Geelong Lawyers' Collection: Richard RobinsonBiography of Richard Robinson 1863- 1905, by Vivian Hill Australian League Football has been very much part of life in Geelong since the game first developed in 1858/1859 and remains so in 2001. The originators of the game, Thomas Wentworth Wills and his cousin Henry Colder Antill Harrision, each played for Geelong at various times and each had captained the Geelong side during their football careers. The golden years of the Geelong team was from 1878, the year when Geelong players were the undefeated champions of the Colony, and continued until 1886. In those 9 years they won the Victorian Football Association premiership 7 times. For several years two lawyers were in those top teams. One was Richard Robinson and the other H. Percival Douglass* On 12th March 1882, in the middle of these ‘ golden years” Richard Robinson obtained Articles of Clerkship with Thomas Charles Harwood*, a partner of the firm of Harwood & Pincott* of Yarra Street Geelong. By the time Richard entered into this agreement his father, Reynolds Holmes Robinson, was deceased. Reynolds Robinson had been a businessman in Geelong and a prominent citizen. He had operated the Shannon Flour Mill in Barwon Terrace, on the banks of the Barwon River in partnership with Alexander Gray. The land ran back to Little Fyans St. Later, when it was clear that Geelong had more flour mills than was needed, the partners established the Albion Woollen Mill partly in a new brick building and partly in what had ceased to be the flourmill. In his will Reynolds Robinson had appointed Gray, Frederick Harvey (miller and produce merchant) and William Henry Kernot ( chemist) guardians of his children. The opportunity to enter into articles did not come cheaply. At 19, Richard Robinson did not have the legal capacity to enter into such a contract without an adult joining in. His three guardians committed themselves to meeting the three hundred pounds required by paying 100 by cash and signing two promissory notes, one redeemable on 15th September 1880 and the balance on 15 March 1881. An actuarial calculation for the equivalent total sum in 1991 is $28,800 and considerably more in 2001. Harwood and Pincott gave Articles quite frequently and provided opportunities for young men of Geelong to become qualified and enter into a profession without the necessity of living in Melbourne and attending Melbourne University. At the same time the premium paid for Articles probably also provided the firm with a good source of income. In the Articles that Richard Robinson and his guardians signed there was no covenant restricting the clerk from setting up business in Geelong once he was admitted. Such restriction applied to Articles with Harwood and Pincott in later years. Richard Robinson had his education and matriculated at Geelong High School. This was not the Government school now bearing the same title established under the 1910 Education act and operating in 1914 as a District High School. The school Richard Robinson attended was established by Eugene Robert Lennon, as a private Grammar School in 1866 at Olrigg House, a two story building at the corner of Fenwick Street and Little Ryrie Street. Lennon was simultaneously headmaster of the nearby Flinders School. Lennon’s school catered for advanced learning not available at Flinders School and became known as Geelong High School. In 1879 Richard Robinson passed his matriculation examination in six subjects including Latin, then a requirement for Law. During the course of his Articles at Melbourne University he passed History of the British Empire Pt1 and Law of Obligations in 1882 and Constitutional Law and Law of Property in 1885. Before he could be admitted he also had to pass the 6 subjects prescribed and examined by the Attorneys Board of Examiners. Before 1873 the requirement was for 8 such practical subjects set by the Board. In that year the new regulations defined the university subjects required and reduced the number to 6. As an applicant for admission an articled clerk he had to produce evidence he was a person of good character and not engaged in trade during his articles. In Richard Robinson’s case Henry Speed Snr* and J. L. Price* solicitors in practice in nearby offices in Yarra Street swore affidavits to that effect. These affidavits plus certificates from the Board of Examiners and the Registrar of Melbourne University as to his matriculation results and law examination results were lodged at the Prothonotary’s office when he applied for admission. His employer also had to certify that he had not been absent from employment during the five years of his Articles. All documents must have been in order and the necessary notices given at the Prothonotary’s office and in a newspaper as Richard Robinson was admitted to practice as attorney solicitor and proctor on 1/9/1886. He would have been one of the earliest of solicitors who lodged documents at and attended his admission in the courts built at the corner of Lonsdale and William Street Melbourne. The same courts are still in full use in 2001. Work on this grand building began in 1874 and was completed in 1884. The information about Richard’s admission comes from the Victorian Supreme Court file. All documents are hand written by penmen, copyists employed at Harwood and Pincott. Pages of clear, uniformly level writing for the main part of the text, larger writing for names and darker calligraphy for important words bring to a present day reader sincere admiration for the art, skill and care of the men so employed in legal office before the typewriter came into use. Where there were more pages than one in a document they were sewn together along the left hand side by a silk thread, often green. Sometimes, sealing wax was applied to the knots of the thread. If the seal was broken it revealed that there had been some removal of part of the document. At 23 years old, it did not take long for Richard Robinson to go into business. On 18/9/1886 he gave notice in the Geelong Advertiser that he had commenced practice as attorney, solicitor and proctor in Yarra. One may surmise that as the son of a local businessman and a member of a winning football team he would be well known and able to build up his business. This was the case for most of his professional career. In May 1888 Richard Robinson entered into partnership with fellow footballer and solicitor H. Percival Douglass. Percy Douglass was the son of Alfred Douglass, a businessman. Apart from other interests, including one as a partner in a Wool Store, he became a proprietor of the Geelong Advertiser in 1861 after the original editor James Harrison became insolvent. He became sole proprietor two years later. Alfred’s brother William Douglass had practised as a solicitor in Launceston Tasmania. In 1890 Robinson and Douglass bought premises on the southeast corner of Yarra and Malop Street. The premises had been used as a grocery shop since 1854. They levelled the site. On 11 December 1890 architect E.M. Blake called for tenders to erect a two story building on it. The building was built and is still in use in 2001. There were some internal alterations to the structure in1956 and new shopfronts and safety improvements in 1979 but the external appearances essentially remains. The owners called the building “Corio Chambers”, perhaps suggested by the cast iron house on Eastern Beach erected by Alfred Douglass named “ Corio Villa." The partnership of Robinson and Douglass continued until 31st December 1898. Each Partner then continued with his own practice in the same premises until Douglass became a partner in Harwood & Pincott on 14.12.1901. From a comment in his obituary published in the Geelong Advertiser it seems that Richard Robinson's legal practice faded about this time. After his playing career Robinson still continued to take an active interest in the Geelong Football Club, holding the office of treasurer and as delegate to the Victorian Football Association and later to the Victorian Football League. An active member of the Barwon Rowing Club he became identified with the Barwon regatta when successfully acting as its secretary. His ability as a strong swimmer enabled him to assist in the rescue of crewmembers of the wrecked barque "Inverlochy". In his 1886 diary written when he commenced Articles F.W.D. Moore* records that Richard Robinson lent him his copy of Anson's text book on Contracts to help him with his studies. H.P. Douglass became the sole proprietor of Corio Chambers in 1902. Richard Robinson died from a cerebral haemorrhage on 20th July, 1905, aged 42. At the time of this fatal seizure he was playing cards with friends at the Princess of Wales Hotel on the south side of Ryrie Street between Moorabool and Yarra Streets. An inquest into his death was held by P. Smith Justice of the Peace on 20/7/1905. Perhaps Robinson had not been well for some time. The Geelong Advertiser recorded that of late years he had done little work as a practitioner and that since he ceased practice he had been residing with his mother in Fyans Street South Geelong. He had married 15 years before his death and was survived by his wife, Ella and his daughters, Ida, aged 14, May, 12 and Nellie 10.
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