Robert Tooth

Robert Tooth (28 May 1821 in Cranbrook, Kent, England – 19 September 1893 in Bedford, USA) was one of three brothers of Sydney's Tooth brewery family. He built two of Sydney's grandest houses, Cranbrook House and The Swifts.

Robert was the first son of Robert Tooth (b.1799) and Mary Ann (née Reader), a hops merchant of Swifts Park, Cranbrook, Kent, England. His brothers were Edwin (1822–1858), and Frederick (1827–1893). His uncle was John Tooth (b. 1803), Cranbrook merchant and brewer, who first migrated to Sydney in the Bencoolen in 1828 and received a 2560-acre (1036 ha) grant in Durham County, New South Wales. After John established himself as a successful merchant he opened the Kent Brewery on Parramatta Road. In August 1843 Robert and Edwin arrived in Sydney on the Euphrates. The enduring merchant and brewing firm of R. and E. Tooth began on 1 September 1843 when John leased them the brewery.

Frederick joined Sydney and the partnership about 1853 and R., E. and F. Tooth became R. and F. Tooth & Co. on 2 January 1860 when J. S. Mitchell became a partner. In 1852 with John Edye, James Alexander and (Sir) William Montagu Manning, Mort, J. Croft and Edwin, Robert formed the Twofold Bay Pastoral Association which acquired some 400,000 acres (161,876 ha) on the south coast and Monaro; Kameruka was the head station. Threatened by (Sir) John Robertson's land bills they bought as much land as possible in their own names and disbanded in 1860.

For 10 months from May 1856 he was a member of the Legislative Council. A large squatter with about 600 employees, in January 1858 he stood for seat of Sydney Hamlets in the Legislative Assembly, advocating free selection of land at £1 an acre without auction, tramways instead of expensive railways to bring produce to market and an elective Upper House. He lost, but represented Sydney City in the assembly in 1858-59. Questionably claiming to have disposed of all his runs except one on the Queensland border and opposing Robertson's land bill, Robert stood for West Sydney in December 1860 but again was defeated.

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