ROBE James

Name	James ROBE
Country Of Origin	England
Born	1800
Died	1863
Birth/ Baptism	Born approx. 1800, Houghton, Huntingdonshire, England
Parents	William and Mary Robb (formerly Housden)
Apprenticeship	unknown
Skills	Watchmaker, Jeweller
Work Locations	Launceston, Hobart
Street Address	Charles Street, Launceston Elizabeth Street, Hobart
Marriage/Spouse	18 January 1820, Huntingdon, to Elizabeth Phillips (d. 1 July 1853). 1854, Victoria, to widow Eliza Moore (formerly Richards).
Arrival	26 August 1836, Launceston on the ship Amelia Thompson
Other	Also known as James Robb. England: Weaver and rope maker by trade.James was employed after arrival by Andrew Birrell, then went on to open a rope, line, and twine manufacturing business in Launceston. June 1838: Relocated business to upper Charles Street, Launceston. September 1839: Business partnership. Robe and Porter advertised for one or two good watchmakers, offering good wages and constant employment. April 1840: Petitioned to the Lieutenant-Governor Sir John Franklin for assistance in obtaining skilful workmen for his business. 1840: Employed convict ticket of leave holder William Slater. Approx. June 1842: Moved from Launceston to Hobart and left all watch repairs with watchmaker Joseph Doiron. August 1842: Opened business, Elizabeth Street (near the Ship Inn), Hobart, and offered clock, watch, jewellery, and musical instrument repairs. December 1842: Secured the employment of a first-rate workman who had just arrived from London. 1846: Convict watchmaker Charles Salmon was assigned to James Robe. March 1847: James and Elizabeth Robe and their six children departed Van Diemen’s Land on the Flying Fish, bound for Melbourne, Victoria. Eldest son William remained in Hobart Town until about June 1848, and second daughter Mary also stayed in Hobart Town and married convict watchmaker Colin Bain in 1848.
Death	7 July 1863, Stratford, East Gippsland, Victoria.
References
Maurice Robe & Colin Bain to Graham & Sallie Mulligan, emails 2018. Maurice A. Robe, In Commemoration of the 175th Anniversary of the arrival of James Robe and family at Launceston, Van Diemen’s Land, 2011. TAHO: CSO1/1/872 1836, RGD37/1/7 no1803 Marriage 1848 [Bain/Robe]. Web: Ancestry: Australian City Directories 2015; Australia Death Index 1863. Launceston Advertiser 14 June 1838, 19 September 1839, 4 June 1840, 22 April 1841, 16 June 1842; Cornwall Chronicle 28 November 1840; The Courier Hobart 5 August 1842; Austral-Asiatic Review, Tasmanian & Australian Advertiser 9 December 1842; Hobarton Guardian or True Friend of Tasmania 29 December 1847, 5 February 1848; Port Phillip Gazette & Settler’s Journal 9 August 1847.