Sir William George Fairfax

Of all the famous persons associated with St. Columba's Kirk, Sir William Fairfax, for sheer courage and ability, must rank among the foremost. Born at Bagshot, Surrey, in 1739, he was the son of Joseph Fairfax, Esq. The family was descended from the Fairfaxes of Walton in Yorkshire, the main branch of whom were created viscounts Fairfax of Emly, in the peerage of Ireland (now extinct) and a younger branch Baron Fairfax of Cameron in the peerage of Scotland. Of the last named was the great Lord Fairfax. Commander-in-chief of the Armies of Parliament, 1645- 1650, whose title is now held by Lord Fairfax, resident in USA. Sir William Fairfax is described by his daughter as a gallant gentle­man. very good looking, of a brave and noble nature and a perfect gentleman both in appearance and character. Fairfax went to sea as a midshipman at ten years of age. He had very little education but he was a great reader, mostly history and voyages. He was very cool and of instant resource in moments of danger. William G. Fairfax must have been a comparatively young man when he settled in Burntisland. On a gravestone at St. Columba's Kirkyard the death of the Rev. Robert Spears is recorded, also "his daughter Hannah, died 12th May, 1770, aged 30. She was the wife of William George Fairfax, captain of the Royal Navy, whose two infant children are also interred here."This marriage took place in 1767.Captain Fairfax's second marriage to Miss Margaret Charters, daughter of Samuel Charters, Town Clerk of Burntisland, kept him in the top notch of local society.

In the Town Council Minute Book of 27th September, 1780, Fairfax was elected as a Guild Councillor for the year and on the same date his signature is appended as being elected Third Bailie. In 1781 he was elected First Bailie. William Henry Charters, brother- in-law of Fairfax, was also a member of the Town Council along with David Boog, another family relative. All three were re-elected on 22nd September, 1784, when both Fairfax and Charters were fined 40/- Scots for failing to attend. The previous day Samuel Charters had resigned as Town Clerk after 47 years' service. In 1795 Fairfax was still a Bailie in Burntisland and sat in judgement at the Head Court. His daughter Mary said he was "an excellent florist and procured the finest bulbs and flower seeds from Holland and kept each in a separate bed." 

He was fishing at the mouth of Starleyburn for red trout and found a young whale or grampus stranded in the shallow water. He went back to Burntisland, got boats, captured the whale and landed it in the harbour "where many people went with the rest of the crowd to see the muckle fish." Mary also mentions that when her father was Captain of "The Repulse" attached to the Northern Fleet, fierce gales sprang up and the crew ran short of rations and candles. The men tore up stockings for wicks, dipped them in the fat of the salt meat which was left. They eventually reached Leith for ship repairs. On 24th February. 1789, Fairfax, took over the house owned by his father-in-law, Samuel Charters, and at the present day known as Mary Somerville's House. Fairfax eventually owned a number of properties in Burntisland; until a few years ago the house at 146 High Street, owned by Mr Plummer, and formerly by the Bissett family, was named "Fairfax House". It will be a pleasure to the Fairfax descendants that the group of houses just built in Dollar Road and Church Street will be known as Fairfax Place. William George Fairfax entered the navy in 1750. From the start he moved steadily up the promotion ladder. As Lieutenant on the "EURUS", under Captain John Elphinstone, he was on active service mostly in the St Lawrence till August, 1760. He was there when Wolfe captured Quebec in 1759. While in command of the "ALERT" Fairfax was captured by the "JUNION" a frigate of 40 guns and was a prisoner from 1778 till 1782 in France. During the American War of Independence when Lieutenant Fairfax was on board a man of war, George Washington wrote to him claiming him as a relation and invited him to pay a visit saying he did not think that war should interfere with the courtesies of life. Party spirit ran so high at that time. that Fairfax was reprimanded for being in correspondence with the enemy. The relationship Washington claimed is probably through Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, 1692-1782, who was born at Denton, Yorkshire. He went to America and settled in Virginia, Lawrence Washington, elder brother of George, married Fairfax's daughter Anne. In 1796 William G. Fairfax was appointed Flag Captain to Admiral Duncan, Commander-in-Chief, North Sea. In "HMS VENERABLE" his advice to Duncan led to success. Admiral Duncan to Fairfax: "What shall we do? "Break the line, sir, and draw up on the other side where they will not be so well prepared". "Do it then, Fairfax." Nine ships of the line and two frigates were captured. Fairfax was sent back to London to announce the victory to the Admiralty. He was knighted and made a Colonel of the Marines. He commanded 'Venerable' till 1801 and was appointed Vice-Admiral on 13th December, 1806. In his later years Fairfax went to live in Edinburgh where he died on 7th November. 1813, aged 75, and was buried in St. Columba's Kirkyard.  When Earl Spencer was First Lord of the Admiralty, Lady Spencer said to Fairfax: "You ask for promotion for your officers but you never ask any for yourself. He said, “I leave that to my country”. Unfortunately, his country did nothing for him as his wife had nothing to live on but his Admiral's widow's pension of £75 a year. Robert Ferguson, junior, of Raith, tried to obtain an increase but failed. Small thanks to a man after 63 years in the naval service. Vice-Admiral Fairfax did not live to know of the fame his daughter Mary would earn and while as Mrs Somerville people acknowledge her remarkable achievements. the house known as Mary Somerville's house was really her father's.