James Fairbairn
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The Honourable James Fairbairn |
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|---|---|
| Member of the Australian Parliament for Flinders |
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In office 11 November 1933 – 13 August 1940 |
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| Preceded by | Stanley Bruce |
| Succeeded by | Rupert Ryan |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
28 July 1897 Wadhurst, Sussex, England |
| Died | 13 August 1940 (aged 43) Canberra air disaster |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Political party | United Australia Party |
| Spouse(s) | Daisy Olive Forrester |
| Relations |
George Fairbairn (uncle) David Fairbairn (nephew) |
| Occupation | Farmer, soldier |
James Valentine Fairbairn (28 July 1897 – 13 August 1940) was a pastoralist, aviator, Australian politician and cabinet minister who was killed in the Canberra air disaster.
Fairbairn was born in Wadhurst, Sussex, England, second son of Charles Fairbairn, a wealthy Australian grazier and nephew of George Fairbairn. He was brought up at Banongill, near Skipton, Victoria and educated at Geelong Grammar School from 1908 to 1915. He then travelled to England to enlist in the Royal Flying Corps as a flying officer. On 14 February 1917, he was shot down and captured by the Germans. Fourteen months later he was released in a prisoner exchange. Despite permanent injuries to his right arm, he continued to fly for the rest of his life.
He returned to Australia in 1919 and took over the management of Peak Downs station, in Queensland. On 21 March 1923, he married Daisy Olive "Peggy" Forrester in Toorak. In 1924 he bought Mount Elephant station, near Derrinallum, in western Victoria. He was elected to the Hampden Shire Council in 1930 and subsequently became a director of the Commercial Banking Co. of Sydney and the Union Trustee Co. of Australia Ltd. He played polo, golf, lawn tennis and squash, becoming the president of the Australian Squash Racquets Association.
In 1932 Fairbairn was elected to the Victorian Legislative Assembly as the member for Warrnambool, representing the United Australia Party. In 1933, he resigned his seat to contest the House of Representatives seat of Flinders at a by-election following the resignation of Prime Minister Stanley Bruce. He was successful, and held the seat until his death. He regularly flew between his property and Canberra and was recognized as an authority on aviation. He flew around Australia in 1935, and in 1936 he bought a De Havilland Dragonfly in England and flew it back to Australia.
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