Jesse Fairchild Memorial

Adam G _{on Google}

Aug 29th, 2022

Whenever you walk past a monument, a statue, or similar do you ever wonder what's the story behind it or what's its significance. I seem to always do and the old drinking fountain located on the St Kilda Esplanade just opposite Robe Street recently caught my eye. It's 2m high and is dressed and carved out of granite blocks with four red marble columns supporting a canopy above the bowl and there's also a dog drinking bowl carved lower into the north facing side. The inscriptions on its front show that it is dated 1906 and that it was presented to the St Kilda Council by Mrs Fairchild in memory of her late husband, Jesse Fairchild who was a colonist of 57 years. I had to find out more! It took some effort, first contacting the City of Port Phillip and then the Emerald Hill Heritage Centre and I managed to track down some information about Jesse Fairchild and in fact, even found a photo of him. From 1841 Jesse Fairchild worked as a fellmonger treating sheep skins first on the south bank of the Yarra River andthen in Abbotsford. After retirement he settled in Dalgety Street, St Kilda with his wife Mary who was a successful business woman in her own right until their death. The fountain was unveiled on Sunday, 11th February 1906, although there is some confusion as to the exact date.
Unfortunately while the fountain is in fair structural condition, it is not in working order and the granite is generally stained possibly from corroded plumbing. It's in bad condition and in need of maintenance.I found that Council inspected the fountain in 1993 and from the condition report it is clear that to this day the condition of the fountain has remained unchanged. As the fountain was erected in 1906 and is located in such a prominent position on St Kilda's Upper Esplanade with spectacular sunset views over Port Phillip Bay, Council considers it to be a historical value to the area and should therefore attend to and return the monument to its rightful former order.