wood engraver, was born in Dublin, the youngest brother of Samuel Clayton and third son of the Irish engraver Benjamin Clayton and his first wife. All three brothers were professional engravers, trained by their father. After working as his father’s assistant Robert engraved a series of views of the Dublin and Kingston railways after Andrew Nicholl. He contributed to the Dublin Penny Journal of 1834. Robert and his son Thomas were convicted of forging and uttering stamps in February 1834, but were allowed to come to New South Wales as free settlers because of information they had passed on to the authorities. Neither, however, was permitted to leave the colony. A few plates in James Maclehose’s Picture of Sydney , published in 1838, are Robert’s only identified Australian works. Strickland called him 'idle and a ne’er-do-well’.
This entry is a stub. You can help DAAO by submitting a biography.
- Writers:
- Staff Writer
- Date written:
- 1992
- Last updated:
- 2011
