Re the return of Melissa and Elsie May FAIRBAIRN to the UK … several of the commercial family history websites should have inward passenger lists, likely based on the UK’s National Archives holdings of the Board of Trade’s passenger lists from ports outside of Europe and the Mediterranean.
Re Dr Brierley ... cannot be a second husband, she was noted as wife to Reginald FAIRBAIRN, barrister at law in 1911.
I am still concerned re joining the dots to confirm if May HOLT and Melissa FAIRBAIRN are one and same person .... seems reports about her 1880 husband are a tad confused about her father in law !
Well, err .... according to several New Zealand newspapers, a Miss May HOLT, daughter of Clarence (Joe) HOLT, quit the stage to marry
John FAIRBURN or FAIRBAIRN.
The headline in most of these papers seems to be ‘From the Stage to the Altar”
See:
Kumara Times, 24 May 1880
Otago Daily Times 27 May 1880
New Zealand Times, 28 May 1880
Southland Times 29 May 1880
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ ALTHOUGH the South Australian newspapers have:
Miss May HOLT, …. In consequence of her marriage with Mr R FAIRBURN, son of
Sir Thomas FAIRBURN, Bart, proposes to leave the stage ….
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160131911 Adelaide Observer 1 May 1880
Miss May HOLT, daughter of the manager of the Duke’s Theatre, Holborn, ,,,, marriage with the son of
Sir Andrew FAIRBAIRN …..
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/160132816 Adelaide Observer 29 May 1880
Miss May HOLT, well known in New Zealand …. Engaged to Mr John FAIRBURN, son and heir of
Sir John FAIRBURN/FAIRBAIRN.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/196695076 Leader 1 May 1880
JM