Robert Bruce (bef. 1836 - 1908)

Born before 5 Jun 1836 in Mitcham, Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Mary (O'Keefe) Bruce — married 30 Jan 1872 in Penthacowie, Colony of South Australia

Died 4 Nov 1908 after age 72 in Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Australia Project WikiTree [send private message]

Robert Bruce is managed by the Australia Project. Join: Australia Project Discuss: australia

Biography

Robert Bruce was born in Mitcham, Surrey, England.

Robert Bruce came free to the Colony of South Australia (1836-1900)

Robert Bruce is Notable.

Robert Bruce was baptised on 5 Jun 1836 at Mitcham, Surrey, England, United Kingdom.^[1]
He was the son of Scotish born, James Bruce (1800-) and Elizabeth Park (1810- ).

Robert was "educated in the Scottish tradition" but his first place of employment was an English shipyard. An interest in ships and nautical travel was to remain with him . ^[2][3]

Emigration to South Australia
In 1853, Robert worked his passage on the ss Gypsy to Adelaide, in the Colony of South Australia His first employment was as a locker in a bond store in Port Adelaide, Australia. ^[3]

Robert Bruce became a notable Australian pastoralist and writer.

In 1858, Robert travelled to the Northern Flinders Ranges to join his elder brother Douglas Bruce, and was appointed overseer at Arkaba Station.^[3]

In 1860, Douglas and Robert acquired Wallelberdina station, on the eastern shore of Lake Torrens, South Australia. ^[3]

Marriage

On 30 Jan 1872, Robert married Mary O'Keefe at Pendibacowie Station, which was the residence of 17 year old Mary's father John O'Keefe^[4].

Robert's brother, Douglas Bruce died aged 39 on 31 Mar 1873 at Wonoka North.^[5] in a horse riding accident, so Robert sold Wallelberdina station and partnered with James Moseley to develop Coondambo station, about 200 miles (322 km) west of Port Augusta. Eventually Bruce became the sole owner. ^[3]

Robert and Mary reportedly had four daughters and two sons including:

1. Mary Bruce born 11 Feb 1873^[6], died 1955
2. Annie Elizabeth Bruce born 01 Jul 1874 ^[7]
3. Robert Bruce born 31 Oct 1875^[8], but died at 5 months old in 2 Apr 1876^[9].
4. Amy Edith Bruce born 1879 (presumably in the UK as "Bruce visitied England in 1878 and returned again to South Australia in the early 1880s."^[10]), died 1948
5. Margaret Cathleen Bruce born 5 Jun 1887^[11]
6. 'John James Bruce also died as an infant

Robert lived at Coondambo for most of his life, and towards the end he purchased a home in Adelaide and called it Coondambo. He revisited England in the 1860s and in 1878. ^[3]

Bruce also became a writer and published the following :^[3]

• a novel, Benbonuna (Adelaide, 1900),
• an autobiography, Reminiscences of an Old Squatter (Adelaide, 1902, republished 1973)^[12], which covered the period of Robert's life from 1858 to 1860 described as 'Anecdotal description of working in the pastoral industry in South Australia in the second half of the 19th century; encounters with Aboriginal people'^[13].

Four volumes of poetry, all published in Adelaide

• • The Dingoes: and Other Tales (1875),
  • A Voice from the Australian Bush (1877),
  • Echoes from Coondambo (1893) and
  • Re-echoes from Coondambo (1902).

In addition, he wrote two plays and the music and lyrics for several songs. The plays were published in England, as were several of his songs.

In 1901 Bruce stood unsuccessfully as a Liberal Candidate for the State seat of Flinders.^[3].

