Mary Fairfax facts for kids

Mary Elizabeth Fairfax (born Marie Wein) was a famous Australian businesswoman. She was also a generous person who gave a lot of money to good causes, known as a philanthropist. Born in Poland on August 15, 1922, she later moved to Australia.

She became known as Lady Fairfax when her husband, Sir Warwick Fairfax, received a special honour called a knighthood in 1967. After he passed away in 1987, she inherited much of his wealth. This made her one of Australia's richest women. Lady Fairfax passed away on September 17, 2017.

Early Life and Family

Marie Wein was born in Warsaw, Poland. Her family was Jewish. They moved to Australia in the late 1920s. They wanted to escape unfair treatment against Jewish people in Europe.

Marie went to the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney. There, she won awards for her studies in history and chemistry. As an adult, she owned several dress shops in Sydney.

In 1945, Marie married a lawyer named Cedric Symonds. They had one son, Garth. Later, in the late 1950s, she fell in love with Warwick Fairfax. He came from the very well-known Fairfax family.

Marie divorced her first husband in 1958. She married Warwick Fairfax on July 4, 1959. Before their wedding, she changed her religion from Judaism to Catholicism. Mary and Warwick had three children together: Warwick Jr., Anna, and Charles.

After her husband, Sir Warwick, died in 1987, Lady Fairfax continued to live in their family home. This home was called Fairwater in Double Bay. The Fairfax family had owned this house since 1900.

In 1988, she moved to Manhattan, New York. She bought a very fancy apartment called the "Chateau in the Sky". It was on top of The Pierre Hotel on Fifth Avenue. She paid US$12 million for it. Many famous people had lived there before her. These included John Paul Getty, Elizabeth Taylor, and Yves Saint-Laurent.

Lady Fairfax sold the apartment in 1999 for $21.5 million. She then returned to Australia. She passed away peacefully at her family home on September 17, 2017.

Helping Others: Awards and Giving Back

Lady Fairfax was recognized for her great work in the community. In 1976, she received an award called Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

She was also given the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) award in 1988. In 2005, she received an even higher honour: Companion of the Order of Australia (AC). This award was for her "service to the community". It recognized her support for medical research, better healthcare, helping young artists, and protecting cultural heritage.

In 2012, her personal wealth was estimated to be around A$418 million. She owned a large piece of land called Harrington Park. This land was once a cattle farm owned by Sir Warwick and Lady Fairfax.

Lady Fairfax was a leader in many arts organizations. She was a chairman and president of the Friends of The Australian Ballet. She also led the Australian Opera Foundation during the 1970s.

She was very generous with her money. For her 80th birthday in 2002, she gave A$750,000 to St Vincent's Foundation. She also donated A$250,000 to the Garvan Foundation.

Images for kids

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  Fairwater, Double Bay home of Lady Mary Fairfax, until her 2017 death.