Subject

Mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington twice: 1905-6 and 1906-7. An active Methodist. We believe he had a daughter who married in 1902: "Jessie Murdoch Robson, daughter of Sir Henry Robson and Lady Robson, formerly of Aubrey Lodge, Campden Hill".

Andrew Behan has researched Robson: Henry Robson was born on 26 July 1848 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, the youngest son of the Reverend John Robson and his wife Agnes. The 1851 census shows him living with his parents, three brothers and a sister at 2 Queens Crescent, Glasgow and he was still there at the time of the 1861 census.

He applied to be admitted as a member of the London Stock Exchange and this was granted in February 1872. He gave his home address as 13 Monmouth Road, Bayswater and his office address at 16 Throgmorton Street, London. He continued to be a member, reapplying for election annually until he died. His home address in 1873 and 1874 was given as 5 Thayer Street, West London and in 1875 as 74 Bishops Road, West London.

He married Jane Gray Crothers on 1 October 1875 at the parish church of St Leonard's-on-Sea, Sussex and they lived at Aubrey Lodge, Aubrey Road, Kensington. The 1881 census shows him as a Member of the London Stock Exchange, living at Aubrey Lodge, Aubrey Road, Kensington, with his wife, two sons, a butler, a cook, two children's nurses, a housemaid and an under house maid. On the night of the 1891 census he and his wife were visiting the home of William and Elizabeth Miller at 55 Lancaster Gate, Paddington. The 1901 census confirms he was still living at Aubrey Lodge with his wife, two of their sons, their daughter, a butler, a cook/housekeeper, a ladies maid, two house maids and a kitchen maid.

He served two consecutive terms as mayor of the Royal Borough of Kensington in 1905-1906 and 1906-1907. Having been awarded a knighthood in the King's Birthday Honours List on 28 June 1907, he was invested by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 15 July 1907. His wife, now Dame Jane Gray Robson, died on 14 March 1908 and when he was granted probate her estate totalled £48,665-14s-4d, His father died on 12 August 1908 in Lochranza, Isle of Arran, Scotland and his estate totalled £11,034-2s-4d. The 1911 census shows him staying with his son, Robert John Robson, at The Crescent Hotel, Buxton, Derbyshire.

He died, aged 63 years, on 25 September 1911 and probate records confirm his addresses as Aubrey Lodge, Notting Hill and 9 Throgmorton Street, London. Probate was granted to Henry Renton Robson, Jessie Murdoch Connell (wife of the Reverend Alexander Connell) and John Ajmere Robson. His effects were originally listed as £150,000, but was subsequently re-sworn at £201,000-14s-10d. He was buried alongside his wife at Brookwood Cemetery, Brookwood, Woking, Surrey.