Memorable Manitobans: Charles Harold “Steppy” Fairman (1894-1965)

Journalist, athlete.

Born at Portage la Prairie on 12 December 1894, son of Charles Richard Fairman (1862-1944) and Jessie Devlin (1870-1970), in 1910 he was a founding member of the Winnipeg Toilers Basketball Club. He also captained the Rowing Club team to intermediate rugby championships and played intermediate baseball with the Arenas. He worked as a clerk prior to the First World War and, following his enlistment in July 1915, he served overseas with the 79th Battalion. He played for the unit’s football association in military league competition. Returning from military service, he was a sports writer for the Winnipeg Tribune for several years before taking positions with the Regina Daily Star (Sports Editor), Regina Leader-Post, and Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, and also wrote a Western Producer column, eventually retiring around 1962. He was badly injured in a crash near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan in October 1935. He, along with his friend and fellow Toiler, Walter McLaren ”Waddy” Ferguson, owned the property which has since been been commemorated as Toilers Memorial Park. He died at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on 3 September 1965.

Sources:

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Attestation papers, Canadian Expeditionary Force, Library and Archives Canada.

“A letter from “Steppy” Fairman,” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 27 November 1915, page 19.

“Pte. Harold ”Steppy” Fairman,” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 28 April 1917, page 27.

“Regina sports editor injured in auto crash,” Winnipeg Free Press, 25 October 1935, page 18.

“Regina sports editor in critical condition,” Winnipeg Evening Tribune, 29 October 1935, page 1.

“Charles R. Fairman to be buried Monday,” Winnipeg Free Press, 8 January 1944, page 4.

“Steppy Fairman dies in Saskatoon,” Winnipeg Free Press, 6 September 1965, page 18.

Obituary [Jessie Fairman], Winnipeg Free Press, 30 July 1970, page 35.

This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.

Page revised: 14 December 2014

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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