Ralph Mayer Robey (8 January 1809 – 1 April 1864), often "Ralph Meyer Robey", was an English-born Australian politician and businessman. Robey was the son of William and Elizabeth Robey, and migrated to

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

in 1841. He ran a store and ironmongery in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

from 1843, and gradually expanded his business over the subsequent years. He was also involved in sugar growing and was one of the original shareholders of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR). He set up a sugar refinery in opposition to CSR at Oyster Cove ( Waverton), which failed when credit was curtailed under controversial circumstances. Financially embarrassed, Robey had to sell the enterprise to CSR at a loss, leading to dispute and litigation. He served on the

Sydney City Council The City of Sydney is the local government area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Established by Act of Parliament in 1842, th ...

from 1846 to 1847 and was a member of the

New South Wales Legislative Council The New South Wales Legislative Council, often referred to as the upper house, is one of the two chambers of the parliament of the Australian state of New South Wales. The other is the Legislative Assembly. Both sit at Parliament House in th ...

from 1858 to 1861 and from 1861 to his death at

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Staffordshire Staffordshire (; postal abbreviation Staffs.) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. It borders Cheshire to the northwest, Derbyshire and Leicestershire to the east, Warwickshire to the southeast, the West Midlands Cou ...

in 1864.

Family

Robey married twice: first to Mary Ann Robey, née Leese, with whom he had five children, and died in 1841 on the way to Australia. On 21 October 1842 he married Louisa Townsend; they would have another five or more. She killed herself on 20 September 1889 by cutting her throat. Among their children were: *Anne Maria Robey married George R. Dibbs in 1857. *His third daughter Frances Emily Robey (died 22 June 1899) married Henry Edward Russell of

Goulburn Goulburn ( ) is a regional city in the Southern Tablelands of the Australian state of New South Wales, approximately south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Canberra. It was proclaimed as Australia's first inland city through letters pate ...

on 4 June 1870. *His fourth daughter Louisa Gertrude Robey (c. 1847 – 29 March 1918), married George Alfred Russell at Valparaiso on 27 December 1866. George Alfred Russell and Henry Edward Russell were brothers.

References

1809 births 1864 deaths Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council 19th-century Australian politicians 19th-century Australian businesspeople {{Australia-politician-stub