John Perry ROBINSON was born about 1809 probably in Surrey, England

November 1842 disillusioned with the state of English politics, John Robinson, his wife, Mary GASKELL (whom he had married at Derby on 22 October 1836) and their two young children, Samuel Gaskell (age 3) and Eliza (age 1), left England on the Phoebe, bound for the New Zealand settlement of Nelson, arriving on 29 March 1843

1845 he moved to the Bay of Islands, where he managed an agency of the Nelson brewing firm Hooper and Company
When that business failed he moved the stock to Auckland

1848 he returned to Nelson. He worked as a storekeeper until 1852 or 1853, when he took up his old trade of woodturning

13 April 1850 he chaired a meeting of Nelson mechanics and labourers, which resolved to petition the New Zealand Company for breach of contract. Compensation was sought for lack of employment and the difficult conditions that had been suffered by the working class population of the settlement

1855 he went to Motupipi, in Massacre Bay (Golden Bay), where he and three partners erected the first sawmill in the district. Later that year he was elected to represent Massacre Bay in the Nelson Provincial Council

1856 When Edward STAFFORD resigned as superintendent of Nelson, John was persuaded to put himself forward as a candidate for the vacancy. His opponents were David MONRO and William Thomas Loch TRAVERS (1818-1903), a local lawyer

3 October 1860 DEATH - GASKELL, At the residence of his brother-in-law, J. P. Robinson, Esq., on the 3rd October, Henry, only son of Mr Samuel Gaskell, of Motueka, late of Etwall, Derbyshire, England

23 November 1861 a disgruntled elector wrote a letter to John through the 'NELSON EXAMINER and NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE'

To His Honour JOHN PERRY ROBINSON, Esq,
Superintendaent of Nelson
- SIR - At your nomination, as a candidate for the Superintendency, in October 1856, you, in your address to the electors, made the following remarks: "I believe that, under the present state of things there are more cats employed than will catch mice. It would be much more conducive to the public welfare if you elect a plain, straightforward and honourable man, who would be neither afraid nor ashamed to look after his businnes." You have occupied your position for five years and have you verified these words? Before Wairau, in disgust at our treatment, obtained separation, had you ever seen he place save for one day only? And did you, from that flyig obseration, know whether sheep ate grass or rocks .... I have a right to put these questions, because I pay part of your ?500 a year (roughly the equivaen of $52,000 in 2010) ...

26 January 1865 John visited the West Coast to examine the coalmining potential of the region.
The steamer Wallaby, on which he was travelling, arrived off the bar of the Buller River. A lifeboat was lowered to carry a party ashore, including him and his son, Edward.
Crossing the bar in a sudden swell, the boat was swamped and capsized. By the time a second boat reached it, John and three others were missing.
His body was never recovered. He was 56
- (by 1869 the area had become a rich goldfield)

4 February 1865 - A full report and the inquest findings of the accidnet

16 June 1865 From the NELSON PROVINCIAL COUNCIL, Annuity Bill: A message enclosed a bill for providing an annuity for the family of the late John Perry Roobinson, Esq., Superintendent of the province. The bill provides that a sum of ?1000 shall be invested in trustees, and the interest thereon shall be paid for a period of ten years to the widow and family of the late Superintendent (an equivalent amount in June 2010 to nearly $100,000)

March 1867 the supposed discovery of Mr Robinson's remains

16 January 1869 ROBINSON - January 16, at Woodville, Motupipi, after a short but painful illness, Bertha, seventh daughter of the late J. P. Robinson, Esq., aged 13 years


John Perry Robinson was survived by his wife, two sons and seven daughters (daughter Bertha died aged 13 in 1869)
- I would like help with these children. If you can be of help please leave a message or your info in the comment box below -

I have: (and the birth order & dates will be added as found)

1838 - Samuel Gaskell Robinson 1st son
born in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England
- married Emily CROUCHER on 6 July 1866 at Motupipi
- Emily was the 4th daughter of John CROUCHER & Maria MARTIN, immigrants from Kent on the WILD DUCK sometime after 1851
* he spent some time in the service of the Provincial Government
* was for a number of years in the employment of the Intercolonial Royal Mail Steamship Company as purser, on the s.s. ?Lord Ashley,? and ?Prince Alfred
* settled at Takaka and was appointed Clerk of the Collingwood County Council
* Secretary to the Takaka Road Board for over twenty years
* was Government Valuer for the Takaka riding of the Golden Bay district for fifteen years
* was harbour master at Waitapu, from 1878 up to the time he left Takaka to reside in Nelson
* for four years was proprietor and publisher of the ?Takaka News
* In 1901 Samuel retired from active life and settled in Nelson
* he was a Freemason Past Master of the Golden Bay Lodge, No. 2149, English Constitution
* a member of the Takaka Lodge of Oddfellows, Manchester Unity
* on 30 January 1902 he resigned as Harbourmaster of Port Waitapu (Samuel FITTAL was appointed after him)

