Neil Hamilton Fairley - Early Life

Early Life

Neil Hamilton Fairley was born in Inglewood, Victoria, on 15 July 1891, as the third of six sons of James Fairley, a bank manager, and his wife Margaret Louisa, née Jones. All of their four sons who survived to adulthood took up medicine as a career. One qualified as a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne and an FRCS in England and became a surgeon; he was later killed in action in the First World War. A second also qualified as a Doctor of Medicine at the University of Melbourne, and later as an FRACP and FRCP; he became senior physician at Royal Melbourne Hospital. A third son became a general practitioner.

Neil was educated at Scotch College, Melbourne, where he was dux of his class. He attended the University of Melbourne, graduating with his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) with first class honours in 1915, and his Doctor of Medicine (MD) in 1917. While there, he won the Australian inter-varsity high jumping championship and represented Victoria in tennis.