Robert Palmer Abbott (1830 – 31 October 1901) was a politician and solicitor in colonial New South Wales, a member of both the Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council. Abbott was born in Broadford, County Clare in Ireland, and emigrated to Sydney as a boy with his parents, Eleanor, née Kingsmill and Thomas Abbott, policeman, arriving in the colony in 1838. He was admitted a solicitor in 1854, subsequently specialising in litigation concerning the Robertson Land Acts, and had opened an office in Tamworth. Abbott ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the Legislative Assembly at the 1869 election for Tenterfield, and the 1871 New England by-election, before winning the 1872 election for Tenterfield, serving as the member for Tenterfield until his defeat at the 1877 election. He was Secretary for Mines in the first ministry of Henry Parkes from 27 July 1874 until 8 February 1875, and was

Mayor of East St Leonards The Borough of East St Leonards was a local government area in the Lower North Shore region of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. First proclaimed as the "Municipality of East St Leonards" in 1860, following the passing of a new ''Municipaliti ...

from February 1878 until February 1879. He returned to the Assembly as the member for Electoral district of Hartley (New South Wales), Hartley at the Results of the 1880 New South Wales colonial election#Hartley, 1880 election. He was nominated to the Legislative Council in 1885, and sat till 1 March 1888, when he resigned, owing to his objection to certain appointments. He was a member of the New South Wales Commission in London for the Colonial and Indian Exhibition of 1886. He assisted his cousin, Joseph Abbott (New South Wales politician), Joseph Abbott, be elected at the 3 February 1888 Newtown colonial by-election, 1888 Newtown by-election, while his nephew, Joseph Palmer Abbott, Sir Joseph Palmer Abbott, served in the Legislative Assembly for 21 years, including 10 years as Speaker of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, Speaker. Abbott never married and died at Tempe, New South Wales, Tempe on .

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbott, Robert Palmer Irish emigrants to colonial Australia Members of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly 1830 births 1901 deaths Members of the New South Wales Legislative Council 19th-century Australian politicians Mayors of East St Leonards