Fairfax & Roberts

The year was 1842. Young Queen Victoria and her handsome consort Prince Albert had been on the throne for five years and the bustling town of Sydney had just been declared a city.

Richard Lamb, who had emigrated from London to Sydney in 1836 and established himself as a jeweller and optician was joined by Alfred Fairfax – of the Fairfax publishing family – to create Sydney’s first emporium for fine silver and watchmaking at 394 George St – already the bustling artery of the growing city.