Way back in 2005 (gosh! that was 21 yrs ago), I was in correspondence by email with the relatives of John Errington ROBSON, a lady by the name of Alison Dixon (Grandaughter), Jim Robson (Son), and Steve Potts. John Errington Robson was born on 24th Sep 1865 in Hetton le Hole, Durham, Northumberland, England (this is not far from where I was born). He was the son of James ROBSON (Master Cabinet Maker) and Maria, nee ERRINGTON and was one of eight children. I recently came across the following photographs that they sent to me in the post, but our original emails are not to be found, unfortunately. However, these photos are too good not to share with you, and they did give me permission long before this blog existed.
At the age of 36 years in 1901, James decided to head to Australia to seek his fortune/adventure like so many before him. He arrived first in Western Australia and set up in partnership with Charles Bullivant in Boulder, WA. He later spent some years travelling around Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania.
James Errington ROBSON (front) and Charlie Bullivant in Boulder, WA, c1901 – Photo Alison Dixon -Photo taken by Roy Millar
Charlie Bullivant and John Robson were both ‘racing men’, and this may have initially drawn them together. The two men, along with four others whose names are not known, made up the party.
James Errington ROBSON (front of camel) and Charlie Bullivant and the other members of the prospecting party in Boulder, WA, c1901 – Photo Alison Dixon – Photo taken by Roy Millar
James returned to England from his travels on the Orient Line ‘The Orsova’ on 1 Nov 1911. He returned to his hometown, and in 1917, he married Elizabeth Jane SUTHERLAND, who was 22 years his junior. They had one son, another James Errington Robson, born on 3 May 1928, who is one of my correspondents. He took up the occupation of hotelier, and at the time of his death in 1932, he was running Loves Hotel, Crook, Co Durham and had just left the Prince of Wales Hotel, in Willington, Co Durham, England. In his obituary in his local paper, it states:
An Adventurous Career
Funeral at Willington of James Robson
Taken at Chatswood, NSW, in 1909 – John E Robson, back row, far left. – Image John Robson.
The remains of James Robson were interred at the Willington Cemetery yesterday afternoon. He leaves a widow and a young son to mourn his loss, and the sympathy of all is extended. As a young man, Mr Robson emigrated from Willington to Australia and spent many years in various Goldfields. In Western Australia, he was acquainted with several gold discoveries, including Messrs Bailey and Ford, who obtained over 500ozs of gold in one afternoon with the aid only of a pick.
From a desert where water is cost by the bucketful, and cabbages are 2/6d each, Mr Robson saw the city of Coolgardie rise, followed by the building of Kalgoorlie, the town of ‘The Golden Mile’ fame. He also travelled extensively in South Africa with Johannesburg as his headquarters. Mr Robson was proud of the fact that he knew Mr T. G. (Smiler) Hales, the noted mining assayer, author, and war correspondent, who was introduced to him in Sydney. Mr Robson’s interest in sport was towards the turf, and he saw both the Melbourne and Sydney cups on several occasions.
It’s not known if the Robson Bullivant Prospecting Team was successful or not. Robson and Bullivant may not even have gone on the expedition themselves but only funded (grubstaked) the miners as far as equipment, etc and then took a portion of their profits, if any. I have not been able to find out anything about this, but hopefully, he made enough to have his ‘adventure’.
S S Orsova – Photo Wikipedia
Moya Sharp
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My grandfather was the groundsmen and Gardner then.James Richter died in 1911 leaving a wife and two children and one on the way.
A grand concert and fun raiser for the widow Mrs Richter.