Design and Art Australia Online

sketcher, builder and protector of Aborigines, was born in London on 22 March 1791, a son of William and Susannah Robinson. His was a family of artisans, both father and son being builders. He had little formal schooling and educated himself by reading; he was much concerned with the Methodist religion. On 8 February 1814 he married Maria Amelia Evans in London and they had seven children, five born in England and two in Hobart Town, where the family arrived as migrants in January 1824. He continued as a builder and developed a successful business. As well, he was involved in the foundation and early affairs of the Mechanics Institute, in the Seaman’s Friend and Bethel Union Society and in the Auxiliary Bible Society. He also visited the prisoners in the gaol to offer them religious help. In 1829 he began what turned out to be the most memorable period of his life – his association with a project for the conciliation of the Tasmanian Aborigines. Not only did he show himself concerned with their welfare, but between 1830 and 1834 he made a number of epic journeys through the Tasmanian bush in search of them, visiting many areas before any other Europeans did so. On these journeys he showed great endurance and a will to succeed in his objective.

Fortunately a day-by-day record of these tours exists in the form of field diaries. From time to time they are illustrated by sketches depicting events, and though of the crudest quality many have a liveliness which adds much to the written word. Robinson’s Van Diemen’s Land journal of 25 January-24 July 1830, for example, is illustrated with three sketches, including one of passengers in a raft being propelled across a river by two Aboriginal swimmers while other figures watch from the shore. Robinson’s accompanying entry for 20 June states: 'I and the white men went to construct a raft of drift wood and in about 3 hours had the whole lashed together, and at 10AM. loaded it and pushed off, myself, – Mr Kay – Wou[rre]dy, the dog Fly – 6 knapsacks and 2 women swimming and shoving it over, Wou[rre]dy paddled it back and came over with the other people’. The other sketches depict Robinson’s first interview with the sealers in the Western Straits (20 June) and Aboriginal women dancing at the sealers’ camp (21 June).

Benjamin Duterrau saw Robinson as a hero and made many portraits of him with his party of 'friendly natives’. John Glover was also an admirer and responded warmly to Robinson’s request for an illustration of the Tasmanian Aborigines in happier days, before the coming of the Europeans for the frontispiece of a book Robinson proposed to publish from his diaries, although neither book nor engraving eventuated.

Between October 1835 and February 1839 Robinson was commandant of the Aboriginal settlement of Wybalenna on Flinders Island where his work was administrative, but he still showed himself to be a friend to the remnant of the Aboriginal people gathered there. He then went to Port Phillip (Victoria) as chief protector of the Victorian Aborigines, accompanied by some of the Tasmanians. Here also he was largely concerned with administration, but he did make several field trips. Again his journals contain sketches illustrating events. The Museum of Mankind (British Museum) holds a sketchbook containing material relating to his field trips but this contains sketches by other hands as well and it should be noted that the initials 'G.A.R.’ on all the work indicate no more than original ownershi

On 31 December 1849 the Port Phillip Protectorate was abolished. Robinson’s wife had died in September 1848 and in 1852 he left for England, taking his youngest daughter Cecilia with him. On 4 June 1853 Robinson was married for a second time, to Rose, daughter of J.B. Pyne, a well-known painter; they had five surviving children. The Robinsons lived in Europe for many years, mostly in Rome and Paris, finally settling in Bath, England, about June 1858. Robinson died there on 18 October 1866.

Writers:

Plomley, N. J. B.

Date written:

1992

Last updated:

2011