Mr. Fairley: The Oldest Banker in Glasgow

Book excerpt: Scotland was a world banking power in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and Edward Fairley at The Royal Bank of Scotland was at the fore, eventually proclaimed the oldest banker in Glasgow. His offspring encircled the globe, enriching this family history with stories of the Chinese Opium Wars, Trinidad planters, Swedish merchants, Australian publicans, Queensland floods, British peerage, Persian intrigue, English actors, British spies, even a Soviet war hero, Ipswich Ghost, Olympic medalist, and Government minister. Only one descendant bears the Fairley name today, and that's as a given name. This Fairley family story, covering eight generations, is perfect for anyone interested in social history intertwined with global events. The family history is documented for the first time with this book.