on the board of directors of Beyer, Peacock and Company
, constructor of numerous Great Central locomotives, of which he became Chairman on the retirement of Sir Vincent Caillard. For some time he also acted in an advisory capacity to the London and North Eastern Railway
which had taken over the Great Central upon the railway grouping. Had Fay not been of retirement age at the time of the grouping, he would have been a strong contender for becoming general manager of the new company. In the event, Sir Ralph Wedgwood was appointed to the position.
wages in 1904 and the Departmental Committee on Inshore Fisheries in 1912.
Richard Haldane
to join the Ports and Transit Executive Committee bringing together the railway managers of six principal railway companies to examine the problem of feeding London in the event of enemy action on the south coast. Upon the outbreak of the First World War, Fay together with the eight other managers of leading railways became part of the Railway Executive Committee
chaired by the LSWR's Herbert Walker
.
At the beginning of 1917, Fay took over the post of Director of Movements at the War Office
, an experience which he was to write about in his book The War Office at War published in 1937; he refused to wear a military uniform or to remove his beard, even though his post carried the rank of general. In March 1918, he succeeded Sir Guy Granet
, the Midland
's General Manager, as Director-General of Movements and Railways, with a seat on the Army Council
. During the period of his absence from the Great Central, Fay's assistant, E.A. Clear, took charge of the day-to-day running of the system.
, David Lloyd George
, had previously dealt with Fay in 1906, when he adopted the latter's plans for a conciliation system to settle industrial disputes on the railways. Although the power of nationalisation was withdrawn in the face of opposition in Parliament, an Act came into force on 15 August 1919 which created the Ministry of Transport
headed by Sir Eric Geddes
.
), with whom he had three daughters and two sons, including Edgar Fay
, the judge. A heavy cigar-smoker, he lived in Cirencester
, Gerrards Cross
and finally Awbridge Danes
near Romsey
in Hampshire
.
In June 1902 he was gazetted a Lieutenant-Colonel in The Engineer and Railway Volunteer Staff Corps, and re-gazetted at the same rank when E&RVSC became the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps of the Royal Engineers
in April 1908. He received the Territorial Decoration
in October 1920, and resigned his commission in January 1924.
Fay was knighted by King George V
in somewhat theatrical fashion during the royal opening of the Immingham Dock
on 22 July 1912. In 1944, he published a small volume of poems and essays.
Fay died in Awbridge on 30 May 1953, seven years after his wife, who had died on 10 July 1946. He is buried in the churchyard of All Saints Church. He had intended to write his memoirs but never got beyond the stage of rough notes.
Hamble-le-Rice
Hamble-le-Rice is a village in the Borough of Eastleigh in Hampshire, UK. It is best known for being an aircraft training centre during the Second World War and is a popular yachting location...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, England, was a career railwayman who joined the London and South Western Railway
London and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
as a clerk in 1872 and rose to become the last General Manager of the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
after a successful stint in charge of the almost bankrupt Midland and South Western Junction Railway
Midland and South Western Junction Railway
The Midland and South Western Junction Railway was, until the 1923 Grouping, an independent railway built to form a north-south link between the Midland and London and South Western Railways allowing the Midland and other companies' trains to reach the port of Southampton.-Formation:The M&SWJR...
. He also played an important role during the First World War as part of the Railway Executive Committee
Railway Executive Committee
The Railway Executive Committee was a government body which controlled the operation of Britain's railways during World War I and World War II...
.
Early years
Samuel Fay was born in Hamble-le-RiceHamble-le-Rice
Hamble-le-Rice is a village in the Borough of Eastleigh in Hampshire, UK. It is best known for being an aircraft training centre during the Second World War and is a popular yachting location...
, on 30 December 1856. He was the second son of Joshua Fay (b. 1824 in Awbridge
Awbridge
Awbridge is a village and civil parish in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England, about three miles northwest of Romsey, and near the River Test. According to the 2001 census the parish, which includes the villages of Awbridge, Upper Ratley and Lower Ratley, had a population of 695...
