Nordstrom model of Port Phillip Co mine at Clunes
Carl Nordstrom was commissioned by the Victorian Mining Commission and the National Museum of Victoria to create models depicting Victorian gold mining scenes. Made on location between 1856 and 1859, one depicts the mine and crushing works of the Port Phillip Co at Clunes in 1858 and underground workings. Several enlargeable images of the model can be seen linked here at
sbs.com.au and museum.vic.gov.au

Daintree photos of Port Phillip Co mine at Clunes
Taken 1861 by Richard Daintree, these can be seen at State Library Victoria site linked here
1 2 3 4

Stephanie Dew
descendant of Joseph and Jane Robson, via their daughter Hannah Johns and grand-daughter Mary Jane Curnow, has made an extensive study of the Joseph Robson family history and kindly provided much of the information and photography from which this site has been developed. Since the site commenced, Stephanie has published (2004)
Joseph Robson A Life On Three Continents
a book of 143 pages being her version of the story of Joseph Robson and his family. Highly recommended.

some notes from
Stephanie Dew
provided for this site

The Years before Coming to Victoria

John Robson and Hannah Thompson, parents of Joseph Robson 1798-1879, were married 1796 at Houghton-le-Spring, Durham. John Robson ch 1775 was one of several children of an earlier Joseph Robson born East Rainton m Chester-le-Street 1775 Jane born West Rainton d 1794; they lived at Stots Pasture and their other children included Joseph Robson ch 1780 m Jarrow 1802 Margaret Chicken from Ryton, Mary Robson ch 1782, Henry Robson ch 1785, Jane Robson ch 1788, William Robson ch 1792. Other children of John Robson and Hannah nee Thompson included Peter Robson b 1796, Jane Robson b c1801, John Robson c1802-08, Henry Robson ch 1805, John Robson b 1810, Hannah Robson ch 1812.

These places had existed since the middle ages. Most of the people worked on the land but at Ovingham parish there was a flourishing dyeing industry and parts of Houghton parish were exploited for coal mining from Tudor times. The village of Heworth, where Joseph Robson and Jane Hudson married 1820, changed very little until the 1800's brought steampower, railways and new factories springing up along the shores of the river.

In 1826, Joseph Robson and Jane had a son baptised at Heworth 5 January 1826 (as Thomas but probably the child known in family as William). Joseph was said in the parish register to be a "'merchant" of High Heworth. This was a pit village. In 1834 Heworth (which consisted of Low Heworth and High Heworth) had "one corn mill, three public houses, and a few shops" (see Hair, P.E.H. Coals On Rails Liverpool UP 1988). On Heworth Shore, there was an "iron manufactury" (referred to in Northumberland & Durham Family History Society Journal 2003). Given that Joseph's working life was spent designing, constructing and operating mining machinery, and that he did later own a foundry in Clunes, an "iron manufactury" would seem a likely place for him to have worked while in Heworth. It changed owners in 1828, the seller being at Tynemouth, probably too far away to have actually been running the business on a day to day basis.

There was a disaster at the High Heworth pit in 1826, which may provide a clue as to why Joseph Robson left the area. It was considered to be a well-ventilated and safe pit, and this may have saved lives as the death toll was only three (thirty-four died at Jarrow in the same year, and in the Stargate explosion at Ryton, also in 1826, thirty-nine died, of whom eleven had the surname Robson).

On the Brazil background, useful reading is Eakin, Marshall C. British Enterprise in Brazil: The St. John d'el Rey Mining Company and the Morro Velho Gold Mine, 1830-1960 (Durham, U.S.; Duke UP; 1989).

The Early Years in Victoria

In Victoria in 1853, the Port Phillip Company was shedding employees. There is evidence of attempt in 1854 at larger scale mining at Forest Creek near Castlemaine. Henry Thompson, of the company, visited in late 1854 when some people there were trying to get a lease for a larger area. There is evidence that a large claim in the vicinity, held by a few, was jumped. Family members were probably in the group at Forest Creek in 1854-55, and may have had some Port Phillip Company support. Joseph Robson's son-in-law, James Johns (see below) died in suspicious circumstances at Forest Creek on 10 June 1855, two days before the Legislative Council passed new mining regulations providing for leases for companies.

