Gilbert Robertson (1794–1851) was a colonist and newspaper editor in Van Diemen's Land.

Gilbert Robertson
Born10 December 1794
Trinidad, West Indies
Died5 September 1851 (aged 56)
Geelong, Victoria
Signature

Life edit

He was the son of Gilbert Robertson (1774–1840), a planter with large possessions in Demerara, by his enslaved mistress;[1] or else the son of Gilbert's uncle, George Robertson (1756–1799).[2]

He was raised and educated by a wealthy male relative in Scotland, from whence he emigrated to Van Diemen's Land as a free settler in 1822. In 1828 he led the first 'roving party' of armed settlers tasked with capturing hostile aboriginals in the context of the so-called Black War.[1][3]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Pybus 2006.
  2. ^ Legacies of British Slavery.
  3. ^ Godfrey 2006 [1967].

Sources edit

  • Godfrey, Margery (2006) [1967]. "Gilbert Robertson (1794–1851)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 2 (online ed.). National Centre of Biography, Australian National University (Melbourne University Press).
  • Pybus, Cassandra (2006). "Gilbert Robertson". The Companion to Tasmanian History (online ed.). Centre for Tasmanian Historical Studies.
  • Pybus, C. (2003). "Robinson and Robertson". In Manne, R. (ed.). Whitewash. Melbourne.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • "George Robertson (1756–1799)". Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery. University College London.
  • "Gilbert Robertson (1774–1840)". Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery. University College London.