Charles James Roberts CMG, (29 March 1846 – 14 August 1925)[1] was a publican and politician in colonial New South Wales and Postmaster-General of New South Wales.

Alderman Charles James Roberts (1877-80) Mayor of Sydney 1879

Roberts was the eldest son of Charles Warman Roberts,[2] a publican of Sydney, New South Wales, and his wife Annie, née Marsden and educated at St James's Grammar School and Sydney Grammar School under William Stephens. Roberts went into business, becoming a licensed victualler. Roberts married in 1867 Lucretia, daughter of Abraham Abraham, of Sydney.[2] Also in 1867 Roberts purchased the Crown and Anchor Hotel from his father, located on the corner of George and Market streets. In 1888 Roberts demolished this hotel and built a five-story hotel on the site, naming it the Robert's Hotel.[3]

Roberts was Mayor of Sydney in 1879, the year of the International Exhibition, for which he was a member of the New South Wales Commission, as also of the Commissions for the exhibitions held in Melbourne in 1880, Amsterdam in 1883, Calcutta in 1883–4, London (Colonial and Indian) in 1886, and Centennial in 1888.[2]

Roberts was member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for the Hastings and Manning district from 1882 to 1889,[1][4] when he resigned to travel to England.[3] He was Postmaster-General in the Henry Parkes Ministry from January 1887 to January 1889.[1][2] Roberts was appointed a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council on 29 April 1890, serving until his death on 14 August 1925(1925-08-14) (aged 79).[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Mr Charles James Roberts (1846-1925)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d Mennell, Philip (1892). "Roberts, Charles James" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
  3. ^ a b Rutledge, Martha. "Roberts, Charles James (1846–1925)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
  4. ^ Green, Antony. "Elections for the District of Hastings and Manning". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 23 September 2020.

 

Parliament of New South Wales
Political offices
Preceded by Postmaster-General
1887–1889
Succeeded by
New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Preceded by Member for Hastings and Manning
1882–1890
With: James Young
Succeeded by
Civic offices
Preceded by
James Merriman
Mayor of Sydney
1879
Succeeded by