James Robin

James Robin (pronounced ROE-bin) (14 November 1817 – 23 July 1894) was a prominent businessman in the early days of colonial South Australia. Several of his descendants were significant, in the Methodist Church and other fields. Also worthy of mention are his brothers Charles (c. 1826 – 27 November 1872) and Theophilus Robin (c. 1830 – 19 September 1874).

Their father, Nicholas Robin (1788? – 5 January 1873), a citizen of Guernsey, was married to Esther de Quetteville (ca.1819 – 20 August 1855), daughter of Rev. Jean de Quetteville "The Apostle of French Methodism". He died at his home at St Jacques, Guernsey.

History

James Robin (14 November 1817 – 23 July 1894) was born on Guernsey and educated at Elizabeth College. Around 1835 he left for Brazil, where he spent six years with the firm of Bramley Moore & Co,^[1] returned to Liverpool, where he established a shipping agency, and married the daughter (b. 1820, d. 1? August 1907) of Thomas Rowland of Gravesend, in 1844.^[2]

In May 1851 he arrived in Adelaide, where he set up a wholesale import business Robin & Le Bair (see below).

In 1866 he was appointed vice-consul for Brazil, an honorary position he held until his death.

He had 5 sons and 3 daughters. At least three of his sons attended J. L. Young's Adelaide Educational Institution. Those who featured at prizegivings were James (from 1856 to 1861), Rowland (1858 to 1864) and Henry (1858 to 1865).

He suffered from a speech defect which prevented him from public speaking, but was an ardent Methodist church-goer,^[2] and was the prime mover behind the formation of Prince Alfred College at the Wesleyan Lecture Hall, Pirie Street.^[3] He was, with brother Theophilus, on the building committee in 1867 when Prince Alfred laid the foundation stone of the main building at Kent Town.^[4] Many boys from the various branches of the Robin family left their mark in the academic and sporting records of "P.A.C.".

• Eldest daughter (Charlotte) Sophie ( – 25 August 1924) married Samuel Fiddian M.A. ( – 5 January 1904) on 9 January 1872. He was first headmaster (from 1869 to 1870) of Prince Alfred College, then proprietor and principal of Creswick Grammar School from 1872 to 1903. They lived in Creswick, Victoria.

• Rev. James Rowland Fiddian (13 July 1873 – 20 February 1943) MSc was Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria from 1938 to 1940.^[5]
• Samuel Fiddian, jr. (c. 1877 – 13 September 1934), married his cousin, Margaret N. Robin, eldest daughter of Henry Nicholas Robin, on 21 March 1906.^[6] He became part-owner of James Robin & Co. in 1909
• Reta Fiddian (1885–1896) drowned with her cousin Maurice Robin at Ocean Grove, Victoria on 28 December 1896.^[7])

• Eldest son (Rev.) James De Quetteville Robin ( – 28 July 1900) married Mary Waterhouse on 15 October 1873.^[8]

• Reginald James Robin ( – 21 November 1944) married Mabel Berryman on 19 March 1913.

• Reginald and Mary's son Gordon de Quetteville Robin (17 January 1921 – 21 September 2004) was a renowned geophysicist in Antarctica,^[9] for whom Robin Peak is named.

• Maurice (1888–1896), was one of two children who drowned at Ocean Grove 28 December 1896.^[7]

• Second son Rowland Barbenson Robin (1848–1931) married Mary Friend Whitney Canaway (6 March 1860 – 6 February 1949) on 25 April 1883 He succeeded his father as vice-consul of Brazil.

• Philip de Quetteville "Phil" Robin (10 August 1884 – 28 April 1915) played Australian Rules football for Norwood, was killed in France during World War I.^[10]

• Third son Henry Nicholas Robin (c. 1849 – 16 December 1924) married Ada Marian Keeling (d. 23 December 1948) on 21 February 1883

R. B. Robin and H. N. Robin were senior employees of James Robin & Co.

• Fifth son Allison Bedford Robin (30 September 1860 – 16 July 1942) was in the first intake of students at Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1885 under Prof. John D. Custance.

He was a progressive and outspoken farmer and orchardist in Nuriootpa; Secretary of the Nuriootpa branch of the Central Agricultural Bureau and Secretary of the Angaston branch of the Fruitgrowers' Association. Photo of A. B. Robin He developed several fruit varieties at his "Para Grove" nursery, including the "Corella" pear, which was for a time grown commercially.^[11]

• Youngest son Vincent John Robin MRCS, LRCP (1868 – 2 January 1904) was a surgeon in Port Douglas, Queensland. He was educated Samuel Fiddian's Grammar School in Creswick, Victoria, and the University of Adelaide 1886.^[12] He married Sarah Ann "Daisy" Buchanan on 28 June 1901.

Charles

brother Charles Robin (c. 1826 – 27 November 1872) was a land dealer with an office in Gilbert Street, Adelaide. He arrived in South Australia in October 1851, a few months after his brother James.

In the London office of Robert Torrens in 1851, with fellow Guernsey citizens James Thoume and N. P. Le Bair, Charles took a lease on the Kent Town section of Adelaide, then known as "Dr. Kent's Section", with an option to convert to freehold. He arrived in Adelaide in October to find that brother James had entered a business partnership with Captain Le Bair. In 1854, Charles, his brother James and Henry Ayers purchased part of the section from Dr. Benjamin Archer Kent without reference to his previous partners. This became the subject of complex litigation in 1858 brought on by Thoume and an associate William Frederick Blanchard.^[14] The suit was eventually dropped on condition of Charles meeting some of his opponents' costs.

He returned to Guernsey soon after being declared insolvent. Properties in Adelaide and Melbourne (shops in Swanston, La Trobe and Elizabeth Streets) which he owned, or had mortgages on, had been liquidated for a fraction of their purchase price without his knowledge.^[15] Other properties in Port Adelaide and Port Augusta were liquidated after his death in Les Rohais, Guernsey.^[16]

References