Robert passed away on 4 Nov 1908^[14]at his home in North Adelaide, South Australia ^[15]. Robert was buried in the Catholic section of West Terrace cemetery, survived by his wife and their four daughters; two sons had died in infancy. ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism Entry: Robert Bruce baptised 5 Jun 1836 at Mitcham, Surrey, England, United Kingdom. Citing this record: "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NRHQ-LG3 : 21 March 2020), James Bruce in entry for Robert Bruce, 1836.
2. ↑ “Scots in Australasia.” Scots in AUSTRALASIA - National library of Scotland. Accessed September 2, 2021. https://digital.nls.uk/catalogues/scots-abroad/scau/list/?id=Bruce .
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8} Australian Dictionary of Biography>: (https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bruce-robert-12822)
4. ↑ South Australia Marriage Index. (Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 2 Sep 2021), database entry for Robert BRUCE (Age: 35, Status: S, Father: James BRUCE) and Mary OKEEFE (Age: 17, Status: S, Father: John OKEEFE), 30-Jan-1872 at Res of John OKeefe Penthacowie, Reference: District Frome, Book/Page: 90/287.
5. ↑ South Australia Death Index. (Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 2 Sep 2021), database entry for BRUCE, Douglas (Died on 31-Mar-1873 at Wonoka North, Age: 39, Gender: M, Marital Status: N, Residence: Wonoka North, Relative: Not Recorded, Notes: Symbol=S.), Reference: District Frome, Book/Page: 51/475.
6. ↑ South Australia Birth Index. (Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 2 Sep 2021), database entry for BRUCE (Birth Date: 11 Feb 1873, Gender: F, Father: Robert BRUCE, Mother: Mary OKEEFE, Birthplace: Wallaberdina nr Port Augusta), Reference: District Frome, Book/Page: 117/242.
7. ↑ South Australia Birth Index. (Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 2 Sep 2021), database entry for BRUCE (Birth Date: 01 Jul 1874, Gender: F, Father: Robert BRUCE, Mother: Mary OKEEFE, Birthplace: Wallellberdina), Reference: District Frome, Book/Page: 136/422.
8. ↑ South Australia Birth Index. (Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 2 Sep 2021), database entry for Robert BRUCE (Birth Date: 31 Oct 1875, Gender: M, Father: Robert BRUCE, Mother: Mary OKEEFE, Birthplace: Port Augusta), Reference: District Frome, Book/Page: 158/15.
9. ↑ South Australia Death Index. (Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 2 Sep 2021), database entry for BRUCE, Robert (Died on 02-Apr-1876 at Wallelberdina, Age: Not Recorded, Gender: M, Marital Status: C, Residence: Wallelberdina, Relative: Robert BRUCE (F), Notes: Age=5m.), Reference: District Frome, Book/Page: 72/460.
10. ↑ State Library of South Australia, 'S.A. Northern Pioneers: R.W. Bruce', https://www.samemory.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?c=5189
11. ↑ South Australia Birth Index. (Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 2 Sep 2021), database entry for Margaret Cathleen BRUCE (Birth Date: 05 Jun 1887, Gender: F, Father: Robert BRUCE, Mother: Mary OKEEFE, Birthplace: Coondambo), Reference: District Frome, Book/Page: 396/52.
12. ↑ Bruce, Robert. Reminiscences of an old squatter. W.K. Thomas & Co Adelaide 1902. https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/2463202
13. ↑ National Library of Australia Catalogue, Bib ID: 1710034, https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/Record/1710034
14. ↑ South Australia Death Index. (Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php : accessed 2 Sep 2021), database entry for BRUCE, Robert (Died on 4 Nov 1908 at North Adelaide, Age: 73, Gender: M, Marital Status: M, Residence: North Adelaide, Relative: Not Recorded, Notes: Not Recorded), Reference: District Adelaide, Book/Page: 337/76.
15. ↑ "Family Notices" Southern Cross (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1954) 4 December 1908: 8. Web. 2 Sep 2021 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article166973797>. (BRUCE.—Of your charity pray for the repose of the soul of Robert Bruce, late of Coondambo, who died at his residence, North Adelaide, on November 4. Sweet Jesus grant him eternal rest.)

• G. K. Jenkin, 'Bruce, Robert (1836–1908)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/bruce-robert-12822/text23147, published first in hardcopy 2005, accessed online 2 September 2021.
• Genealogy SA, 'Biographical Index of South Australians', database entry for BRUCE, Robert
  • Parents: Not Recorded
  • Life Information: Birth 1835 Mitcham SRY ENG. Death 4.11.1908 Nth Adelaide SA. Burial WTC. Arr SA 1853 GYPSY. Religion Catholic.
  • Occupation: Pastoralist
  • Residence: Mid North, Pt Augusta, Nth Adelaide.
  • Spouse(s): Mary O'KEEFE (1872)
  • Children: With Mary O'KEEFE: Mary (1873-1955), Annie Eliz. (1874-), Amy Edith (1879-1948), Mgt. Kathleen (1888-1969), Robt. d.inf., John Jas. d.inf.
  • Rec Type: Main
  • SNcode: BISA1