Fairman was born in Kent and studied under Louis Henri Deschamps in Paris, but for most of her life lived and worked in London.

When she was in her late 50s, she was taken to court and fined for attempting to prevent a hansom cab driver from whipping his horse in Fulham Road, London, and for striking the cabman with her hand after he had hit her.

[4] The 1851 census recorded her as a scholar at twelve years old, at 30 Linsted Street, Lynsted, Kent, with her parents and four house servants.

[8] The 1911 Census found her living alone at 4 Avenue Studios, Fulham, London, describing herself as an artist of dog portraits, working independently at home.

[9] In 1873, Fairman and her mother spotted a false reference which had been presented by the "tall, well-dressed" James Bartley when applying for the position of butler at their Kensington house.

Defendant released her hold, and immediately the animal bolted, eventually colliding with a four-wheeled cab, and overturning the hansom.

A police officer who came up declined to arrest the driver for assault, and would not agree with Miss Fairman that he was drunk, nor did he find any marks of the ill-treatment on the horse.

Proceedings were taken out against the driver before a police magistrate, but the charge was dismissed, the justice upon that occasion telling Miss Fairman "that her action had caused all the trouble."

Fairman had painted Edward VII's fox terrier Caesar, who "followed the [king's] funeral procession to the grave".

[27] In 1917 her picture We owe it to King Edward was exhibited at the Albert Hall, where the Ladies' Kennel Association dog show was being held.

Fairman "painted nearly 30 royal pets in her time", including Edward VII's fox terrier, Caesar,[17] and she had the use of a studio at Buckingham Palace.

[nb 6][31] In 1911, the Pall Mall Gazette described Fairman thus:[18] Painters of popular pets are greatly appreciated if their work is of merit.

She also painted two of Princess Victoria's favourite dogs, these pictures being Queen Alexandra's birthday gifts to her daughter.

Numerous well-known society people are glad to have their dogs immortalised by Miss Fairman's deft brush.

Her wonderful facility in reproducing a dog's expression is probably found in her being able to make a constant study of them, for she has a kennel of delightful pugs in her studio.

(Pall Mall Gazette, 1911)[18]In 1903, Fairman produced a photogravure of one of her politically themed pieces,[nb 9] The agreement: England and Japan, 1902.

The reproduction is very successful in retaining the effect of the original painting, and gives a good suggestion of Miss Fairman's work.