Ian Fairbairn

Male, Deceased Person

1896 – 1968

34

Who was Ian Fairbairn?

Ian Fairbairn 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 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.

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Born
1896
Parents
Education
  • Eton College
Died
1968

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

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