At 08:22 AM 4/16/98 EDT, you wrote:
>     The mark is Fairclough & Co/72 Byrom St./Liverpool in three lines,
>small caps, with a scalloped border around it. It has a clearly original
>Robt. Sorby, tapered, double iron with both the maltese cross above and
>kangaroo below.  Iron is 2 3/8" wide, plane is 8 1/4" x 3".
> 

There is probably and "R" in front of Fairclough.

Goodman 3rd says the following:

"1825: Planemaker and victualler. 1847: Planemaker, edge-tool
maker. 1849: Robert Fairclough took over Samuel Lunt's premises
(and business?). 1883: Also at 130 Geat Howard Street.

Planes with this mark are common.

At the address within your mark 1856 - 1883.

----

Odds are that the plane is beech. You will find an occasional
boxwood or even rosewood or ebony - they are much rare with
a maker's mark though.

Do a little "Tony" cleanup on it and let us know.

Todd