When his daughter Hannah Johns remarried at Richmond, Victoria on 30 October 1855, Joseph Robson was said to be a gold-assayer. Joseph Robson is not mentioned in connection with Port Phillip Company mining until July 1855, when Rivett Bland had him supervise the making of a kind of Dolly Tub for the company operation on the Ovens region in north-eastern Victoria. He probably never got there as the company's land was jumped July.

The Port Phillip Company's 1856 Annual Report (in Melbourne University archives) gives a history of affairs mainly explaining lack of success.

Joseph Robson in a letter (in State Library Victoria) to Rivett Bland from Ballarat in 1856 mentioned Black Hill and Dead Horse Gully. There was a third un-named site, which was probably Long Gully - the Port Phillip Company crushed quartz there in March 1857.

The Years at Clunes

Creswick & Clunes Advertiser 21 September 1860 reported the inauguration ceremony that day of the Victoria Company battery at Clunes by Joseph Robson discharging a bottle of spirits. The whole affair passed off with much cheering. "A more substantial piece of work has not been erected on Clunes". Joseph Robson had supervised erection.

Creswick & Clunes Advertiser 9 December 1862 reported that Joseph Robson and William Lancashire [son-in-law, see below] had applied for a patent for "An Invention for grinding, extracting, arresting and amalgamating gold from sand tailings and pyrites". Their letter to the editor published 5 June 1863 headed "THE ARASTRA" stated that the quantity of gold which had been obtained from their machine was not from common tailings but from blanket sand which the Port Phillip Company had for some two or three years been saving.

Reports in Creswick & Clunes Advertiser show Joseph Robson a leader in the local Wesleyan Church, also from 1860 a trustee of the Clunes General Cemetery: 27 April 1860, 24 January, 5 December 1862; 7 December 1864. Pictured is stone he laid 1870 at the church. In 1866, Joseph Robson was in Clunes Voters' Roll as living in the Port Phillip Co. paddock. In his later years, he lived in Smeaton Road, Clunes next door to the store of William Curnow, husband of his grand-daughter Mary Jane: see further below.

Creswick & Clunes Advertiser 16 May 1870 reported the formal starting of an additional 20 head battery at the New North Clunes Company which had just been finished. A large number of persons had assembled on the occasion. The machinery having been set in motion, Mr Robson, of the Port Phillip Company, broke a bottle of wine against the fly wheel, named the battery "Amelia Lewis" in honour of the wife of Mr John Lewis, the able and much respected manager of the company, and gave the toast.

Joseph Robson was apparently a generous person. He had lent money to just about all the family and stipulated that it need not be repaid. The amounts were to be deducted from each person's share of his estate.

Jane Robson nee Hudson died 17 April 1864 at Clunes, cause gastro enteritis 6 years, described as gentlewoman, age 63.

Joseph Robson died 15 May 1879 at Clunes, funeral Wesleyan (Methodist) Church.

Creswick Advertiser described him as "one of the oldest and most respected residents of Clunes".

The Methodist Spectator said that Joseph Robson of Clunes that was "an old and veteran saint" and that his "manner of life was so cheery and joyous". He had been about 27 years in Brazil. Some nine years ago the infirmities of age had led him to withdraw from the active engagements of every-day life, yet he had still continued to take his appointments as a local preacher until his failing strength precluded him. He was at time of death senior trustee of his church and chairman of the Clunes Cemetery Trust. He was revered as a father in Israel, and respected by the whole community.
~
photo: headstone at Clunes

1. Hannah Robson 1823-1907

b Sunderland, England - d Bulumwaal, Victoria m 1841 at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil James Johns 1810-55 b Cornwall. James was a carpenter employed at the Morro Velho mine. He died June 1855 in Victoria at Forest Creek near Castlemaine (see above). Hannah remarried in 1855, when she was living in Richmond, Vic. She and husband Edward Taylor soon lived at Mount Blackwood, later by 1869, Clunes. By 1880, as had numerous of their extended family, they settled about 60 miles north of Clunes in area of Charlton, then a growing farm and town sector.

