buthelearntinlieuofthemtoreadfromScottandBarrow’scollectionsofproseandpoetry，whileheobtainedsomeknowledgeofarithmetic，inwhichheproceededasfaraspracticeandtheruleofthree。Thisconstitutedhiswholestockofschool-learninguptohistenthyear。Outofschool-hourshelearnttoclimbtheruinedwallsoftheoldabbeyofthetown，andtherewasscarcelyanarch，ortower，orcrannyofitwithwhichhedidnotbecomefamiliar。
Wheninhistwelfthyear，hisfather，whohadbeenbroughtuptofarm-work，andpossessedconsiderablepracticalknowledgeofagriculture，wasofferedthechargeofafarmatMoyinRoss-shire，belongingtoLordSeaforthofBrahanCastle。Thefarmwasofabout300acres，situatedonthebanksoftheriverConan，somefivemilesfromthetownofDingwall。Thefamilytravelledthitherinacoveredcart，adistanceof200miles，throughaverywildandhillycountry，arrivingattheirdestinationattheendofOctober，1799。Thefarm，whenreached，wasfoundovergrownwithwhinsandbrushwood，andcoveredinmanyplaceswithgreatstonesandrocks；itwas，inshort，asnearlyinastateofnatureasitwaspossibletobe。Thehouseintendedforthefarmer’sreceptionwasnotfinished，andAndrewFairbairn，withhiswifeandfivechildren，hadtotaketemporaryrefugeinamiserablehovel，veryunlikethecomfortablehousewhichtheyhadquittedatKelso。Bynextspring，however，thenewhousewasready；andAndrewFairbairnsetvigorouslytoworkatthereclamationoftheland。Afterabouttwoyears’laboursitexhibitedanaltogetherdifferentappearance，andinplaceofwhinsandstonesthereweretobeseenheavycropsofbarleyandturnips。Thebarrenyearsof1800and1801，however，pressedveryhardlyonAndrewFairbairnasoneveryotherfarmerofarableland。Aboutthattime，Andrew’sbrotherPeter，whoactedassecretarytoLordSeaforth，andthroughwhoseinfluencetheformerhadobtainedthefarm，leftBrahanCastlefortheWestIndieswithhisLordship，who——notwithstandinghisbeingbothdeafanddumb——hadbeenappointedtotheGovernorshipofBarbadoes；andinconsequenceofvariousdifficultieswhichoccurredshortlyafterhisleaving，AndrewFairbairnfounditnecessarytogiveuphisholding，whereuponheengagedasstewardtoMackenzieofAllengrange，withwhomheremainedfortwoyears。
WhilethefamilylivedatMoy，noneoftheboyswereputtoschool。
Theycouldnotbesparedfromthefarmandthehousehold。Thoseofthemthatcouldnotworkafieldwerewantedtohelptonursetheyoungerchildrenathome。ButAndrewFairbairnpossessedagreattreasureinhiswife，whowasawomanofmuchenergyofcharacter，settingbeforeherchildrenanexampleofpatientindustry，thrift，discreetness，andpiety，whichcouldnotfailtoexerciseapowerfulinfluenceupontheminafter-life；andthis，ofitself，wasaneducationwhichprobablyfarmorethancompensatedfortheboys’lossofschool-cultureduringtheirlifeatMoy。Mrs。Fairbairnspanandmadeallthechildren’sclothes，aswellastheblanketsandsheeting；and，whileintheHighlands，shenotonlymadeherownandherdaughters’dresses，andhersons’jacketsandtrowsers，butherhusband’scoatsandwaistcoats；besideshelpingherneighbourstocutouttheirclothingforfamilywear。
