Robert Campbell (1769–1846)
Encyclopedia
Robert Campbell was a pioneering and leading merchant
in Sydney
, a land-owner, a pastoralist, a philanthropist
, and a politician
being a member of the first New South Wales Legislative Council
. The suburb of Campbell
in Canberra
, Australia
's National Capital was named in his honour.
Campbell was born at Greenock
, Inverclyde
, Scotland
and at the age of 27 moved to India
to join his older brother John. In India he and his brother John were partners in Campbell Clark & Co., merchants of Kolkata
(formerly Calcutta), which in July 1799 became Campbell & Co when the Clarkes gave up their interest in the firm. In 1798 Robert Campbell with a cargo from Kolkata visited Sydney to develop a trading connexion there, and he also purchased some land at Dawes Point near the Western entrance of Sydney Cove. In February 1800 he returned to Sydney with another cargo to both settle in Sydney, and to establish a branch of Campbell & Co. there. In 1801 he married the Commissary
John Palmer
's sister Sophia Palmer
(1777–1833). After settling in Sydney he subsequently built the private Campbell's wharf and warehouses on his land at Dawes Point, and developed a large business as a general merchant.
In the early years his Campbell & Co.'s business dealings involved importing goods and spirits from Calcutta for sale in Sydney, but not all voyages were successful. For example in 1802 the Campbell & Co. brig
the Fly, captained by John Black
, and "laden with piece and other valuable goods" was lost at sea on its return voyage from Kolkata to Sydney. Despite losses such as this Campbell & Co. was heavily involved in the Australian trade, having £50,000 worth of goods in its Sydney warehouses in 1804. As part of its import business the firm also engaged to fulfil government contracts for supplies from India, mainly livestock for the Sydney and Derwent settlements, which Governor Philip Gidley King
calculated had brought the Campbell's firm £16,000 from the government alone between 1800 and 1804.
In 1805 and 1806 Campbell and his family travelled to England. During this time his brother-in-law John Palmer
acted as his agent.
After the arrival of Governor William Bligh
in August 1806, Campbell's high character led to his being appointed treasurer to the public funds, naval officer, and collector of taxes, and, there being no bank at Sydney in 1807, the gaol and orphan funds were deposited with Campbell on its undertaking to pay interest at five per cent.
Campbell built Australia’s first shipbuilding yards in 1807, at the site that is now the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
, Kirribilli.
In 1809 Campbell chartered a ship the Brothers and sent it on a sealing expedition to New Zealand under Captain Robert Mason. He probably intended it to go to Solander Island in Foveaux Strait
but instead, in November, it landed a gang on two islets on what is now the coast of the city of Dunedin
on the south east coast of the South Island. These are the first identifiable Europeans explicitly recorded as landing in the area although others probably preceded them. The gang included the ex-convict William Tucker
. When the Brothers returned to relieve its men it found only him and Daniel Wilson at Otago Harbour
where it anchored on May the 3rd 1810. Again this is the first explicit and specific reference to a European ship entering the harbour although others had probably preceded it. Tucker would later return and become the first European to settle in the area. While it was no part of his intention Campbell was thus instrumental in bringing the territory which is now Dunedin into the European sphere.
Campbell's ship the "Sydney" was lost off the coast of India while chartered to the government. In compensation he was granted 4000 acres (16 km²) of land and 710 sheep. In 1825 James Ainslie
established a sheep station for Campbell in the area where Canberra
is now situated. Robert named the property Duntroon
after his ancestral Duntrune Castle
, Argyll and Bute
, Scotland. In later years Campbell provided half the cost of the church of St John the Baptist in its original form.
In December 1825 Campbell was appointed a member of the first New South Wales Legislative Council
. In January 1830 he was a member of the committee which recommended that King's schools should be founded at Sydney and Parramatta
, and as evidence of his continued high standing in the community, when the Savings Bank of New South Wales was founded in 1832 it was found that Campbell had deposited with him £8000 belonging to convicts, and £2000 belonging to free people. He was allowing seven and a half per cent interest on these deposits. Campbell retired from the legislative council and from public life in 1843, and in 1844 his name was included in a list of those considered eligible for a proposed local order of merit.
Campbell had seven children, John
, Robert
, Sophia, Charles, Sarah, George and Frederick. John, Robert and Charles became politicians like their father, all being on the Legislative Council, and John and Robert also being on the Legislative Assembly.
In 1910 with the creation of the Australian Capital Territory
the government acquired Duntroon for the creation of the Royal Military College
. The original Duntroon homestead (though later extended) is now the officers mess in the Royal Military College.