children, born Brazil, father James Johns
1. Joseph Hudson Johns 1844-1917 m 1868 Elizabeth Delbridge Hosking. Joseph lived with his Robson grandparents after Hannah remarried. Later he became a storekeeper at Clunes. Some time after 1876, he went to Glenloth in the Charlton area, later to Melbourne where he had an accommodation house at South Yarra. When he died 1917, he was a tea merchant, residing South Melbourne. (from Stephanie Dew).
2. Mary Jane Johns 1846-1919 pic* m 1870 William Curnow 1843-1919. Mary Jane lived with her Robson grandparents after Hannah remarried. William Curnow had a general store in Smeaton Road, Clunes. Born Cornwall, he had arrived Victoria 1863 and been a miner at Ballarat and Clunes before being injured. In 1876, the Curnow family moved to Charlton to farm. They remained there, by 1878 William again a storekeeper. Mary Jane was great grandmother of Stephanie Dew.
3. Charles William Johns 1852 - before 1907.

children, born Victoria, father Edward Taylor
4. Edward Robson Taylor 1857-1938.
5. Elizabeth Alice Taylor b 1859.
6. Amy Georgina Taylor b 1865.

pic c1900-05 Hannah, Mary Jane, Stella m Procter (dau of Mary Jane), Gladys (dau of Stella)
pic Mary Jane & William Curnow 1*
pic Mary Jane & William Curnow 2
pic Curnow family c1891
pic Curnow family 1902*

above pics* from descendant Don McLennan, others Stephanie Dew

2. William Robson 1826-c60

Whatever happened to William after arrival in Victoria, his father had his silver watch and in his will left it to Hannah. (Stephanie Dew).

3. Joseph Hudson Robson 1829-1909

b Brazil - d Victoria m Clunes 1860 Annabelle Campbell. Joseph was a carpenter at Clunes. Later he and family went to vicinity of Charlton, more specifically Coonooer district, family members eventually leaving mainly for Melbourne although by 1909, he and his son John resided Toora in eastern Victoria (from Stephanie Dew).

children
1. Jessie Jane Robson b 1861 m Walter Brown.
2. William Campbell Robson 1863-1939 m 1893 Sarah White 1866-1945.
3. Jane Hudson Robson 1864-1913 m 1887 John George Bennett 1860-1944. George was a farmer in Coonooer district also a Methodist preacher, child of Samuel Bennett 1828 Cornwall - 1886 Bendigo, Vic, farmer, m Hannah Spittlehouse 1839 Sheffield - 1909 St Kilda, Vic. The Bennett family had close ties to Wesleyan Methodism back to its origins; George's grandfather and great grandfather also were preachers. (from Bron Bennett of WA, e-mails to site author 2003.)
4. Agnes Robson b 1866 m Walter Turner.
5. Hannah Robson 1864-70.
6. Joseph Hudson Robson 1870-88 drowned 1888 in the Avoca River on a fishing excursion a few miles beyond Coonooer Bridge despite rescue efforts of companion Alfred Bennett (from Stephanie Dew).
7. John George Robson 1873-1946 m Lilian Bamford.
8. James Duncan Robson 1875-1909.
9. Annabella Wilson Robson b 1878 m Charles Haack.
10. Thomas Ralph Burnside Robson b 1881, by 1909 res New Zealand.
11. Archibald Robson 1885 d same year.

4. Jane Robson 1832-1914

b Morro Velho, Brazil - d Melbourne m Ballarat 1857 Pelham Ambrose Saunders 1829-1914 (more below).

children, all born Clunes
1. Jane Saunders 1858-1938 m 1909 Thomas Dreweatt 1856-1919 b Portarlington Vic. Thomas, as youth, at Clunes with parents (Stephanie Dew book).
2. Anne Elizabeth Saunders 1859-1946 pic c1940, m 1886 Charles Herrmann Just 1866-1953. Anne a school teacher (certificated) commencing Nov 1880 at Sunbury School; keen botanist known also as Bot; m c1886 Herrmann Just. Great grandmother of site author, more justd.com/just.
3. Isabella Louisa Saunders 1861-1948 m 1890 Charles Kempson 1854-1917 b Melbourne, father Peter Kempson in 1862 set up first school at Clunes.
4. Mary Hannah Saunders 1862-8.
5. Eveline Saunders 1864-1901.
6. Stella Saunders 1866-8.
7. Henry Pelham Saunders 1869-70.
8. Pelham Alfred Saunders 1871-2.
9. John Frederick Saunders 1873-1929 clerk, res with parents until 1914, later elsewhere Albert Park region where d passenger motor accident.
10. Catherine Saunders 1874-1953 school teacher, res with parents until 1914, later elsewhere in Albert Park region.
11. Ethel Saunders 1877-1945 school teacher.

