Colin Horatio Robertson (1908 - 1983)

Born 10 Dec 1908 in Mareeba, QLD

Ancestors

Husband of Rose May (Morton) Robertson — married 15 Mar 1930 in Ashfield, Sydney

Descendants

Died 31 Jul 1983 at age 74 in Westmead, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

On 13th Aug 1920, he was sent to Mittagong boys home for 5 (or 2?) years, as he was uncontrollable at 10 years old. He had stolen £32 worth of jewellery and his parents were deemed of unsatisfactory character.^[1][2] They would strap him across a table and beat him, and he became a very hard man. First he was sent to the shelter, then boarded with a J Coles in Wedderburn, then to Bidura, then a Mrs A Scott in St Ives. He was released to his mother (at 36 St Hilliers rd, Auburn) in December 1822.

When he left he lived with his father, who was a bushman, and had abandoned him, his 2 siblings and mother at a native camp in Mareeba.

He was in Sharman's boxing tent when he met Rose at the Easter Show, aged 18.

He worked as a bricklayer.

He was charged £10 in Cairns for playing two-up in 1943^[3] (unless this was his father)

His best friend was taken by a shark swimming in the Parramatta river at Cabarita. Colin may never have gone swimming after that.

During WWII, Colin wanted to enlist as his brother and all his brothers-in-law had, and even moved to Cairns where the large army camp was, however he was not accepted. The reason being (according to his son) that if he had been, with the pay allowance for children applied to the seven children he had at the time, he would have been paid the same as a colonel.

This led to some resentment towards his brothers-in-law that persisted for some time.

He died of lung cancer at Westmead hospital. 'Late of Guildford'. Funeral 04 Aug.

In 2020 his children had the Guinness World Record for the greatest combined age (at least in Australia). 14 sibling totalling over 1000 years.

Electoral Roll

1935 - 4 Fletcher st, Auburn. Bricklayer. With wife Rose.
1937 - 112 Harrow rd, Auburn. Bricklayer. With wife and Florence Lydia Robertson and Stewart Robertson (what relation? Perhaps none, if this was a boarding house).
1939 - 4 Weymouth st, Auburn. Bricklayer. With wife. (Florence and Stewart at 6 Beartrice st.)
1946 - 78 Meredith st, Bankstown. Wife not mentioned. (This may also be his father)

N.B. Stewart Robertson m. Florence L Elgar, Ryde 1933^[4]

Sources

• Recollections of son Bruce.

• WikiTree profile Robertson-2888 created through the import of Personal_2013-01-19.ged on Jan 18, 2013 by Callum Simms. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Callum and others.

• death': Sydney Morining Herald 03 Aug 1983 (via the Ryerson Index)

Notes

1. ↑ NSW State Archives, Child Care and Protection index NRS 13361 [8/1756] (Reel 1872), Page 170
2. ↑ NSW State Archives, Dependent Childrens register NRS-13358-[11/22126], p3778
3. ↑ http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/42388897
4. ↑ NSW bdm record 16486/1933