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, a land-owner, a pastoralist, a philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
, and a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
being a member of the first New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
. The suburb of Campbell
Campbell, Australian Capital Territory
Campbell is a suburb of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Covering an area to the South East of the central business district, Campbell sits at the base of Mount Ainslie. On Census night 2006, Campbell had a population of 4,797 people...
in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
's National Capital was named in his honour.
Campbell was born at Greenock
Greenock
Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...
, Inverclyde
Inverclyde
Inverclyde is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Together with the Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire council areas, Inverclyde forms part of the historic county of Renfrewshire - which current exists as a registration county and lieutenancy area - located in the west...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and at the age of 27 moved to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to join his older brother John. In India he and his brother John were partners in Campbell Clark & Co., merchants of Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
(formerly Calcutta), which in July 1799 became Campbell & Co when the Clarkes gave up their interest in the firm. In 1798 Robert Campbell with a cargo from Kolkata visited Sydney to develop a trading connexion there, and he also purchased some land at Dawes Point near the Western entrance of Sydney Cove. In February 1800 he returned to Sydney with another cargo to both settle in Sydney, and to establish a branch of Campbell & Co. there. In 1801 he married the Commissary
Commissary
A commissary is someone delegated by a superior to execute a duty or an office; in a formal, legal context, one who has received power from a legitimate superior authority to pass judgment in a certain cause or to take information concerning it.-Word history:...
John Palmer
John Palmer (Commissary of New South Wales)
John Palmer was a Commissary of New South Wales, responsible for the colony's supplies. He arrived with the First Fleet in 1788, and was opposed to those who plotted against Governor William Bligh....
's sister Sophia Palmer
Sophia Campbell
Sophia Campbell née Palmer was an early Australian settler.One of eight children, Sophia Palmer was born in Portsmouth and educated in London...
(1777–1833). After settling in Sydney he subsequently built the private Campbell's wharf and warehouses on his land at Dawes Point, and developed a large business as a general merchant.
In the early years his Campbell & Co.'s business dealings involved importing goods and spirits from Calcutta for sale in Sydney, but not all voyages were successful. For example in 1802 the Campbell & Co. brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
the Fly, captained by John Black
John Black (privateer)
Captain John Black , the son of a clergyman, was a ship's officer who had many adventures in his short career. His best remembered adventure concerned the mutiny on the Lady Shore of August 1797, a ship that had been sailing with a cargo of soldiers and female convicts to Sydney, Australia...
, and "laden with piece and other valuable goods" was lost at sea on its return voyage from Kolkata to Sydney. Despite losses such as this Campbell & Co. was heavily involved in the Australian trade, having £50,000 worth of goods in its Sydney warehouses in 1804. As part of its import business the firm also engaged to fulfil government contracts for supplies from India, mainly livestock for the Sydney and Derwent settlements, which Governor Philip Gidley King
Philip Gidley King
Captain Philip Gidley King RN was a British naval officer and colonial administrator. He is best known as the official founder of the first European settlement on Norfolk Island and as the third Governor of New South Wales.-Early years and establishment of Norfolk Island settlement:King was born...
calculated had brought the Campbell's firm £16,000 from the government alone between 1800 and 1804.
In 1805 and 1806 Campbell and his family travelled to England. During this time his brother-in-law John Palmer
John Palmer (Commissary of New South Wales)
John Palmer was a Commissary of New South Wales, responsible for the colony's supplies. He arrived with the First Fleet in 1788, and was opposed to those who plotted against Governor William Bligh....
acted as his agent.
After the arrival of Governor William Bligh
William Bligh
Vice Admiral William Bligh FRS RN was an officer of the British Royal Navy and a colonial administrator. A notorious mutiny occurred during his command of HMAV Bounty in 1789; Bligh and his loyal men made a remarkable voyage to Timor, after being set adrift in the Bounty's launch by the mutineers...
in August 1806, Campbell's high character led to his being appointed treasurer to the public funds, naval officer, and collector of taxes, and, there being no bank at Sydney in 1807, the gaol and orphan funds were deposited with Campbell on its undertaking to pay interest at five per cent.
Campbell built Australia’s first shipbuilding yards in 1807, at the site that is now the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron
The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron is a yacht club located in North Sydney, Australia in the suburb of Kirribilli.The squadron was originally founded in 1862...
, Kirribilli.
