Credit: ©The Royal Society
Image number: RS.9706
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Portrait of William Fairbairn
Date
19th century
Sitter
William Fairbairn (1789 - 1874, British) , Engineer
Creator
Benjamin Rawlinson Faulkner (1787 - 1849, British) , Painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (painting): 1240mm
width (painting): 985mm
width (painting): 985mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Three-quarter length seated portrait of Sir William Fairbairn. The engineer holds a quill pen in his right hand, the left elbow leaning against a table to the sitter’s left, his face leaning lightly on his left hand. The table is covered in a green cloth and contains a glass inkwell held on a silver stand with a second quill. There is an angled writing stand with papers on it. Another set of papers to the foreground is headed: “Observations of the Cold blast” [referring to Fairbairn’s published researches “On the strength and properties of cast iron obtained from the Hot and Cold blast”, presented at the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1838]. Fairbairn is dressed in a black suit and tie with a white shirt. A pair of gold spectacles hangs from a black ribbon around his neck and there are two seals set in gold hanging at his waist. Behind is a seascape with two vessels, the most prominent an iron steamship of a type constructed by Fairbairn’s company.
Sir William Fairbairn (1789-1874), first baronet of Ardwick, British engineer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1850. He was awarded the Society's Royal Medal in 1860 for 'his various experimental inquiries on the properties of the materials employed in mechanical construction, contained in the Philosophical Transactions, and in the publications of other scientific societies', and its Bakerian Medal and Lecture in the same year, which he delivered on 'Experimental Researches to determine the Law of Superheated Steam'.
Sir William Fairbairn (1789-1874), first baronet of Ardwick, British engineer, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1850. He was awarded the Society's Royal Medal in 1860 for 'his various experimental inquiries on the properties of the materials employed in mechanical construction, contained in the Philosophical Transactions, and in the publications of other scientific societies', and its Bakerian Medal and Lecture in the same year, which he delivered on 'Experimental Researches to determine the Law of Superheated Steam'.
Transcription
B.R.Faulkner 18-
prepared by Robertson and Miller 51 – Longacre London R & M 1871.
Royal Society Frame 1
SIR WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN, F.R.S. By B.R.FAULKNER
prepared by Robertson and Miller 51 – Longacre London R & M 1871.
Royal Society Frame 1
SIR WILLIAM FAIRBAIRN, F.R.S. By B.R.FAULKNER
Object history
Bequeathed by Sir William Fairbairn, 1874.
The gift is recorded on Council Minutes: “Read a letter from Mr. Thomas Fairbairn, Bart., addressed to the President, to the effect that, by a Codicil to his Will dated Nov. 6, 1869, the late Sir William Fairbairn bequeaths to the Society: ‘My own Portrait by Faulkner as a memorial of the encouragement I have invariably received from that distinguished and learned body in furtherance of my researches in practical science;’ and intimating his readiness to give directions for the delivery of the painting to the Society. The Secretary was instructed to accept the bequest, and return the thanks of the President and Council to Sir Thomas Fairbairn.” [Royal Society Council Minutes, Printed, CMP/4 1870-1877, meeting of 30 November 1874, p.246].
Sir Thomas Fairbairn’s original correspondence is preserved in the Society’s archives and provides more small details. Fairbairn noted that “The Picture is at my late Father’s residence in Manchester...” [Letter, Thomas Fairbairn, 23 November 1874, to Sir Joseph Hooker, Royal Society Miscellaneous Correspondence MC/10/170]. By late November he had arranged delivery: “I gave instructions last week to Messrs Agnew of Manchester to pack & deliver...and hope it has already been safely deposited.” [Letter, Thomas Fairbairn, 17 December 1874, to Thomas Henry Huxley, Royal Society Miscellaneous Correspondence MC/10/180].
The gift is recorded on Council Minutes: “Read a letter from Mr. Thomas Fairbairn, Bart., addressed to the President, to the effect that, by a Codicil to his Will dated Nov. 6, 1869, the late Sir William Fairbairn bequeaths to the Society: ‘My own Portrait by Faulkner as a memorial of the encouragement I have invariably received from that distinguished and learned body in furtherance of my researches in practical science;’ and intimating his readiness to give directions for the delivery of the painting to the Society. The Secretary was instructed to accept the bequest, and return the thanks of the President and Council to Sir Thomas Fairbairn.” [Royal Society Council Minutes, Printed, CMP/4 1870-1877, meeting of 30 November 1874, p.246].
Sir Thomas Fairbairn’s original correspondence is preserved in the Society’s archives and provides more small details. Fairbairn noted that “The Picture is at my late Father’s residence in Manchester...” [Letter, Thomas Fairbairn, 23 November 1874, to Sir Joseph Hooker, Royal Society Miscellaneous Correspondence MC/10/170]. By late November he had arranged delivery: “I gave instructions last week to Messrs Agnew of Manchester to pack & deliver...and hope it has already been safely deposited.” [Letter, Thomas Fairbairn, 17 December 1874, to Thomas Henry Huxley, Royal Society Miscellaneous Correspondence MC/10/180].
Associated place