OneofWilliam’sdutiesathomewastonursehisyoungerbrotherPeter，thenadelicatechildundertwoyearsold；andtorelievehimselfofthelabourofcarryinghimabout，hebegantheconstructionofalittlewaggoninwhichtowheelhim。Thiswas，however，aworkofsomedifficulty，asallthetoolshepossessedwereonlyaknife，agimlet，andanoldsaw。Withtheseimplements，apieceofthinboard，andafewnails，heneverthelesscontrivedtomakeatolerablyserviceablewaggon-body。Hischiefdifficultyconsistedinmakingthewheels，whichhecontrivedtosurmountbycuttingsectionsfromthestemofasmallalder-tree，andwithared-hotpokerheboredtherequisiteholesintheircentrestoreceivetheaxle。Thewaggonwasthenmountedonitsfourwheels，andtothegreatjoyofitsmakerwasfoundtoansweritspurposeadmirably。Inithewheeledhislittlebrother——afterwardswellknownasSirPeterFairbairn，mayorofLeeds——invariousdirectionsaboutthefarm，andsometimestoaconsiderabledistancefromit；andthevehiclewasregardedonthewholeasadecidedsuccess。Hisfatherencouragedhiminhislittlefeatsofconstructionofasimilarkind，andheproceededtomakeandrigminiatureboatsandships，andthenminiaturewindandwatermills，inwhichlastartheacquiredsuchexpertnessthathehadsometimesfiveorsixmillsgoingatatime。
Themachinerywasallmadewithaknife，thewater-spoutsbeingformedbythebarkofatree，andthemillstonesrepresentedbyrounddiscsofthesamematerial。Suchwerethefirstconstructiveeffortsofthefuturemillwrightandengineer。
WhenthefamilyremovedtoAllengrangein1801，theboysweresenttoschoolatMunlachy，aboutamileandahalfdistantfromthefarm。
Theschoolwasattendedbyaboutfortybarefootedboysintartankilt’s，andabouttwentygirls，allofthepoorerclass。TheschoolmasterwasoneDonaldFrazer，agoodteacher，butaseveredisciplinarian。Underhim，Williammadesomeprogressinreading，writing，andarithmetic；andthoughhehimselfhasoftenlamentedthemeagrenessofhisschoolinstruction，itisclear，fromwhathehassincebeenenabledtoaccomplish，thattheseearlylessonswereenoughatalleventstosethimfairlyontheroadofself-culture，andprovedthefruitfulseedofmuchvaluableintellectuallabour，aswellasofmanyexcellentpracticalbooks。
Aftertwoyears’trialofhisnewsituation，whichwasbynomeanssatisfactory，AndrewFairbairndeterminedagaintoremovesouthwardwithhisfamily；and，sellingoffeverything，theysetsailfromCromartyforLeithinJune，1803。HavingseenhiswifeandchildrentemporarilysettledatKelso，helookedoutforasituation，andshortlyafterproceededtoundertakethemanagementofSirWilliamIngleby’sfarmatRipleyinYorkshire。MeanwhileWilliamwasplacedforthreemonthsunderthechargeofhisuncleWilliam，theparishschoolmasterofGalashiels，forthepurposeofreceivinginstructioninbook-keepingandland-surveying，fromwhichhederivedconsiderablebenefit。Hecouldnot，however，remainlongeratschool；
forbeingoftheageoffourteen，itwasthoughtnecessarythatheshouldbesettoworkwithoutfurtherdelay。HisfirstemploymentwasonthefinenewbridgeatKelso，thenincourseofconstructionafterthedesignsofMr。Rennie；butinhelpingonedaytocarryahandbarrow-loadofstone，hisstrengthprovinginsufficient，hegavewayunderit，andthestonesfelluponhim，oneoftheminflictingaseriouswoundonhisleg，whichkepthimacrippleformonths。Inthemeantimehisfather，beingdissatisfiedwithhisprospectsatRipley，acceptedtheappointmentofmanagerofthePercyMainCollieryCompany’sfarmintheneighbourhoodofNewcastle-on-Tyne，whitherheproceededwithhisfamilytowardstheendof1803，WilliamjoiningtheminthefollowingFebruary，whenthewoundinhisleghadsufficientlyhealedtoenablehimtotravel。
