Robert Sellar (Australian merchant)

Robert Sellar (1828 in Scotland – 1900 in Melbourne, Australia) emigrated from Scotland in 1853 and became a prominent merchant in Melbourne, Australia where he was the business partner of James McCulloch who went on to become a Premier of the state of Victoria.

Robert Sellar was the fourth son of Patrick Sellar (1780-1851) and Ann Craig.

His father, was unpopular because he took an active part in the Highland Clearances, while employed as factor to the Duke of Sutherland.

Robert's brothers were Thomas, a merchant in New Orleans, Patrick Plenderleath, a farmer in Scotland, William Young, John Alexander, a merchant who moved to England, David Plenderleath, an American merchant, and the youngest Alexander Craig Sellar, Scottish Advocate and MP.

Robert's nephew Walter Carruthers Sellar, son of his brother Patrick, became a school teacher and well known humorist writer.

Robert's elder brother William Young Sellar (1825-1890), an academic, married 1852, Eleanor Mary Dennistoun, daughter of wealthy Glasgow merchant Alexander Dennistoun of Golfhill (1790-1874).

Probably influenced by his sister's marriage into the Dennistoun family, Robert joined the mercantile firm of A J Dennistoun.

In 1853 Robert travelled to Melbourne in the same year as James McCulloch, both in the employment of Alexander and John Dennistoun, to manage a branch of Dennistoun Brothers and Company in Australia.

The Dennistoun family were shipping and commission agents importing and exporting goods. At one time they had branches in Glasgow, London, Liverpool, France, Melbourne, New York, and New Orleans (from where cotton was exported).

Companies included,

On 2 April 1859 Robert Sellar married Matilda Charlotte Swyer at Christ Church, St Kilda, Melbourne. Matilda's brother Charles Robert Swyer was a civil engineer who had emigrated from Manchester to St Kilda to build Christ Church where construction started about 1854.

Closure of the Dennistoun Brothers office in Melbourne was announced in the Edinburgh Gazette.

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