Researching Family History: William ROBSON

The ROBSON family in Australia.

If you have ROBSON connections you come from a large family, beginning in Sutherland Scotland with the marriage of William ROBSON to Janet ARMSTRONG, who had 5 children: * Adam b. 1815, James b.1816, Isabel b. 1819, Mary b.1821 and Jean b.1823. Janet ARMSTRONG died in 1823 and William ROBSON married Christina MACKAY on the 15 August 1824 in Kildonan Scotland. William and Christina had 9 children; George b.1825, John b.1829, Robert b. 1833, Catherine b. 1835, Walter b. 1836, William b. 1837, Janet b. 1838, Bella b. 1840, and Mary b. 1843. Thus giving William ROBSON fourteen offspring.

In 1839 the children of William and Janet migrated to Australia. (*The First Family)

In the 1841 Scottish census William and Christina (Christy) were living in Balnakyle in the Parish of Clyne in Sutherland. William is listed as a Shepherd and born in England: It isn't known why William 'said' he was born in England although some think he was actually born in the "Border" region of England and Scotland, and some of us have his birth as the 22nd Sep 1782. The IGI has a William ROBSON born to Adam ROBSON & Isabella TURNBULL. I am inclined to believe these were William's parents as Scottish practice had the eldest male child named after the father's father: - Adam - William and Janet's first son, and further more both Janet and Christina had daughters; - Isabella. A descandent of John ROBSON who travelled to Scotland and the 'Borders' has the birth certificate of William and thought William had a brother Henry who married into the PRINGLE family.

1841 Scottish Census

ROBSON William M 56 Shepherd England
ROBSON Christy F 35 Sutherland
ROBSON George M 15 Sutherland
ROBSON Janet F 13 Sutherland
ROBSON John M 11 Sutherland
ROBSON Walter M 9 Sutherland
ROBSON Robert M 7 Sutherland
ROBSON Catheran F 5 Sutherland
ROBSON William M 3 Sutherland
ROBSON Isabella F 6m Sutherland
Piece: SCT1841/45/45 Place: Clyne-Sutherland Enumeration District: 6
Civil Parish: Clyne Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 0 Page: 4
Address: Balnakyle

Before 1852 when Willam ROBSON and his second family migrated to Australia 2 of his children had died: Janet and Walter. Following is a small history and an account of the ROBSON family's journey to Australia. It is a 'Memorandum' written in 1916 by William ROBSON Jnr b. 1837, this was given me by Eric BROWN a descendant of William jnr.

MEMORANDUM

"My Father, William Robson, came from the borders of Northumberland, County of Jedborough, Parish of Harwick. He was married there and to whom is not known, but there were five children, two sons and three daughters. When or where his wife died I do not know.

When he came to Sutherland shire is unknown. He lived at Kildonan near Helmsdale, a small village on the Coast. There he married Christina Mackay (my Mother).

The first family were Adam, James (sons) Jean, Bella and Mary (daughters).

My Father was a very reserved man, would seldom talk about where he was or what he was doing.

Once a year when he came home from market day and had just a taste of the brew he might say a few words about old times.

At the time of the Napolean Wars he was a conscript and had to pay another man 20 pounds to take his place. This is about all I can remember.

About the year 1835 we left Kildonan and came to Balnachyle nine miles from Brora a village on the coast, near Dunrabin Castle, The Duke of Sutherland's Estate. I was about 2 years of age then, I was told by my Mother.

The first family left for Australia, in fact we were all intending to go, but one of the second family met with some accident - or was ill, so could not go, so we stayed at Balnachyle, my Father engaged as shepherd. We were there until 1852 when we all left for Australia.

( 2 )

The first family had gone to Australia.

ADAM

Adam was married to a Miss Sutherland. He had a station (sheep) called Tyringham on the McLey River, afterwards came to Surveyor's Creek with a Mr. Scott and in 1861 to Dungowan, took up a selection, died there some years ago. His wife and some of this family are about. Woolbrook and Nundle.

JAMES

James I believe was married to Miss Ross. They had 3 children, William, Johana and Jessie. James was wounded by the blacks and died a short time after. The son died in Tamworth some years ago.

Johana married Daniel Sinclair from Barraba and kept the Caledonian Hotel for some years. I think she is dead. Jessie married Thomas Wetherall from Nundle. I don't know where they are now.

BELLA

Bella married a John Gordon who was a Superintendent for George Jenkins Willie Creek near Armidale for many years until he died by falling off his horse on his head. They had a large family. One daughter married a squatter named Buckhannon. I think they are somewhere in Queensland.

JEAN

Jean married Rodrick McLelland a station (sheep) owner called Rock Vale 20 miles from Armidale. Jean died there. I don't know anything about the family. In 1861 he sold the station to Mr. John Gill and left for Queensland.

MARY

You know Mrs. Charles Armstrong who has been living in Tamworth and their family for many years. They are both dead.

(3)

The Second Family

GEORGE

George left us at Melbourne, went to the gold fields, came back to N.S.W.and lived at Walcha and died at Armidale. Some of the family are about there at present.

