Thomas Fairbairn

Sir Thomas Fairbairn, 2nd Baronet DL (18 January 1823 – 12 August 1891) was an English industrialist and art collector.

His father was a Scottish engineer who moved to Manchester in the early 19th century, where he designed bridges, and established a business, William Fairbairn & Sons, that was involved in iron founding, boilermaking, ship building, and manufacturing steam locomotives.

[1] After a private education, Thomas Fairbairn worked in his father's businesses from 1840, and took charge of the firm's shipbuilding operation in Millwall.

His friend Augustus Egg was appointed as director of the gallery of Modern Masters at the exhibition, with many of Fairburn's favourite Pre-Raphaelites being selected.

Thomas and Allison were the parents of at least five children together, two of whom (his son Arthur and daughter Constance), were born deaf.