PercyMainissituatedwithintwomilesofNorthShields，andisoneofthelargestcollieriesinthatdistrict。Williamwasimmediatelysettoworkatthecolliery，hisfirstemploymentbeingtoleadcoalsfrombehindthescreentothepitmen’shouses。HisScotchaccent，andperhapshisawkwardness，exposedhimtomuchannoyancefromthe”pitlads，”whowereaveryroughandprofligateset；andasboxingwasafavouritepastimeamongthem，ouryouthhadtofighthiswaytotheirrespect，passingthroughacampaignofnolessthanseventeenpitchedbattles。Hewasseveraltimesonthepointofabandoningtheworkaltogether，ratherthanundergothebuffetingsandinsultstowhichhewasalmostadailymartyr，whenaprotractedcontestwithoneofthenotedboxersofthecolliery，inwhichheprovedthevictor，atlengthrelievedhimfromfurtherpersecution。
Inthefollowingyear，attheageofsixteen，hewasarticledasanengineerforfiveyearstotheownersofPercyMain，andwasplacedunderthechargeofMr。Robinson，theengine-wrightofthecolliery。
Hiswagesasapprenticewere8s。aweek；butbyworkingover-hours，makingwoodenwedgesusedinpit-work，andblockingoutsegmentsofsolidoakrequiredforwallingthesidesofthemine，heconsiderablyincreasedhisearnings，whichenabledhimtoaddtothegrossincomeofthefamily，whowerestillstrugglingwiththedifficultiesofsmallmeansandincreasingexpenses。Whennotengageduponover-workintheevenings，heoccupiedhimselfinself-education。Hedrewupaschemeofdailystudywiththisobject，towhichheendeavouredtoadhereascloselyaspossible，——devotingtheeveningsofMondaystomensurationandarithmetic；Tuesdaystohistoryandpoetry；
Wednesdaystorecreation，novels，andromances；Thursdaystoalgebraandmathematics；FridaystoEuclidandtrigonometry；Saturdaystorecreation；andSundaystochurch，Milton，andrecreation。HewasenabledtoextendtherangeofhisreadingbythehelpoftheNorthShieldsSubscriptionLibrary，towhichhisfatherenteredhimasubscriber。Portionsofhissparetimewerealsooccasionallydevotedtomechanicalconstruction，inwhichhecultivatedtheusefulartofhandlingtools。Oneofhisfirstattemptswasthecontrivanceofapieceofmachineryworkedbyaweightandapendulum，thatshouldatthesametimeserveforatimepieceandanorrery；buthiswantofmeans，aswellasoftime，preventedhimprosecutingthiscontrivancetocompletion。Hewasmoresuccessfulwiththeconstructionofafiddle，onwhichhewasambitioustobecomeaperformer。Itmusthavebeenatolerableinstrument，foraprofessionalplayerofferedhim20s。forit。Butthoughhesucceededinmakingafiddle，andforsometimeperseveredintheattempttoplayuponit，hedidnotsucceedinproducinganysatisfactorymelody，andatlengthgaveuptheattempt，convincedthatnaturehadnotintendedhimforamusician。*
[footnote……
Longafter，whenmarriedandsettledatManchester，thefiddle，whichhadbeencarefullypreserved，wastakendownfromtheshelffortheamusementofthechildren；butthoughtheywerewellenoughpleasedwithit，theinstrumentwasneverbroughtfromitsplacewithoutcreatingalarminthemindoftheirmotherlestanybodyshouldhearit。Atlengthadancing-master，whowasgivinglessonsintheneighbourhood，borrowedthefiddle，and，tothegreatreliefofthefamily，itwasneverreturned。ManyyearslaterMr。FairbairnwaspresentatthestartingofacottonmillatWesserlinginAlsacebelongingtoMessrs。Gros，Deval，andCo。，forwhichhisManchesterfirmhadprovidedthemill-workandwater-wheelthefirsterectedinFranceonthesuspensionprinciple，whentheeventwasfollowedbyanentertainment。DuringdinnerMr。FairbairnhadbeenexplainingtoM。
