Margaret Whyte was born in 1811 in Berwickshire, Scotland, the daughter of Jessie and George Whyte. In 1832 the Whyte family left their homeland as free settlers and sailed to Van Diemen’s Land, establishing themselves at Kelvin Grove near Cross Marsh. It was a journey that would forever change the course of Margaret’s life.
Two years later, in 1834, Margaret married William Robertson at her family home, “Meadow Banks”. By then, William was establishing himself as a successful farmer and businessman in Campbell Town. Together, they raised nine children and built a respected life in colonial Tasmania. The family later made their home at “Melrose”, their grand home in Battery Point overlooking Hobart.
Despite the family’s growing prosperity, sorrow touched Margaret deeply. In 1849 their eldest daughter Jessie died from whooping cough after a long and painful illness. Shortly before her death, colonial artist Thomas Bock sketched the young girl, preserving forever the image of a child her family could not save.
After more than three decades in Tasmania, William purchased extensive landholdings in Victoria and in December 1865 moved the family to “The Hill”, their new mansion overlooking Lake Colac. Margaret, however, arrived already gravely ill with pulmonary tuberculosis. After surviving the long voyage across Bass Strait and the journey inland to Colac, she lived only two months in her new home before dying in February 1866.
Margaret became the first person buried in the Robertson family vault at Colac Cemetery. Two years later, the remains of little Jessie were brought from Tasmania to rest beside her mother. William joined them in death in 1874.
Today, portraits of Margaret, Jessie and William Robertson by Thomas Bock remain preserved in the Art Gallery of South Australia.

Research by Jill Judd
Story by Meryl Ritchie


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