• Pelham Ambrose Saunders 1829-1914 m Ballarat 22 April 1857 Jane Robson. He then was a gold miner. Both were residing Ballarat but soon went to Clunes where Pelham worked for Port Phillip Co as accountant and office manager.

• Pelham (P.A.) Saunders by 1851 had been a Russia merchant lodged at Liverpool, England. He left Liverpool 20 Feb 1852 second class cabin barque Collector arriving Melbourne 16 June 1852 (Argus newspaper, Melbourne 17 June 1852). The departure date was same as that of the Port Phillip Co party under mining engineer Evan Hopkins sent to establish operations in Victoria which arrived from Singapore Fatel Oheb 5 June 1852, at least Hopkins, his son and a servant having travelled overland to Suez (Woodland). It is likely that P.A. Saunders and at least some others on Collector (including first class cabin Mr. Saunders and Miss Saunders) had link with the company or its personnel. He could also be P. Saunders arrived by official register April 1853 on Amigos from Quebec via Cape of Good Hope, age 22 gent as "Canadian" amongst "Passengers from Quebec". By June 1853 he was at Forest Creek, land agent and auctioneer.

• In 1860, P.A. Saunders was, Creswick & Clunes Advertiser reported, Secretary to a Working Committee of New North Clunes Co, an enterprise in difficulty which the Port Phillip Co was assisting under an agreement of partnership; in 1863 it reported him secretary of the company. (Stephanie Dew)

• By 1888, the Port Phillip company fortunes were in decline and within a few years the mine closed. On 28 November 1888, Mr P.A. Saunders was farewelled at a dinner "about to leave the town for the metropolis" having been "so long connected with the Port Phillip Company in the office of the general manager, of which mine he has held a position of trust and responsibility" and in his speech, Mr Saunders referred to his 31 years connection with the mine: Clunes Guardian & Gazette 30 November 1888. Woodland (p.89) refers to P.A. Saunders in November 1888 having been office manager of Port Phillip Co since its first days at Clunes 31 years earlier.

• After 1888, Pelham Saunders, accountant, resided with Jane at locations in South Melbourne and Albert Park, by 1914 at 20 Madden St, Albert Park where Jane d 15 July 1914 and Pelham 7 August 1914, age 85, in Victoria 63 years; both bur Melbourne Gen Cem.

• On 15 August 1914, Clunes Guardian & Gazette reported the death of Mr P.A. Saunders whom it said came with others to Clunes from the old country to work at the Port Phillip Company's mine, and his duties were that of an accountant in the office of the manager, R.H. Bland; he was of a very charitable disposition and of affable manners, and much respected by the hundreds of men who were then working in the mine; many friends in Clunes well remembered him.
  
  

5. Elizabeth Robson 1834-1901

b Brazil - d Sedgewick, Vic m Clunes 1860 William Lancashire died 1894 (more below).

children
1. William Joseph Lancashire 1861-2.
2. William Robson Lancashire b 1863.
3. Joseph Hyde Lancashire 1865-1929.

• William Lancashire, whom Elizabeth Robson married, was an engine fitter. By 1859, he ran an iron and brass foundry amongst the various businesses at Clunes Iron Foundry, Main Street. Until April 1860, it was in partnership with Henry Thomas.

• By advertisement 24 February 1860 Creswick & Clunes Advertiser, Thomas & Lancashire, Engineers, called to the attention of Quartz Crushing Companies their having made improvements in the manufacture of Stamp Heads so that they were harder and more durable than any hitherto manufactured or brought to the Goldfields.

• According to information provided by Clunes Museum, William Lancashire was next with the Port Phillip Company, probably until 1866, with a house and foundry in the Company Paddock; from 1866 to 1869, a partnership of Cooper and Lancashire had the Victoria Foundry in Purcell Street; in 1869, he took over the Clunes Foundry of Henry Thomas then in Templeton Street; he was a Clunes councillor in 1869 and 1870; he was also musical - a conductor and a singer.

• Some of William Lancashire's work was in association with Joseph Robson: see above.

• In August 1870, during a thunderstorm, the boiler used in the Lancashire Foundry works burst, throwing the town into the greatest consternation by a very loud report, and doing an immense amount of damage. A portion of the boiler, weighing 15 cwt, was blown right over Fraser Street, a distance of 400 yards.