JOHN

John sent to Scotland for his second cousin and married her, she was a Margaret Tully. Their family, some of them are about Walla at present. One of the daughters married F. Beedle a farmer, now living in West Tamworth. E.R. Robson a Nephew is at the Dardinells, he was wounded twice. The second time he was promoted to Corporal and recommended for the "Distinguished Service Medal" on the field of battle. 10/- (ten shillings sterling) per day is a corporal's pay.

ROBERT

Robert was sickly on the voyage and died in Tamworth at his Sister's, Mrs. Chas Armstrong.

WILLIAM

I won't say anything about him, he is now near the end of his days being now in his 79th year. Misfortune followed wherever he went and almost always overtook him. R.I.P.

CATHERINE

Catherine married a P. Henry Young, then superintendent on Clarevauxel Station, Glen Innes, for Captain Ditmas. I left the Tamworth pound for him as he and his wife and family of two children was living on my lands and could not get employment for him. I intended to return to my "pound again but he made a mess of it. I was one of the surities and had to settle his accounts. I was about when he was dismissed and Dwyer was appointed. That was my first blow of misfortune. Young left Tamworth. I gave him a good horse, saddle and bridle. He joined a sheep drover and I heard no more of him, only that some sheep drovers were drowned in the1864 Flood. Catherine, she is now with her daughter Mrs. Issell at Emerald Hills, Whitelaw, S. Gippsland, Victoria, quite well but almost silly in her old age, she is 85 years of age. I had a letter from Mrs. Issell lately.

MARY

Mary married J. Ryan not worth writing about. She died in Sydney of heart failure. Misfortune kept close to her, like myself.

BELLA

Bella married James Reid, he died not long ago. You know all about the family in Tamworth (Tintinhull).

(4)

A brother, Walter and a sister Jannett both died in Scotland before we left.

We left Balnachyle on the evening of the 2nd of May 1852 bound for Australia. The party was as follows:

Father, Mother, John, Robert, William, Catherine, Bella and Mary - George and wife Magdalene joined us near Inverness. We called at Glasgow and Edinborough, where we called on Mother's sister in law at No.7 Brand Place Edinborough. She was a widow, her husband a Sergeant Major was killed at the battle of Waterloo. She was a pensioner. There was two brothers both the same rank killed the same day. I think in 93rd and 72nd Highland Regt.

I forget the date when we arrived at Birkenhead Depot where all the Emigrants had to assemble before going on board. The ship, Bourncuff was alongside the wharf. It was near the 24th May when we got on board. A steam boat called "Uncle Sam" hauled us out and off we were and never got off her until we landed in Geelong Bay Port Phillip.

The Bourncuff was a very large vessel, a 3 decker

Captain Bibby Commander

Reid Chief

Hunter Second

Dickinson Third

Shute Fourth

Bailey Fifth

Mason Sixth

I cannot remember the doctors' names. There were thirty A.B. Sailors and a number of Supernumeries and Cadets and Stewards etc. etc.

There were I think 989 passengers from England, Ireland and Scotland.

We landed in Geelong Bay in August 1852. We were put into Quarantine for 3 weeks, had all sorts of sickness on board all the way out. 83 deaths mostly young children and there was about the same number of births.

George and wife left us in Melbourne to try the gold diggings. The rest of us came on to Sydney in the Schooner "Hester Arthur", nearly wrecked on Sydney Heads in a dark stormy night. I will never forget that night nor will any of those who were on board. It was a close shave for Davy Jones Locker.

My dear old Father died in Sydney of Dysentery. We were 3 weeks on the voyage to Sydney from Melbourne and no Doctor to be had otherwise he might have recovered. He died on the 28th September, 1852.

We did not stay long in Sydney, came on to Maitland and then on to Tamworth.

(5)

My dear Abb you must excuse me at present I am not very well. You can see I made a mess of the planning of the sheets in regular order and so I conclude my scroll.

My kind love to you all and best wishes from your

loving old father

Wm. Robson

1st August, 1915

I had no table to write on so I did the greater on my knee so pray excuse all mistakes etc.

Wm. Robson"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Headstone of William ROBSON

Thanks to my Uncle Jim - James ROBSON - we now know where William ROBSON Snr was buried. Jim determined to find old Will and searched Sydney cemeteries for him. He eventually went to Rookwood and was wandering around the gravestones when an old worker asked him what he was looking for. Jim told him and the old man said for Jim to follow him. They went to the back of a part of the grounds where a number of very old gravestones could be seen, overgrown with weeds and mostly broken and crumbling. The old man told Jim that this part of the cemetery was due to be built over. Apparently Mary RYAN nee ROBSON had her father William ROBSON removed from the Old Devonshire St Cemetery (the present site of the Sydney Central Railway) to Rookwood Cemetery. Christina (Christy) ROBSON nee MACKAY was buried in the Old Tamworth cemetery and unfortunately due to floods there she is lost to us.