In 1809 Campbell chartered a ship the Brothers and sent it on a sealing expedition to New Zealand under Captain Robert Mason. He probably intended it to go to Solander Island in Foveaux Strait
Foveaux Strait
Foveaux Strait separates Stewart Island/Rakiura, New Zealand's third largest island, from the South Island. Three large bays, Te Waewae Bay, Oreti Beach and Toetoes Bay, sweep along the strait's northern coast, which also hosts Bluff township and harbour. Across the strait lie the Solander...
but instead, in November, it landed a gang on two islets on what is now the coast of the city of Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
on the south east coast of the South Island. These are the first identifiable Europeans explicitly recorded as landing in the area although others probably preceded them. The gang included the ex-convict William Tucker
William Tucker (settler)
William Tucker was a British convict, a sealer, a trader in human heads, an Otago settler, and New Zealand’s first art dealer....
. When the Brothers returned to relieve its men it found only him and Daniel Wilson at Otago Harbour
Otago Harbour
Otago Harbour is the natural harbour of Dunedin, New Zealand, consisting of a long, much-indented stretch of generally navigable water separating the Otago Peninsula from the mainland. They join at its southwest end, from the harbour mouth...
where it anchored on May the 3rd 1810. Again this is the first explicit and specific reference to a European ship entering the harbour although others had probably preceded it. Tucker would later return and become the first European to settle in the area. While it was no part of his intention Campbell was thus instrumental in bringing the territory which is now Dunedin into the European sphere.
Campbell's ship the "Sydney" was lost off the coast of India while chartered to the government. In compensation he was granted 4000 acres (16 km²) of land and 710 sheep. In 1825 James Ainslie
James Ainslie (pastoralist)
James Ainslie was a Scottish pastoralist, best known as the first overseer of the property known as Duntroon in the Australian Capital Territory, he increased the size of the property's sheep flock from 700 to 20,000 in 12 years. He lived in a relationship with an Aboriginal woman and she bore him...
established a sheep station for Campbell in the area where Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
is now situated. Robert named the property Duntroon
Duntroon, Australian Capital Territory
Duntroon is a suburb of the city of Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory.-History:Robert Campbell's property Duntroon was situated on the limestone plains of New South Wales in the area that is now covered by the ACT....
after his ancestral Duntrune Castle
Duntrune Castle
Duntrune Castle is located on the north side of Loch Crinan and across from the village of Crinan in Argyll, Scotland. It is thought to be the oldest continuously occupied castle in Scotland...
, Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute
Argyll and Bute is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy area in Scotland. The administrative centre for the council area is located in Lochgilphead.Argyll and Bute covers the second largest administrative area of any Scottish council...
, Scotland. In later years Campbell provided half the cost of the church of St John the Baptist in its original form.
In December 1825 Campbell was appointed a member of the first New South Wales Legislative Council
New South Wales Legislative Council
The New South Wales Legislative Council, or upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of New South Wales in Australia. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in the state capital, Sydney. The Assembly is referred to as the lower house and the Council as...
. In January 1830 he was a member of the committee which recommended that King's schools should be founded at Sydney and Parramatta
The King's School, Sydney
The King's School is an independent Anglican, day and boarding school for boys in North Parramatta in the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831, it is Australia's oldest school and forms one of the nine "Great Public Schools" of New South Wales. Situated within a site, Gowan Brae,...
, and as evidence of his continued high standing in the community, when the Savings Bank of New South Wales was founded in 1832 it was found that Campbell had deposited with him £8000 belonging to convicts, and £2000 belonging to free people. He was allowing seven and a half per cent interest on these deposits. Campbell retired from the legislative council and from public life in 1843, and in 1844 his name was included in a list of those considered eligible for a proposed local order of merit.
Campbell had seven children, John
John Campbell (Australian politician)
John Campbell was an Australian politician. He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council in 1856 and between 1861 and 1886...
, Robert
Robert Campbell (Australian politician)
Robert Campbell was an early opponent of penal transportation and an Australian politician, elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly....
, Sophia, Charles, Sarah, George and Frederick. John, Robert and Charles became politicians like their father, all being on the Legislative Council, and John and Robert also being on the Legislative Assembly.
In 1910 with the creation of the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
the government acquired Duntroon for the creation of the Royal Military College
Royal Military College, Duntroon
The Royal Military College, Duntroon is the Australian Army's officer training establishment. It was founded at Duntroon, in the Australian Capital Territory, in 1911 and is situated on picturesque grounds at the foot of Mount Pleasant near Lake Burley Griffin, close to the Department of Defence...
. The original Duntroon homestead (though later extended) is now the officers mess in the Royal Military College.