), a farmer of Hugenot origin, and Ann Philpott (b. 1820 in Eling
Totton and Eling
Totton and Eling is a town and civil parish in Hampshire, UK, with a population of around 28,000 people. It is situated on the eastern edge of the New Forest and on the River Test, close to the city of Southampton and part of the city's urban area...
). Fay was educated at Blenheim House school in Fareham
Fareham
The market town of Fareham lies in the south east of Hampshire, England, between the cities of Southampton and Portsmouth, roughly in the centre of the South Hampshire conurbation.It gives its name to the borough comprising the town and the surrounding area...
.
L&SWR
At the age of 15½ Fay joined the London and South Western RailwayLondon and South Western Railway
The London and South Western Railway was a railway company in England from 1838 to 1922. Its network extended from London to Plymouth via Salisbury and Exeter, with branches to Ilfracombe and Padstow and via Southampton to Bournemouth and Weymouth. It also had many routes connecting towns in...
. His first post was as a junior clerk at , from where he moved to Stockbridge
Stockbridge, Hampshire
Stockbridge is a small town and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It has an acreage of and a population of little under 600 people according to the 2001 census in Hampshire, England. It lies on the River Test, in the Test Valley district and renowned for trout fishing. The A30 road goes through...
on the Sprat and Winkle Line
Sprat and Winkle Line
The Sprat and Winkle Line was the familiar name of a railway line which ran between Andover and Redbridge in Hampshire, UK. It was also known as the Andover to Redbridge Line....
. After a 12 month period spent on the relief staff at various stations, Fay joined Kingston-upon-Thames where, in 1881, he launched the South Western Gazette together with two clerks in the General Manager's office. The profits of the publication went to the L&SWR Orphanage Fund. Two years later, Fay wrote his first book, A Royal Road, which was a brief history of the L&SWR.
In 1884, Fay was transferred to as second clerk in the Traffic Superintendent's office. After a few months he was promoted to chief clerk. He was subsequently considered for manager of the Waterford and Central Ireland Railway, but withdrew his candidature on account of the poor prospects of the job. He became Assistant Storekeeper at Nine Elms
Nine Elms Locomotive Works
Nine Elms locomotive works were built in 1839 by the London and South Western Railway adjoining their passenger terminus near the Vauxhall end of Nine Elms Lane, in the district of Nine Elms in the London Borough of Battersea. They were rebuilt in 1841 and remained the principal locomotive...
in 1891. In the same year, he was elected to Kingston Council, but this proved to be a short-lived experience.
M&SWJ
In early 1892, Fay was seconded to the Midland and South Western Junction RailwayMidland and South Western Junction Railway
The Midland and South Western Junction Railway was, until the 1923 Grouping, an independent railway built to form a north-south link between the Midland and London and South Western Railways allowing the Midland and other companies' trains to reach the port of Southampton.-Formation:The M&SWJR...
as Secretary and General Manager; at the time, the railway was in a poor condition, almost bankrupt and in the hands of a receiver
Receivership
In law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
. Within a period of twelve months, he had turned the situation around and restored the company to solvency, taking the place of the receiver. He also succeeded in promoting a bill for the Marlborough and Grafton Railway
Marlborough and Grafton Railway
The Marlborough and Grafton Railway was an English railway company incorporated in 1893 and the line was opened in 1898. It completed the missing link, between Marlborough and Grafton, in the Cheltenham to Andover line...
which completed the missing link between the two parts of the MSWJR, thereby avoiding the need to use the Great Western Railway
Great Western Railway
The Great Western Railway was a British railway company that linked London with the south-west and west of England and most of Wales. It was founded in 1833, received its enabling Act of Parliament in 1835 and ran its first trains in 1838...
's Berks & Hants Extension and Marlborough Railway from Savernake to Marlborough.
