Maurice-Robinson Family

The family history of Margaret Louise Robinson is full of twists and gaps.

The family line of Margaret Robinson is linked to the Seage family through her maternal grandmother, Mary Veronica Seage (born 1881).  The Seages played a noteworthy role in the history of the Bathurst district.

Michael Conway (born in Limerick, Ireland about 1834) is Margaret Robinson’s great-great grandfather.  Based on contemporary newspaper reports of his deeds Michael was no angel.  Indeed it seems he was a scoundrel and one of the most "colourful" characters in Margaret's family tree.

 A note recording a “Sad Event” appears in the Seage family bible.  Research suggests the note was probably written by Mary Seage (born Maher), recording the almost simultaneous death of her two young half-sisters in 1877.  But there is more to the story of the Maher family.

Margaret Robinson's grandfather was Arthur.  But there is an intriguing journey which took Arthur from his birth-name of “Conway” in 1883 to “Robinson”, the name recorded on his death certificate and gravestone 70 years later.

The story of Bowen branch of the Robinson family centres on two men, Thomas John Bowen and his eldest son, Thomas James.  Both were builders, with Thomas John playing a notable role in the early development of the towns of Manilla and Gunnedah, New South Wales.

The family of Ellen “Nellie” Mary Connelly (1888 - 1961), Margaret Robison's grandmother, were of Irish origin.  Their route from Ireland to Australia was not a direct one, having first spent a number of years in New Zealand. But there are gaps in the Connelly story and many unanswered questions, especially about their time in New Zealand.

Ellen “Nellie” Connelly, the grandmother of Margaret Louse Robinson, lived as wife to Arthur Robinson for over thirty years.  But Nellie’s real husband – the source of the Robinson name – was another man, her lawful husband, Robert Robinson.  This is his story.

At the same time as Margaret Robinson's great-grandmother, Martha Sam (born Conway) and her husband Harry,  were establishing themselves in Forbes, NSW another family with the same name, a story remarkably similar to them and yet apparently unconnected to the Forbes Sams was living at West Wyalong, less than 100 km (60 miles) away.

The formative years of William Patrick (Pat) Robinson, from the mid-1920s through to 1942, were spent in Bulwarra Rd, Ultimo. In July 1996 Pat and youngest Mick were interviewed for an oral history project about this time.    This interview provides a fascinating insight into not just the Robinsons, but working class family life in Ultimo before World War II.

Vera Conway (1864-1924) is Margaret Robinson's connection to the glory days of the central western NSW town of Wyalong in the late 19th century when it was (briefly) the centre of a major gold field.  But there is also mystery surrounding if and how Vera might be related to the other Conway branch in Margaret's family tree.

Margaret's father, William Patrick Robinson, served in the A.I.F between 1942 and 1946.  He operated in New Guinea, Tarakan and Morutai.  Through the remainder of his life Pat would march with his unit every Anzac Day, reflecting how deeply the time in the Army had affected him.

This is the story of how Margaret's parents, William Patrick Robinson and Patricia Bowen met, and their life together.

Margaret Robinson recounts her childhood family beach holidays along the NSW coast.

Margaret Robinson's version of how she and future husband, Daniel, met.

Margaret Robinson's mother, Patricia, grew up with the firm conviction that a woman should have her own means of income and passed this ethic on to her.  Delayed by child-rearing Margie still managed to have an amazingly varied work career across government, business and the legal profession.