James Charles Robinson (abt. 1818 - 1894)

Born about 1818 in London, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Eliza (Cochrane) Robinson — married 5 Jan 1876 in Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia [uncertain]

Descendants

Died 17 Feb 1894 at about age 76 in Goolma, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

James Charles Robinson was born in approximately 1818^[1] in England, but more specific information is not available. The registration of his death records that James' parents were Daniel Robinson, whose occupation was "Captain", and Emma White. Also based on information in the registration of his death, it appears that he travelled to the colony of New South Wales in about 1840 when he would have been 22 years old. According to the registration of the birth of his son Henry, for which James was the official informant,^[2] James had been born in London and, being 48 years old in May 1867, would have been born in 1818 or 1819, consistent with the first-mentioned source.

Although not formally married, James Robinson and Eliza Cochrane (also known as Eliza Frances) lived in a de facto relationship, later telling their children that they had been married in Bathurst, New South Wales, in approximately 1852. Eliza was approximately 18 years younger than James. Many years after the deaths of James and Eliza, a certificate of marriage was found tucked between covers of Eliza's bible. That certificate showed that James Charles Robertson (sic) and Eliza Frances had been married in the Parsonage of the Methodist Church (town unspecified) on 5 January 1876. When this marriage was registered with the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages, the place of registration was the district of Gulgong, New South Wales,^[3] The similarity of the names, although not accurate, the location of the registration of the marriage, and the finding of the certificate in Eliza's bible, long after her death, all confirm that this was the legal marriage of James and Eliza. For some reason, after almost a quarter of a century together and multiple children, they felt a need or desire for legal certification.

From family sources,^[4] the children of James and Eliza included:

• James Robinson (c.1853-1883)
• Edward "Ned" Robinson (1856-unknown)
• Mary Ann Robinson (1858-unknown)
• Daniel "Dan" Robinson (1860-1928)
• Eliza Robinson (c.1862-1935)
• Charles "Charlie" Robinson (1865-unknown)
• Henry "Harry" Robinson (1867-unknown)
• Emma Robinson (1869-1870)
• Thomas "Tom" Robinson (1871-1939)
• Maria Jane "Jane" Robinson (1874-unknown)
• Albert Francis "Alb"Robinson (1879-1923)

In 1870, James Robinson was gazetted as licensee of the Digger's Arms hotel at Tallewang, a small settlement north of Gulgong, New South Wales.^[5] In May 1871, it was reported that an warrant had been issued for the arrest of a man charged with obtaining goods and money to the value of £12 2s. from James Robinson, publican, Tallewang, by means of false pretences.^[6]

The registration of his death records that his occupation had been "Storekeeper".

James Charles Robinson died on 17 February 1894 at Goolma, New South Wales.^[7] The cause of death was stated to have been "dropsy", He was buried in the Church of England cemetery in Gulgong, New South Wales.

Thanks to Ian McMurtrie, great grandson of James Robinson, for providing much of the above information.

Sources

1. ↑ Year of birth was calculated using the stated age at the time of his death
2. ↑ NSW Birth registration 12344/1867
3. ↑ New South Wales marriage registration 3390/1876
4. ↑ Information from Ian McMurtrie, great grandson of James and Eliza, who has passed on information from family sources. Only some of the information has been verified from other sources so that the details are subject to change.
5. ↑ Government, New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of Crime, Sydney, Wed 28 Dec 1870 [Issue No.52], page 344 accessed at Trove, National Library of Australia
6. ↑ Offences not otherwise described, New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of Crime, Sydney, Wed 31 May 1871 [Issue No.22], page 146 accessed at Trove, National Library of Australia
7. ↑ New South Wales death registration 14356/1894