Great Central
In 1899, Fay returned to Waterloo as the L&SWR's Superintendent of the Line. It was from here that he was appointed by Lord FaringdonAlexander Henderson, 1st Baron Faringdon
Alexander Henderson, 1st Baron Faringdon, CH , known as Sír Alexander Henderson, 1st Baronet, from 1902 to 1916, was a British financier and Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament.- Biography :...
, Chairman of the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
, to succeed Sir William Pollitt
William Pollitt
Colonel Sir William Pollitt was general manager of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway from 1886 to 1902, the final three years being as General Manager of the renamed Great Central Railway....
as General Manager of the line in 1902. The Great Central was at that time in a precarious financial position due to the costs of constructing its London Extension, yet Fay was confident in his ability to repeat his performance with the M&SWJ. He was to be paid £3,000 per year and his contract was subject to six months notice on either side. Presumably as a result of his experience with the M&SWJR, Fay appears to have been head-hunted to became General Manager
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the Great Central Railway
Great Central Railway
The Great Central Railway was a railway company in England which came into being when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension . On 1 January 1923, it was grouped into the London and North Eastern...
. Whilst he was successful in maintaining the Great Central as an effective railway, Fay was not able completely to turn round the financial position of the company.
One of his first decisions was to extend the operation of through passenger services between Newcastle
Newcastle railway station
Newcastle railway station , is the mainline station of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England and is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line. It opened in 1850 and is a Grade I listed building...
and , supplemented by express excursions between Nottingham
Nottingham Victoria railway station
Nottingham Victoria railway station was a Great Central Railway and Great Northern Railway railway station in Nottingham, England. It was designed by the architect Albert Edward Lambert....
, Leicester
Leicester Central railway station
Leicester Central was a railway station in Leicester. It was situated to the west of the city centre, on Great Central Street which is today just off the inner ring road. It was closed in 1969.- Construction :...
and Bournemouth. Fay also reintroduced services between Sheffield and Leeds via the Swinton and Knottingley Joint Railway
Swinton and Knottingley Joint Railway
The Swinton and Knottingley Joint Railway was a British railway company formed to connect the Midland and Great Central lines at Swinton, north of Rotherham, with the North Eastern Railway at Ferrybridge, near Knottingley, a distance of sixteen miles, opening up a more direct route between York and...
, as well as through services from Marylebone to Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon railway station
Stratford-upon-Avon railway station is a railway station that serves the town of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. It was once a through station on the Great Western Railway route from Birmingham to Cheltenham, but has been the terminus of the line since 1976.There are plans for a new...
. Journey times for expresses between Marylebone and Sheffield were cut to 3 hours, a reduction of 8 minutes at an average speed of 54.9 mph. Fay introduced several notable innovations to the Great Central including the setting-up of a Publicity Department in 1902, and the rolling-out of the first weekly zone season ticket
Season ticket
A season ticket is a ticket that grants privileges over a defined period of time.-Sport:In sport, a season ticket grants the holder access to all regular-season home games for one season without additional charges. The ticket usually offers a discounted price over purchasing a ticket for each of...
s in Manchester in 1904. He was also responsible for the setting-up of the Great Central Railway Journal in 1905 and the initiation of competitive examinations in 1907 to create promotion opportunities for promising young members of staff.
Following his service with the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
, Fay returned to the Great Central in May 1919. The Great Central's Board of Directors held their final meeting before the railway grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
on 15 December 1922. It was agreed to award Fay a pension of £3,000 per year.
Other railway interests
In 1913, Fay became part-owner of the struggling Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway. He ran the line until the railway grouping and made a profit upon its disposal to the Southern Railway.In 1924, Fay together with Sir Vincent Raven
Vincent Raven
Sir Vincent Litchfield Raven KBE was chief mechanical engineer of the North Eastern Railway from 1910 to 1922.- Biography :...
was appointed by the Australian government to the Royal Commission
Royal Commission
In Commonwealth realms and other monarchies a Royal Commission is a major ad-hoc formal public inquiry into a defined issue. They have been held in various countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia...
on the New South Wales Government Railways
New South Wales Government Railways
The New South Wales Government Railways was the government department that operated the New South Wales Government's railways until the establishment of the Public Transport Commission in 1972. Although later known officially as the Department of Railways, New South Wales, it was still generally...
