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St. Kilda's Pioneering Canoeist: The Reverend FCB Fairey

A presentation by the Victorian Sea Kayak Club to the St. Kilda Historical Society in April 2008, exploring the life and adventures of the Reverend Frederick Charles Bonfield Fairey, a pioneering canoeist in St. Kilda during the 19th century.

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St. Kilda's Pioneering Canoeist: The Reverend FCB Fairey

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  1. The Reverend Frederick C.B. Fairey A presentation by The Victorian Sea Kayak Club to The St Kilda Historical Society April 2008

  2. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • The Reverend Frederick Charles Bonfield Fairey • Born in 17th October 1844 in Brighton England • He was one of eight children • Brought up in a Christian family • Parents John Fairey b: 1808 & Ann Woods Wilkinson b: 1811

  3. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist

  4. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • Grew up with a longing for the sea • Left home in Dec 1859 age 15 • Joined the Royal Navy as a naval apprentice at Portsmouth • Saw foreign service in many countries • Resigned age 18 after two and half years of service

  5. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • Tried to settle into shore life - futile • Joined ‘The Merchant Service” • Witnessed & experienced the transition from sail to steamships • Again saw much foreign service ( Philippines, Chile, NZ et al ) • Six and half years of sea-life in total • Migrated to South America – stayed for two and half years

  6. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • Received “the call” in 1876 and migrated to St Kilda for ministerial training • Married Francis Mary Allen on 12th December 1876 at Windsor, Melbourne

  7. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • Received Training in the Congregationalist Church in St Kilda • Identified a need to service his ‘flock’ who lived great distances away on the western shores of Port Phillip “Who seldom hear the gospel preached or see the face of a Christian minister” – FCBF • Through his associated & knowledge of John McGregor a London based Scot he ordered a “Rob Roy” Canoe • Canoe arrived at FCBF’s house in St Kilda on June 25th 1877

  8. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • “Rob Roy” Canoe pictured at Searle & Sons, London

  9. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • Maiden voyage – St Kilda Pier to Geelong, then down the Barwon River, through Connewarre Lakes. Enter Bass Strait at Barwon Heads, head along the coast to Point Lonsdale, re-enter Port Phillip via “The Rip”, continue to Queenscliffe, back up the West coast to St Kilda. • A total voyage of one hundred nautical miles on bay, river,lake & open sea

  10. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist

  11. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • Reverend FCB Fairey went on to serve the ministry with distinction in South Australia (Keynton), Tasmania (Forth) and New South Wales (Windsor) • Many other canoeing adventures undertaken including the North & East Coastlines of Tasmania • Many of FCBF’s stories were recorded by him in the “Boy’s Own Paper” between 1881 & 1882

  12. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • Family and Descendents • Frederick & Francis had eight children • Arthur b:1877 Home Cottage East St Kilda • Ernest b:1881, Windsor NSW • Stanley b:1883, Hunters Hill Sydney NSW • Ethel b1885, Leichardt Sydney NSW • Leslie b: 1887, Homedale Tasmania • Florence b:1891 Keyneton South Australia • Kenneth b 1895 Keyneton South Australia • Gladys b: 1897 Keyneton South Australia

  13. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • Family and Descendents • Traced family still living in Australia • Kenneth David Fairey (81 years old) son of Leslie Mitchell Fairey. Kenneth lives in Revesby NSW • Paul Turvey, great-grandson of Rev FCBF and grandson of Florence Fairey. Paul’s father is 81 years old & lives in Hobart, Tasmania

  14. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • Reverend Frederick Charles Bonfield Fairey died on 31st December 1924 at Tempe New South Wales • Buried in Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney (no headstone on grave, marked by a rose bush)

  15. The Victorian Sea Kayak Club – Re-enactment of “The Voyage of the Evangelist”

  16. Re-enactment of “The Voyage of the Evangelist” • Carried out in three stages • St Kilda to Werribee River, camp overnight then continue to Geelong • Geelong to Barwon Heads, camp overnight then continue to Indented Head • Indented Head to Werribee River, camp overnight then continue to St Kilda • Ten days total paddling over one hundred nautical miles • In excess of twenty club members participated • Great interest in our “First Sea Kayaker” • Met Dr Peter Munster, Congregationist Church historian en-route

  17. Re-enactment of “The Voyage of the Evangelist”– Stage One

  18. Re-enactment of “The Voyage of the Evangelist”– Stage Two

  19. Re-enactment of “The Voyage of the Evangelist”– Stage Three

  20. St Kilda’s Pioneering Canoeist • Research assistance given by:- • Carol Carruthers, Historian, Hawkesbury Museum, New South Wales • Rev Ian Breward and staff , Archives Department, Uniting Church • Jack Barnes, St Kilda author • Dr Peter Munster, Historian Congregationalist Church • Ms David, Librarian, Rare Books Department, Monash University Library • Mrs Valma Martin, Genealogist

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