1840 - Eliza Robinson 1st daughter
- born in England
- possibly married in 1864

???? - Mary Frances Robinson 2nd daughter
- born in new Zealand
- married Alfred ELLIOT on 23 April 1867 in Nelson
- newspaper announcement read: ELLIOTT-ROBINSON - On the 23rd instant, at Christ Church, by the Rev G. H. JOHNSTONE, Alfred, only surviving son of the late James Elliott, Esq., to Mary, second daughter of the late J. P. Robinson Esq., Superintendent of Nelson [no cards]

???? - 3rd daughter

???? - 4th daughter

???? - 5th daughter

???? - 6th daughter

1856 - 1869 Bertha Robinson 7th daughter
- born in New Zealand
- died aged 13

NOTE
Marcusy's message
Subject: RE: help needed for the 10 children of John Perry ROBINSON + Mary GASKELL - Nelson, NZ 1843
To: ngairedith
From: Marcusy
Date: 2014-06-04 22:37:01
Hi, see below for the wife and children, and where you can find the particular articles or notices in PapersPast (i.e. the proof). Also if you search on the NZ BDM site you will find births for six of the children (but all with NR for names), and all their deaths are recorded.

Mary Robinson (wife of John Perry) c.1818-1888
Colonist 19/07/1884 Frances Gaskell dies = sister of Mary Robinson
Nelson Evening Mail 18/07/1888 death of Mary
Nelson Evening Mail 2/08/1888 executors of Marys will are S G Robinson, Henry Lewis and John Blackett
Colonist 9/08/1888 Death notice of Mary
Colonist 9/08/1888 obituary of Mary Robinson gives details of husbands early life

Ten Children John Perry and Mary Robinson:

1- Samuel Gaskell Robinson (eldest son) 1839-1911
Nelson Evening Mail 17/07/1866 marriage of S G Robinson to Emily Croucher
Colonist 14/03/1904 portrait donated by son
Colonist 9/06/1911 death of Samuel Gaskell Robinson
Nelson Evening Mail 21/07/1911 probate of the will of S G Robinson given to wife Emily

2- Eliza Clavey Robinson (eldest daughter) 1841-1918
Nelson Evening Mail 23/11/1918 deaths from influenza
Nelson Evening Mail 29/11/1918 death notice of Eliza Clavey & Frances Ada
Nelson Evening Mail 5/12/1918 executor of wills of Frances & Eliza is Alfred Ernest Edward Robinson

3- Edward Aldis Robinson (second son) 1843-1888
Nelson Evening Mail 23/12/1876 marriage of Edward A Robinson to Mary Ann Lewis, daughter of Henry Lewis
Nelson Evening Mail 3/08/1888 death of Captain Edward Robinson by drowning at Motupipi
Colonist 4/08/1888 death of Captain Edward A. Robinson detailed context
Nelson Evening Mail 4/08/1888 Further details on death and inquest
Nelson Evening Mail 6/08/1888 a letter about the inquest

4- Mary Frances Elliott (second daughter) c.1846-1898
Nelson Evening Mail 24/04/1867 marriage to Alfred Elliott
Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle 15/03/1873 death of infant daughter
Colonist 10/06/1898 Death of Mary Frances

5- Clara Emma Parker (third daughter) 1848-1899
Nelson Evening Mail 23/04/1881 marriages of Clara Emma & Emily
Colonist 20/10/1899 death of Clara Emma Parker

6- Annie Robinson (fourth daughter) 1850-1870
Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle 16/03/1870 Death of Annie aged 19

7- Emily Gilbert (fifth daughter) 1852-1841
Nelson Evening Mail 23/04/1881 marriages of Clara Emma & Emily
Grey River Argus 25/04/1881 marriage of Emily to William Charles Gilbert
Evening Post 20/12/1841 death of Emily Gilbert, details of childhood in Takaka

8- Ellen Robinson (sixth daughter) 1854-1902
Nelson Evening Mail 4/08/1902 death notice of Ellen

9- Bertha Robinson (seventh daughter) 1856-1869
Colonist 19/01/1869 death of Bertha aged 13

10- Frances Ada Robinson (eighth daughter) 1859-1918
Nelson Evening Mail 23/11/1918 deaths from influenza
Nelson Evening Mail 29/11/1918 death notice of Eliza Clavey & Frances Ada
Nelson Evening Mail 5/12/1918 executor of wills of Frances & Eliza is Alfred Ernest Edward Robinson