James William Robinson (April 25, 1824 – August 16, 1906) was a Tasmanian sailor whose son,

James Kerguelen Robinson James Kerguelen Robinson (11 March 1859 – 1914) was an Australian prospecting, prospector who was the first person born south of the Antarctic Convergence. Robinson Pass was named after him. Life Robinson was born in March 1859 on the Kerguel ...

, was the first person born south of the

Antarctic Convergence The Antarctic Convergence or Antarctic Polar Front is a marine belt encircling Antarctica, varying in latitude seasonally, where cold, northward-flowing Antarctic waters meet the relatively warmer waters of the sub-Antarctic. The line separate ...

. Robinson Pass was named after James Kerguelen Robinson.

Career

James William Robinson was born in April 1824 to Elizabeth Presnell (1802–1885) and George William Robinson (1801–1839), a free settler who had been a crewman of the American whaling vessel ''General Gates''. James William was educated in

Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

and later

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

. He began sailing at age 11 and killed his first whale shortly before he turned 13. James was working at a Tasmanian bay-whaling station at the age of 15, when he received the news that his father had unexpectedly died. Robinson felt "no alternative but to follow a seafaring life". He was a crewman on ten whaling voyages between 1840 and 1847. He later owned three whaling vessels himself. https://whalinghistory.org/wri/TA331 He also went sealing. Robinson married Jane Parsons Bentley. Their second son Alfred Bingley Robinson (1851–1934) also became a sea captain. In 1858, Robinson traveled with his wife Jane Parsons Bentley on board ''Offley'' for a sealing voyage to Heard Island after reports of elephant seals. He commanded the voyage known as the Tasmanian Sealing Voyage which lasted from 1858 to 1860. He had arrange for ''Elizabeth Jane'' to act as tender. When the ship failed to reach Heard Island, Robinson requested the United States schooner ''Mary Powell'' to become tender. The ''Mary Powell'' suffered a shipwrecking and Robinson as well as his crew was rescued by another schooner, the ''Cornelia''. Legal action was taken as a result of the incident. While on the voyage his wife gave birth to James Kerguelen Robinson on 11 March 1859 and became the first person born south of the Antarctic Convergence. Robinson Pass was named after his son. In 1904, Robinson's family requested he write a memoir about his experiences at sea. It was not published till 2009. Robinson died in 1906.

References

External links

Geni profile

Captain Robinson The reminiscences of a Tasmanian Mariner James William Robinson 1824-1906 by James ROBINSON Mike NASH
{{DEFAULTSORT:Robinson, James William Australian sailors Australian people in whaling 1824 births 1906 deaths