John Robertson (Australian politician)
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The Honourable Sir John Robertson KCMG |
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| 5th Premier of New South Wales | |
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In office 9 March 1860 – 9 January 1861 |
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| Preceded by | William Forster |
| Succeeded by | Charles Cowper |
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In office 27 October 1868 – 12 January 1870 |
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| Preceded by | James Martin |
| Succeeded by | Charles Cowper |
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In office 9 February 1875 – 21 March 1877 |
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| Preceded by | Henry Parkes |
| Succeeded by | Henry Parkes |
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In office 17 August – 17 December 1877 |
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| Preceded by | Henry Parkes |
| Succeeded by | James Farnell |
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In office 22 December 1885 – 22 February 1886 |
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| Preceded by | George Dibbs |
| Succeeded by | Sir Patrick Jennings |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
15 October 1816 Bow, London, England, UK |
| Died | 8 May 1891 (aged 74) Watsons Bay, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Emma "Madge" Davies |
| Children | 9 |
Sir John Robertson, KCMG (15 October 1816 – 8 May 1891) was an Australian politician and Premier of New South Wales on five occasions. Robertson is best remembered for land reform and in particular the Robertson Land Acts of 1861, which sought to open up the selection of Crown land and break the monopoly of the squatters.
Robertson was elected to Parliament in 1856 supporting manhood suffrage, secret ballot, electorates based on equal populations, abolition of state aid to religion, government non-denominational schools, free trade, and land reform. He saw free selection of crown land before survey as the key to social reform with poor settlers being able to occupy agricultural and pastoral land, even that occupied by lease-holding squatters. This insight enabled him to dominate the politics of 1856–61.
Robertson was born at Bow, London. His father, James Robertson, was Scottish, his mother English, and the family emigrated to Australia in 1820 on the advice of Sir Thomas Brisbane. They were apparently in good circumstances, for, according to the custom of the time, anyone bringing to the colony a sum of not less than £2500 was entitled to a first class grant of 2500 acres (10 km²) of land, and this they received in the upper Hunter district. James Robertson was also appointed general superintendent of government clocks and received a 35 hectare grant at Robertson's Point, Cremorne Point.
Robertson at five years of age was sent to the school in Sydney just opened by John Dunmore Lang. He subsequently attended schools kept by Bradley Gilchrist and W. T. Cape. Among his schoolfellows were two other boys destined to become premiers of New South Wales, James Martin and William Forster. On leaving school about the year 1833 Robertson went to sea and worked his passage to England where, through the medium of some letters of introduction, he accidentally came in contact with Lord Palmerston. The personality of the young man so impressed Palmerston that he invited him to stay with him for a few days in the country. There he introduced him to various distinguished people, and afterwards when he was leaving England gave him a letter to the governor, Sir Richard Bourke.
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