Sir Warwick Oswald Fairfax (1901-1987), grandson of Sarah and James Fairfax, was the only son of Sir James Fairfax, who had become a partner in the company in the 1880s. Sir Warwick began work with the company in 1923, when he filed reports on conditions in post-war Germany for the Sydney Morning Herald. He became managing director of John Fairfax and Sons in 1930. In 1956 it was listed as a public company, with the Fairfax family retaining nearly half the shares. While the Herald was regarded by the family as the 'crown jewels', at the time it was listed as a public company other publications included the evening Sun, the Sunday Sun-Herald and the Australian Financial Review, and the company also had significant investments in radio and television.
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