Crawford Fairbrother

Crawford William Fairbrother MBE (1 December 1936 – 23 November 1986) was a Scottish high jumper. Born in Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland, his father was Scottish Athletics Championship medallist in high jump in the 1920s and 1930s.[2]

Crawford Fairbrother

Personal information
Full name	Crawford William Fairbrother
Nationality	Scottish
Born	1 December 1936 Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Died	23 November 1986 (aged 49) Paisley, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Alma mater	John Neilson Institution
Occupation	Meteorologist
Years active	1958 –1970
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Weight	76 kg (168 lb)[1]
Sport
Country	United Kingdom
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	High jump
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)

Fairbrother won a record 13 successive Scottish titles in the high jump from 1957 to 1969, the best post-war championship record by any Scot.[2] He also won the AAA Championship titles in 1959, 1961 and 1964.[3]

Fairbrother first competed internationally at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales. Representing Scotland, he finished in seventh place in the final of the high jump with a jump of 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m).[4] One month later at the 1958 European Athletics Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, Fairbrother, representing Great Britain in the high jump, finished tenth in the final clearing 6 ft 6 ¹⁄₂ in (1.99 m).[5] At the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome, Fairbrother failed to make the qualifying height of 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in the high jump. Two years later at the 1962 European Athletics Championships in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, Fairbrother in the high jump cleared 6 ft 6 ³⁄₄ in (2.00 m).[6] Two months later at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth, Western Australia, Fairbrother finished eighth in the high jump clearing the bar at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m).[7] At the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica, Fairbrother recorded his best international result finishing fourth in the high jump clearing the bar at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m).[8] At his final international meet, the 1970 British Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Fairbrother took the oath of behalf of the competitors at the opening ceremony.[2] The following day in the high jump, Fairbrother failed to make the final.[9]

He represented Britain on a record 53 occasions and placed in the top three 35 times.[2] He cleared the height of 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) on more than 200 occasions. He set three United Kingdom and five Scottish records, the best being 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) set in September 1964, a mark which stood until 1975.[2]

Fairbrother died on 23 November 1986 in his hometown Paisley, eight days short of his 50th birthday. He survived by his wife Rena, daughter Karen and son Kenneth. A service was held on 26 November 1986 at St. John's Church, Paisley and he was cremated during a private service.[2]

References

1. "Profile of Crawford Fairbrother". Sports Reference. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
2. Gillon, Doug (24 November 1986). "Crawford Fairbrother: a hard man to beat". Glasgow Herald. George Outram & Co. p. 10.
3. "Fairbrother's record of achieve". Glasgow Herald. George Outram & Co. 3 February 1970. p. 6.
4. "Results of the men's high jump at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
5. "Stockholm Results". The Times. London: Times Newspapers Ltd. 25 August 1958. p. 4.
6. Our Athletics Correspondent (17 September 1962). "Unexpected Marathon Win For Britain". The Times. London: Times Newspapers Ltd. p. 3.
7. "Results of the men's high jump at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
8. "Results of the men's high jump at the 1966 British Empire and Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
9. "Results of the men's high jump at the 1970 British Commonwealth Games". CGF. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.