Lady Mary Fairfax has died at her famed Sydney waterfront mansion, aged 95.
The philanthropist, socialite and widow of publishing magnate Sir Warwick Fairfax died peacefully on Sunday, her family announced.
‘It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Lady Mary Fairfax, AC, OBE,’ the family said in a statement on Monday.
‘Our mother had recently celebrated her 95th birthday. Her health has been deteriorating significantly recently. Members of the family have gathered at ”Fairwater”.’
Lady Mary Fairfax (pictured in an undated photo) has died at her famed Sydney waterfront home, aged 95
The family asked for privacy during the ‘deeply distressing time.’
In the late 1950s Sydney’s social scene was abuzz Lady Mary Fairfax’s liaison with Warwick Fairfax, 13 years her senior and scion of Australia’s oldest publishing family and boss of John Fairfax & Sons.
After their respective divorces, she became Fairfax’s third wife in July 1959, minutes after his divorce became official. The marriage had just three witnesses.
In December, 1960, Warwick and Mary Fairfax welcomed their first child together, Warwick.
The newly-married Fairfaxes lived initially at Barford, in Bellevue Hill, and later in the family mansion, Fairwater, between Point Piper and Double Bay.
The Fairfax publishing house had become a publicly owned company in 1956, but the family controlled a majority of its shares; Warwick Sr held two-thirds of the family’s shares.
The philanthropist, socialite and widow of publishing magnate Sir Warwick Fairfax died peacefully on Sunday, her family announced. Above, a stamp featuring Lady Mary Fairfax from a series of stamps titled Australian Legends
The couple had two other children together, Anna and Charles. Mary became Lady Fairfax in 1967, when Warwick Fairfax was knighted.
The couple entertained lavishly, and Fairwater became a salon for politicians, artists and intellectuals.
Fairwater is regarded as one of Sydney’s most valuable private homes, and for many years she also owned an apartment at the Pierre Hotel, in New York.
Sir Warwick had a son and daughter by his first marriage, a daughter from his second, and three children from his third.
Soon after Sir Warwick’s death in 1987, Lady Fairfax backed young Warwick’s attempt to take over the company.
‘It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our mother, Lady Mary Fairfax, AC, OBE,’ the family said in a statement on Monday