. The Commissioners reported in October 1924 that the metropolitan railway network was at saturation point and recommended the construction of a circular railway around Sydney, as well as the transfer of control over railway finances from the government to the Railway Commissioners. The construction of the City Circle line
City Circle
The City Circle is a system of largely underground passenger railway lines located in the central business district of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, that make up the heart of the Sydney passenger railway network. The lines are owned by RailCorp, a New South Wales government agency, and...
was subsequently commenced and a bill was passed amending the constitution of the Railway Commission.
Fay held two Argentine railway directorships - the Buenos Aires Great Southern
Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway
The Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge, , British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
and Buenos Aires Western Railway
Buenos Aires Western Railway
The Buenos Aires Western Railway was one of the Big Four broad gauge British-owned companies that built and operated railway networks in Argentina...
Companies. In 1923, he replaced Stanley Jackson
Stanley Jackson
Sir Francis Stanley Jackson, GCSI, GCIE, PC, KStJ , known as the Honourable Stanley Jackson during his playing career, was an English cricketer, soldier and Conservative Party politician.-Early life:...
on the board of directors of Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company
Beyer, Peacock and Company was an English railway Locomotive manufacturer with a factory in Gorton, Manchester. Founded by Charles Beyer and Richard Peacock, it traded from 1854 until 1966...
, constructor of numerous Great Central locomotives, of which he became Chairman on the retirement of Sir Vincent Caillard. For some time he also acted in an advisory capacity to the London and North Eastern Railway
London and North Eastern Railway
The London and North Eastern Railway was the second-largest of the "Big Four" railway companies created by the Railways Act 1921 in Britain...
which had taken over the Great Central upon the railway grouping. Had Fay not been of retirement age at the time of the grouping, he would have been a strong contender for becoming general manager of the new company. In the event, Sir Ralph Wedgwood was appointed to the position.
Committees
Fay served on two committees unconnected with railways - the Committee on Post OfficeGeneral Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
wages in 1904 and the Departmental Committee on Inshore Fisheries in 1912.
First World War
Fay had, in 1911, been invited by the Secretary of State for WarSecretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
Richard Haldane
Richard Haldane, 1st Viscount Haldane
Richard Burdon Haldane, 1st Viscount Haldane KT, OM, PC, KC, FRS, FBA, FSA , was an influential British Liberal Imperialist and later Labour politician, lawyer and philosopher. He was Secretary of State for War between 1905 and 1912 during which time the "Haldane Reforms" were implemented...
to join the Ports and Transit Executive Committee bringing together the railway managers of six principal railway companies to examine the problem of feeding London in the event of enemy action on the south coast. Upon the outbreak of the First World War, Fay together with the eight other managers of leading railways became part of the Railway Executive Committee
Railway Executive Committee
The Railway Executive Committee was a government body which controlled the operation of Britain's railways during World War I and World War II...
chaired by the LSWR's Herbert Walker
Herbert Ashcombe Walker
Sir Herbert Ashcombe Walker, KCB was a British railway manager.-Early life:Walker was born in London 15 May 1868. He was educated at the North London Collegiate School and at Bruges.-Career:...
.
At the beginning of 1917, Fay took over the post of Director of Movements at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
, an experience which he was to write about in his book The War Office at War published in 1937; he refused to wear a military uniform or to remove his beard, even though his post carried the rank of general. In March 1918, he succeeded Sir Guy Granet
Guy Granet
Sir William Guy Granet, GBE trained as a barrister but became a noted railway administrator, first as general manager of the Midland Railway then as a director-general in the War Office.-Biography:...
, the Midland
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
's General Manager, as Director-General of Movements and Railways, with a seat on the Army Council
Army Council (1904)
The Army Council is a governing board for the British military organization. It was created in 1904 along with other institutional changes made in that year to the British Army....
