Photograph taken by J Robinson & Sons of Dundrum ladies Hockey team - grounds at Eden Park, Drummartin
Robinson Family of Herbert Hill
James Robinson married Anne Myra Bolton
born circa 1811 16 May 1844 born circa 1826
died 18 Aug 1877 St Anne’s died 20 Oct 1866
Herbert Hill 65 Grafton Street
James Robinson born circa 1811 to Joseph Robinson, and Elizabeth Spufford of Liverpool. He
opened a polytechnic museum at 65 Grafton Street in 1846, displaying Art, Science and
Mechanical amusements for drawing rooms. James of Liverpool and 41 Grafton Street
married Anne Mira Bolton, fourth daughter of John Bolton of 62 Grafton Street at St Anne’s
Church on 16 May 1844. On his return from Paris in 1847 he added microscopes, opera glasses
and telescopes to his product range and extended the premises. In 1849 he was an agent for
Soda and Seltzer water and by 1850 he was trading as an optician.
In 1853 he was selling fireworks and had a pyrotechnic department as well as a camera
department. In 1855 he had a photographic studio and is trading as an optician. In 1869
he launched the sale of Velocipedes (bone-shakers from France). By 1873 they were trading
as James Robinson & Sons.
Anne died on 16 May 1866 at 65 Grafton Street and James secondly married Elizabeth Anne
Taylor daughter of William Taylor on 13 May 1868 at St Peter’s Church, Dublin. James died
at Herbert Hill at 18 Aug 1877. He left personal estate of 20K. Elizabeth died 4 Jun 1903 and
was buried at Mount Jerome.
His three sons, John, Richard and James took over the business after his death and in 1883 a
second store was opened at 172 Regent Street in London which was run by John. There was a
fire at Grafton Street premises in 1887 and they moved temporarily to 23 Nassau Street.
The Grafton Street store was rebuilt by James Franklin Fuller in 1888. The partnership was
dissolved in 1892 and James traded as J Robinson & Sons, the advertisements cease in 1907.
1 John Bolton Robinson born May 1845 at 65 Grafton Street. He was an optician and living
at 172 Regent street when he married Clare Leblanc of Holborn on 3 Apr 1884 at St James’ ,
Piccadilly. They were still living at Regent Street in 1891 and had no issue.
2 Mary Ashburn (Minnie) Robinson, eldest daughter born August 1846 at Grafton Street
married James Brodie of Rathgar on 5 Jan 1871 at Taney. She died at Herbert Hill on
15 May 1877.
3 Richard Spufford Robinson second son, born circa 1849. He was an optician and registered
a patent for 'An Improvement In frames for astigmatic glasses to fasten on the nose' in 1889.
He died unmarried 28 Feb 1893 at 6 Florence Terrace, Bray buried at Mount Jerome.
4 James Robinson born 1 Nov 1853 at Grafton Street. He was appointed Hon Sec of the
Dundrum Cricket Club at its inaugural meeting in 1868. Meetings of the club were held at 65
Grafton up to 1883. The club is still in existence using grounds at Wesley College.
5 Annette Robinson born circa 1850 was the eldest surviving daughter and living at the Cedars
Kingstown, the home of her brother in law William Bolton when she married Samuel Lombard
Brown, a Barrister at Kill Parish Church on 20 May 1896. Annette died at Cambridge Tce,
Rathmines on 31 Oct 1906.
6 Charlotte Elizabeth Robinson, third daughter born circa 1852 daughter married Edward George
Gethings at Taney on 4 May 1880. Charlotte died 18 Jul 1881 at 4 Grosvenor Road, Rathgar
and was buried at Mount Jerome.
7 Agnes Robinson, fourth daughter born circa 1858 married William P Bolton of the Cedars,
Kingstown on 4 Jan 1888 at Taney. Agnes died 30 Jan 1927 at Green Road, Blackrock.
8 Fannie Maude Robinson, fifth daughter married her widowed brother in law, Edward George
Gethings at Switzerland on 2 Aug 1884.
9 Lilian Robinson born 2 Dec 1861 at 65 Grafton Street married George Price LLD, TCD and
Belmont House, Bray on 6 Sep 1893. Lilian died at Novara Road, Bray on 2 Mar 1918.
10 Elinor Constance Robinson born 15 Jun 1863 at Grafton Street married William Kerr Johnston,
solicitor of 37 College Green on 6 Mar 1890 at Taney. Elinor died on 20 May 1918 at 1
Appian Way.
