Mount Victoria Manor in Mount Victoria, New South Wales is a building of historical significance and is listed on the New South Wales Heritage Register. It was built in 1876 by the Fairfax family as a mountain retreat and was owned by them for the next decade. It then was purchased by the Cooper family and converted to one of the most luxurious hotels in the Blue Mountains. It remained in this family until 1966 and was then the property of various proprietors until 2015 when it became known as Mount Victoria Manor. Today it is a hotel which provides accommodation, restaurant and bar facilities and is a venue for special events particularly weddings. The Fairfax family The Fairfax family owned the property between 1876 and 1887. It was built jointly in 1876 by John Fairfax (1804–1877) and his son Sir James Reading Fairfax (1834–1919) and was called “Manor House”. John died in 1877 and left his half of the house to his daughter in law Anne Fairfax. She was the widow of his son Charles John Fairfax (1829–1864). In 1878 she sold her share to Sir James Reading Fairfax making him the sole owner. The architect of the house was Alexander Dean who was a prominent professional of that time. The Fairfax monogram can still be seen at the entrance and front of the main house John Fairfax (1804–1877) was the founder of the Sydney Morning Herald in 1842. He also bought the first steam press to be used for printing a newspaper in Australia. In 1856 he started the firm John Fairfax and Sons and his son James became a partner. Sir James Reading Fairfax was born in 1834 in Warwickshire, England and at the age of four migrated with his family to Australia. In 1856 he married Lucy Armstrong, the daughter of John Armstrong, surveyor. The couple had six sons and a daughter. Sir James loved art and music. He was a trustee and president of the Art Gallery of New South Wales. In order to promote art he offered valuable prizes for pencil drawings. He travelled widely with his family, enjoying the art galleries of Europe. The Manor erected by the Fairfax family was very large and consisted of two adjoining residences. In 1882 when the family still owned them they were described as “two mountain villas with ornamental grounds, paddock a few yards from Mount