. During the period of his absence from the Great Central, Fay's assistant, E.A. Clear, took charge of the day-to-day running of the system.
Grouping proposals
In December 1918, he had proposed to the coalition government the creation of a "Transport Authority" which would be composed of the representatives of railway and dock companies, the Board of Trade, trade unions and agricultural and industrial bodies. The Authority would acquire, using public stock, the capital of the country's railways and canals, and divide their operations into five regional groups which the Authority could take over and control in the public interest. The Prime MinisterPrime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, had previously dealt with Fay in 1906, when he adopted the latter's plans for a conciliation system to settle industrial disputes on the railways. Although the power of nationalisation was withdrawn in the face of opposition in Parliament, an Act came into force on 15 August 1919 which created the Ministry of Transport
Department for Transport
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport is the government department responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which are not devolved...
headed by Sir Eric Geddes
Eric Campbell Geddes
Sir Eric Campbell-Geddes GCB, GBE, PC was a British businessman and Conservative politician. He served as First Lord of the Admiralty between 1917 and 1919 and as the first Minister of Transport between 1919 and 1921....
.
Personal life
In 1883, Fay married Frances Ann Farbrother (b. 1856 or 1857 in KingstonKingston upon Thames
Kingston upon Thames is the principal settlement of the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames in southwest London. It was the ancient market town where Saxon kings were crowned and is now a suburb situated south west of Charing Cross. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the...
), with whom he had three daughters and two sons, including Edgar Fay
Edgar Fay
Edgar Stewart Fay QC was a British judge. He was the son of Sir Sam Fay, General Manager of the Great Central Railway and was educated at McGill University, and Pembroke College, Cambridge. He conducted inquiries into the collapse of the Crown Agents and the Munich air crash.- Extensor links:*...
, the judge. A heavy cigar-smoker, he lived in Cirencester
Cirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
, Gerrards Cross
Gerrards Cross
Gerrards Cross is a village in Buckinghamshire, England. It is in the south of the county, near the border with Greater London, south of Chalfont St Peter. Gerrards Cross is also a civil parish within South Bucks district, which was known as the Beaconsfield district from 1974 to 1980...
and finally Awbridge Danes
Awbridge
Awbridge is a village and civil parish in the Test Valley district of Hampshire, England, about three miles northwest of Romsey, and near the River Test. According to the 2001 census the parish, which includes the villages of Awbridge, Upper Ratley and Lower Ratley, had a population of 695...
near Romsey
Romsey
Romsey is a small market town in the county of Hampshire, England.It is 8 miles northwest of Southampton and 11 miles southwest of Winchester, neighbouring the village of North Baddesley...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
In June 1902 he was gazetted a Lieutenant-Colonel in The Engineer and Railway Volunteer Staff Corps, and re-gazetted at the same rank when E&RVSC became the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
in April 1908. He received the Territorial Decoration
Territorial Decoration
The Territorial Decoration was a medal of the United Kingdom awarded for long service in the Territorial Force and its successor, the Territorial Army...
in October 1920, and resigned his commission in January 1924.
Fay was knighted by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
in somewhat theatrical fashion during the royal opening of the Immingham Dock
Immingham Dock
Immingham Dock is a port facility, with linking railways, opened upstream from Grimsby by the Great Central Railway in 1912. It was first conceived in 1874, during the company's Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway days, after test borings north-west of Grimsby had been made by marine...
on 22 July 1912. In 1944, he published a small volume of poems and essays.
Fay died in Awbridge on 30 May 1953, seven years after his wife, who had died on 10 July 1946. He is buried in the churchyard of All Saints Church. He had intended to write his memoirs but never got beyond the stage of rough notes.
External links
- http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?image=10283824&wwwflag=2&imagepos=5Portrait caricature by SpyLeslie WardSir Leslie Matthew Ward , was a British portrait artist and caricaturist who drew or painted numerous portraits which were regularly published by Vanity Fair, under the pseudonyms "Spy" and "Drawl".-Background:...
]