• In 1874, when Joseph Robson wrote his will, Joseph owned the foundry and was selling it, there was a clause in the will that the sale was to go ahead even if Joseph died.
  
  above 6 notes from Stephanie Dew including also reliance on Creswick & Clunes Advertiser 3 June 1859, 15 August 1870.

6. John George Robson 1841-1905

b Brazil, probably at Curapaity - d Boulder, Western Australia, m 1872 at Clunes Jane Ann Remfry Hosking. John was an engine fitter. He left Clunes after 1892 when mining had ceased. After being in South Australia, he was by 1897 in Western Australian goldfields. Jane Hosking was sister of Elizabeth who had married Joseph Hudson Johns. (from Stephanie Dew book).

Children
1. Mary Annie Robson 1872-1959 m 1899 Ernest Tarrant 1871-1954, of Hawthorn, Vic.
2. Lilian Jane Robson 1875-1956 m Eustace Harold Northey 1875-1942, of Kalgoorlie.
3. Blanche Emblyn Robson 1877-1948 later at Boulder, c1921 tailoress, later teacher at Koroit, Vic.
4. Joseph Ernest Robson b 1880.
5. Ethel May Robson 1882-1954 later at Boulder, then by 1920 Kalgoorlie. By 1930, accountant, residing Como in Perth WA.
6. Evelyn Daisy Robson 1884-1957 music teacher, at Boulder, then by 1920 Kalgoorlie. By 1939 resided at Como with Ethel.
7. George Alfred Robson 1886-1954 m Ethel May McLoy d 1960. George and Ethel initially at Boulder, George c1913 fireman. By 1930 at South Guildford in Perth, George a contractor.
8. Winifred Hilda Remfry Robson b 1892, by 1913 teacher, residing Boulder, then by 1920 Kalgoorlie.

Niece and two nephews of Joseph Robson also came to Victoria

Annie Taylor nee Wraith c1836-90, arrived Victoria 1858, was child of Joseph Robson's sister, Hannah, and William Wraith, (coal) trimmer, who 1841 were at Jarrow, co Durham. Annie m William Taylor at Newcastle-upon-Tyne 1856. The family lived Ballarat district until about 1872 then Eaglehawk district. Children: William Taylor 1857, Robert Taylor 1859, Mary Hannah Taylor 1861, John Robson Taylor 1864, Thomas Taylor 1867, James Taylor 1869-1908, Samuel Taylor 1872, Joseph Taylor 1874, Anne Isabella Taylor 1877, Sarah Jane Taylor 1879.

William Wraith c1843-1902, another child of Joseph's sister, Hannah, and William Wraith arrived Victoria 1865. By 1881 he had settled in Eaglehawk district near Bendigo where with Hannah Cuthbertson nee Naylor, whom he married 1885, there were children Mary Hannah 1881 (d as child), Hannah 1883-96, Violet Jane Wraith 1886-1947, Amy Isbabella Wraith 1889-91 and William Norman Wraith 1892-4. Jan Glasby informs that William was a miner and had the All Nations and Sebastian hotels at Sebastian near Bendigo in the 1890's.

Thomas Wraith 1853-1919 b Jarrow, co Durham, d Eaglehawk, Vic m Margaret Watson 1852-1925. Children Hannah Wraith 1877-1901 b Harton, co Durham d Vic, William Watson Wraith 1877-1937 b Harton, d Vic m 1906 Ethel May Scattini 1886-1956, Ninnis Arthur James Wraith 1912 b Eaglehawk, Vic m 1936 Eileen Mary Thiesz 1911-69, Arthur Wraith 1886-1953 b Raywood, Vic, Thomas Watson Wraith 1890-1970 b Eaglehawk, Vic m Beatrice Frances Hallinan 1896-1951.

For above in this section, acknowledgment to Stephanie Dew,
also emails 2003 from Jan Glasby,
descendant of Hannah's sister Annie Naylor who
married Thomas Oughton Taylor 1876 at Sebastian
also email 2010 from Geoff Hall for details concerning
Thomas Wraith 1853-1919 and other help.

In 1851, Annie Wraith, age 15, was housekeeper to her widowed grandfather John Robson, age 75, coal miner, father of Joseph Robson. They resided Thornley Colliery, Durham.