Thomas Bolster Fairbairn (1861 - 1939)

Born 21 Jan 1861 in County Cork, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Caroline Catherine (Mackie) Fairbairn — married 1882 in Dunedin, New Zealand

Descendants

Died 24 Jul 1939 at age 78 in Dunedin, New Zealand

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Biography

• Thomas was the son of Andrew Fairbairn and Jane Bolster. He emigrated from Glasgow, Scotland with his parents on the St Vincent, arriving at Port Chalmers, Dunedin, 22 March, 1865.

• Thomas married Caroline Catherine Mackie, who Was born in Tasmania, Australia, at Knox Church, Dunedin in 1882.

• Thomas worked for the City Council for thirty years, ending as the Town Clerk in 1900-1905, resigning due to ill-health. His chief achievement during those years was getting the electric tramways installed in the City. He was also an importing agent afterwards, and almost lost his life while on a voyage to Japan.

• He was a member of Masonic Lodge Dunedin No 931, as described in newspaper reports of their proceedings.

• He was a beneficiary in the Will of his Aunt, Jane Fairbairn, probated in Dunedin, NZ, in 1923.

• He lived at Waitati after retiring from business.

• Thomas' body was cremated and his ashes scattered as stated on the Dunedin Cemeteries Database - http://www.dunedin.govt.nz/facilities/cemeteries/cemeteries_search?recordid=124356&type=Cremation

• The cremation record - see above - says he was in NZ for 64 years. Actually Thomas came to NZ in 1865 as a 4 year old child, so he would have lived in NZ for 74 years and died at the age of 78.

Sources

• 1882/1692 - Marriage record - BDM online - DIA - Dept Internal Affairs - New Zealand - https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search

• 1939/19280 - Death Record - BDM Online - DIA - Dept Internal Affairs - New Zealand - https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search

• Council - PapersPast on the National Library website: Evening Star, 28 February 1900 - At a special meeting of the Council to consider a finance committee report to deal with the resignation of the Town Clerk, Thomas Bolster Fairbairn was recommended to be appointed temporarily acting Town Clerk, with his duties commencing 14th March 1900.

• Council - PapersPast on the National Library website: Evening Star, 29 December, 1903 - A special meeting of the City Council will be held tomorrow afternoon in connection with the widening of the Cargill Rd. Mr T B Fairbairn, Town Clerk, returned from Melbourne by the Moeraki this morning.”

• PapersPast on the National Library website: Otago Witness, 10 May 1905 - Personal Items - “The staff of the Dunedin Corporation has presented Mr T B Fairbairn with a gold watch, having his monogram on the case and this inscription inside: ‘Presented to T B Fairbairn, Esq., by the City Corporation staff - 2/5/1905’. The gift was accompanied by a set of ivory-backed brushes for Mrs Fairbairn.”

• Council - PapersPast on the National Library website: 10 May 1906 - “The late Town Clerk - Mr T B Fairbairn wrote resigning the offices of Town clerk, city treasurer and returning officer. Mr Fairbairn added “In retiring from duty after 30 years of municipal service, I beg to sincerely thank the Council for the uniform courtesy, kindness, and support accorded to me, and for its kind appreciation of my services. I also desire to thank the city solicitors, the heads of the various departments, and the general staff for the valuable assistance and cordial co-operation I have at all times received from them. I most heartily wish the Council every success in the important undertakings now approaching completion, and I take this opportunity of expressing my warm appreciation of the zealous manner in which the Council discharges it’s municipal functions.”

• Masonic - PapersPast on the National Library website: Evening Star, 20 August 1902, and others.

• PapersPast on National Library website: Evening Star, 21 August 1939 - Mr Justice Smith has granted probate in the following estates: ... Thomas Bolster Fairbairn, retired agent, Waitati.