Dibdin, Robert Lowes

DIBDIN, Robert Lowes (1842–1916) was born at Hanover Square, London, second son of Thomas Robert Colman Dibdin (1810–1893), an English watercolourist and exhibitor at the Royal Academy of Arts, and Anne Abie Jones, and a grandson of the playwright Thomas John Pitt Dibdin (1771–1841). Emigrating to the colonies in 1862, RL Dibdin went to the Snowy River goldfields before moving to Rockhampton where in 1864 he commenced a long-standing business as a gold buyer and commission agent in Rockhampton, occasionally calling tenders for buildings which he may have designed. Later he oversaw the Mount Morgan-Rockhampton gold escort, was foundation secretary of Rockhampton’s Separation Committee, founder of several local building societies and an amateur artist. He married Emma Horler on 27 February 1865 in Rockhampton where he died on 14 January 1916. RL Dibdin was an accomplished artist. His 1870s water colour of the Lakes Creek Meat Works, and one of Keppel Island survive. His eldest son, TR DIBDIN was an articled pupil of the local architect JW WILSON and later practised at Rockhampton.

Migration and Travel

1860

31 Aug 1860; Arr: Melbourne from Liverpool as labourer, passenger on “Queen of India”

-1864

Rockhampton, Qld

Genealogy

[GF] Thomas John Pitt Dibdin (1771–1841) b. 21 Mar 1771, Peter St, London, Eng; d. 16 Sep 1841, 22 Trevor Sq,

Knightsbridge, London, Eng [playwright]

[F] Thomas Robert Colman Dibdin (1810–1893) b. 22 Oct 1810, St Paul Covent Garden, Westminster, London, Eng;

d. 26 Dec 1893, Sydenham, London, Eng. [exhibitor at the Royal Academy, London]

[S / M] Ann Alice Taylor Jones (1816–1894) b. 11 Feb 1816, West Brompton, London, Eng; d. Jun 1894, Sydenham

Lewisham, London, England

Robert Lowes DIBDIN(1842–1916) b. 2 July 1842, St George Hanover Sq, Middlesex, Eng; d 14 Jan 1916, Rockhampton, Qld.
[S, 1865, Rockhampton / M] Emily Horler (1847–1933) b. 25 Nov 1847, 11 Upper St Martins Lane, London; d. 23 Dec 1933, Rockhampton, Qld
[12C/1-6B] Thomas Robert DIBDIN (1873–1947) b. 28 Mar 1873, Rockhampton, Qld; d. 17 Aug 1947, Port Pirie, SA.
[12C/2-6B] Charles Lowes Dibdin (1874–1952) b. 17 Dec 1874, Qld; d. 28 Jan 1952, Qld.
[12C/6-6B] Arthur Coleman Dibdin (1889–1975) b. 21 Sep 1889. Rockhampton, Qld; d. 9 May 1975, Brisbane, Qld.
[S / M] Ivy Christina Scott (1896–1981) b. 24 Mar 1896, Taroom, Qld; d. 26 Dec 1981, Brisbane, Qld.

References

Joan Kerr (ed.), The Dictionary of Australian Artists, Melbourne, 1992, 210-11; L.McDonald, Rockhampton: A History of City and District, Brisbane. 1981, 430-31; Queensland Daily Guardian, 4 Apr 1864, 3; obituaries, Daily Record (Rockhampton), 15 Jan 1916, 6; Telegraph, 19 Jan 1916, 8.