Robley Family
John George Robley was the only son of John and Maria (BROOKS) ROBLEY. John ROBLEY Snr. was a native of Sydney and a baker by trade. John Robley Snr and his family sailed from Sydney to East Gosford in 1855 on the ketch ‘Uncle Tom’. When his father became totally blind, Johnny secured a job working at the first mill erected at Brisbane Water.
He married Isabella RAMSDEN in 1864 - they had 7 children.
In 1884 the family moved from Blue Gum Flat back to Gosford where John opened the Union Hotel. Five years later he sold up and went to Wyong and became the landlord of the Royal Hotel until the Gascoignes took over. After two years he went contracting on the roads, and in 1892 he built the Commercial Hotel on the site of an old shanty. In 1901 Johnny Robley built a seventeen room structure which he intended to open as a hotel, but could not secure a licence and so turned it into a boarding house, which was then sold to Albert H. Warner. It was burned down in 1913.
By 1912 John ROBLEY listed his occupation as a farmer, probably at Mardi NSW.
Obituary - Mr J ROBLEY 4 November 1931
”The death of Johnny ROBLEY at the advanced age of 88 takes the mind back to old times (writes a correspondent). Although an old resident, he was not the oldest of Wyong, or Brisbane Water district. Mr George TAYLOR of The Entrance, can claim the district honour. Mr ROBLEY was a resident of Ourimbah, or Blue Gum Flat as it was then called. Always a
steady and respected citizen, he was held in high esteem. In sport, he was a most enthusiastic cricketer, and was identified with it from its birth in the district.
The late Mr ROBLEY arrived in the district at the age of 12, which made him a resident of 76 years. A widow and a son, Mr George ROBLEY (Mardi) and a daughter Mrs GARRATT (Wyong) and a number of grandchildren mourn their loss. The remains were interred in Lisarow Cemetery.”
Excerpts taken from ‘The Day We Celebrate – a history of the Wyong District Pioneer Assoc.’
He married Isabella RAMSDEN in 1864 - they had 7 children.
In 1884 the family moved from Blue Gum Flat back to Gosford where John opened the Union Hotel. Five years later he sold up and went to Wyong and became the landlord of the Royal Hotel until the Gascoignes took over. After two years he went contracting on the roads, and in 1892 he built the Commercial Hotel on the site of an old shanty. In 1901 Johnny Robley built a seventeen room structure which he intended to open as a hotel, but could not secure a licence and so turned it into a boarding house, which was then sold to Albert H. Warner. It was burned down in 1913.
By 1912 John ROBLEY listed his occupation as a farmer, probably at Mardi NSW.
Obituary - Mr J ROBLEY 4 November 1931
”The death of Johnny ROBLEY at the advanced age of 88 takes the mind back to old times (writes a correspondent). Although an old resident, he was not the oldest of Wyong, or Brisbane Water district. Mr George TAYLOR of The Entrance, can claim the district honour. Mr ROBLEY was a resident of Ourimbah, or Blue Gum Flat as it was then called. Always a
steady and respected citizen, he was held in high esteem. In sport, he was a most enthusiastic cricketer, and was identified with it from its birth in the district.
The late Mr ROBLEY arrived in the district at the age of 12, which made him a resident of 76 years. A widow and a son, Mr George ROBLEY (Mardi) and a daughter Mrs GARRATT (Wyong) and a number of grandchildren mourn their loss. The remains were interred in Lisarow Cemetery.”
Excerpts taken from ‘The Day We Celebrate – a history of the Wyong District Pioneer Assoc.’