11 Kathleen Robinson, eighth and youngest daughter married Ernest Neale Wright at Taney
on 16 Apr 1888.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – November 2019
James Robinson married Anne Myra Bolton
born circa 1811 16 May 1844 born circa 1826
died 18 Aug 1877 St Anne’s died 20 Oct 1866
Herbert Hill 65 Grafton Street
James Robinson born circa 1811 to Joseph Robinson, and Elizabeth Spufford of Liverpool. He
opened a polytechnic museum at 65 Grafton Street in 1846, displaying Art, Science and
Mechanical amusements for drawing rooms. James of Liverpool and 41 Grafton Street
married Anne Mira Bolton, fourth daughter of John Bolton of 62 Grafton Street at St Anne’s
Church on 16 May 1844. On his return from Paris in 1847 he added microscopes, opera glasses
and telescopes to his product range and extended the premises. In 1849 he was an agent for
Soda and Seltzer water and by 1850 he was trading as an optician.
In 1853 he was selling fireworks and had a pyrotechnic department as well as a camera
department. In 1855 he had a photographic studio and is trading as an optician. In 1869
he launched the sale of Velocipedes (bone-shakers from France). By 1873 they were trading
as James Robinson & Sons.
Anne died on 16 May 1866 at 65 Grafton Street and James secondly married Elizabeth Anne
Taylor daughter of William Taylor on 13 May 1868 at St Peter’s Church, Dublin. James died
at Herbert Hill at 18 Aug 1877. He left personal estate of 20K. Elizabeth died 4 Jun 1903 and
was buried at Mount Jerome.
His three sons, John, Richard and James took over the business after his death and in 1883 a
second store was opened at 172 Regent Street in London which was run by John. There was a
fire at Grafton Street premises in 1887 and they moved temporarily to 23 Nassau Street.
The Grafton Street store was rebuilt by James Franklin Fuller in 1888. The partnership was
dissolved in 1892 and James traded as J Robinson & Sons, the advertisements cease in 1907.
1 John Bolton Robinson born May 1845 at 65 Grafton Street. He was an optician and living
at 172 Regent street when he married Clare Leblanc of Holborn on 3 Apr 1884 at St James’ ,
Piccadilly. They were still living at Regent Street in 1891 and had no issue.
2 Mary Ashburn (Minnie) Robinson, eldest daughter born August 1846 at Grafton Street
married James Brodie of Rathgar on 5 Jan 1871 at Taney. She died at Herbert Hill on
15 May 1877.
3 Richard Spufford Robinson second son, born circa 1849. He was an optician and registered
a patent for 'An Improvement In frames for astigmatic glasses to fasten on the nose' in 1889.
He died unmarried 28 Feb 1893 at 6 Florence Terrace, Bray buried at Mount Jerome.
4 James Robinson born 1 Nov 1853 at Grafton Street. He was appointed Hon Sec of the
Dundrum Cricket Club at its inaugural meeting in 1868. Meetings of the club were held at 65
Grafton up to 1883. The club is still in existence using grounds at Wesley College.
5 Annette Robinson born circa 1850 was the eldest surviving daughter and living at the Cedars
Kingstown, the home of her brother in law William Bolton when she married Samuel Lombard
Brown, a Barrister at Kill Parish Church on 20 May 1896. Annette died at Cambridge Tce,
Rathmines on 31 Oct 1906.
6 Charlotte Elizabeth Robinson, third daughter born circa 1852 daughter married Edward George
Gethings at Taney on 4 May 1880. Charlotte died 18 Jul 1881 at 4 Grosvenor Road, Rathgar
and was buried at Mount Jerome.
7 Agnes Robinson, fourth daughter born circa 1858 married William P Bolton of the Cedars,
Kingstown on 4 Jan 1888 at Taney. Agnes died 30 Jan 1927 at Green Road, Blackrock.
8 Fannie Maude Robinson, fifth daughter married her widowed brother in law, Edward George
Gethings at Switzerland on 2 Aug 1884.
9 Lilian Robinson born 2 Dec 1861 at 65 Grafton Street married George Price LLD, TCD and
Belmont House, Bray on 6 Sep 1893. Lilian died at Novara Road, Bray on 2 Mar 1918.
10 Elinor Constance Robinson born 15 Jun 1863 at Grafton Street married William Kerr Johnston,
solicitor of 37 College Green on 6 Mar 1890 at Taney. Elinor died on 20 May 1918 at 1
Appian Way.
11 Kathleen Robinson, eighth and youngest daughter married Ernest Neale Wright at Taney
on 16 Apr 1888.
©June Bow & Karen Poff – November 2019