Gros，whospokealittleEnglish，thenatureofhome-brewedbeer，whichhemuchadmired，havingtasteditwheninEngland。Thedinnerwasfollowedbymusic，intheperformanceofwhichthehosthimselftookpart；andonMr。Fairbairn’sadmiringhisexecutionontheviolin，M。Grosaskedhimifheplayed。”Alittle，”wasthealmostunconsciousreply。”Thenyoumusthavethegoodnesstoplaysome，”
andtheinstrumentwasinamomentplacedinhishands，amidsturgentrequestsfromallsidesthatheshouldplay。Therewasnoalternative；soheproceededtoperformoneofhisbesttunes——”TheKeelRow。”Thecompanylistenedwithamazement，untiltheperformer’scareerwassuddenlycutshortbythehostexclaimingatthetopofhisvoice，”Stop，stop，Monsieur，bygarthatbeHOME-BREWEDMUSIC！”
Induecourseoftimeouryoungengineerwasremovedfromtheworkshop，andappointedtotakechargeofthepumpsofthemineandthesteam-enginebywhichtheywerekeptinwork。Thisemploymentwasmoretohistaste，gavehimbetter”insight，”andaffordedhimgreateropportunitiesforimprovement。Theworkwas，however，verytrying，andattimessevere，especiallyinwinter，theengineerbeingliabletobedrenchedwithwatereverytimethathedescendedtheshafttoregulatetheworkingofthepumps；but，thankstoastoutconstitution，heborethroughtheseexposureswithoutinjury，thoughotherssankunderthem。Atthisperiodhehadtheadvantageofoccasionaldaysofleisure，towhichhewasentitledbyreasonofhisnightwork；andduringsuchleisureheusuallyappliedhimselftoreadingandstudy。
ItwasaboutthistimethatWilliamFairbairnmadetheacquaintanceofGeorgeStephenson，whilethelatterwasemployedinworkingtheballast-engineatWillingtonQuay。HegreatlyadmiredGeorgeasaworkman，andwasaccustomedinthesummereveningstogoovertotheQuayoccasionallyandtakechargeofGeorge’sengine，toenablehimtoearnafewshillingsextrabyheavingballastoutofthecolliervessels。Stephenson’szealinthepursuitofmechanicalknowledgeprobablywasnotwithoutitsinfluenceinstimulatingWilliamFairbairnhimselftocarryonsodiligentlytheworkofself-culture。
Butlittlecouldthelatterhavedreamt，whileservinghisapprenticeshipatPercyMain，thathisfriendGeorgeStephenson，thebrakesman，shouldyetberecognisedasamongthegreatestengineersofhisage，andthathehimselfshouldhavetheopportunity，inhiscapacityofPresidentoftheInstituteofMechanicalEngineersatNewcastle，ofmakingpublicacknowledgmentoftheopportunitiesforeducationwhichhehadenjoyedinthatneighbourhoodinhisearlyyears。*
[footnote……”AlthoughnotanativeofNewcastle，”hethensaid，”heowedalmosteverythingtoNewcastle。Hegottherudimentsofhiseducationthere，suchasitwas；andthatwassomethinglikethatofhisreveredpredecessorGeorgeStephensonatacolliery。HewasbroughtupasanengineeratthePercyMainColliery。Hewastheresevenyears；andifithadnotbeenfortheopportunitieshethenenjoyed，togetherwiththeuseofthelibraryatNorthShields，hebelievedhewouldnothavebeentheretoaddressthem。Beingself-taught，butwithsomelittleambition，andadeterminationtoimprovehimself，hewasnowenabledtostandbeforethemwithsomepretensionstomechanicalknowledge，andthepersuasionthathehadbeenausefulcontributortopracticalscienceandobjectsconnectedwithmechanicalengineering。”——MeetingoftheInstituteofMechanicalEngineersatNewcastle-on-Tyne，1858。