Lot 211
Spread Eagle Tavern, Argyle-street'. This is probably the finest known of the six surviving notes of this issuer in private hands and considerably more intact than the 1/- specimen held in the National Library of Australia which is also unnumbered. The 6d in the National Library Collection is a superior note
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Literature:
- 396 Medium:
- Collectibles Circa:
- Coins, Monies & Stamps Notes:
- The young American 'sealer' George William Robinson arrived in Hobart in 1822 as a twenty-two-year-old whose worldly possessions when he left ship consisted of just ten gallons of rum and one Spanish Dollar. Fortuitously for Robinson he quickly married into money and an advertisement in the Hobart Town Gazette dated 23 August 1823 announced that Robinson would be taking over the running of 'Horse Cart and Dray' (Hotel) from his father-in-law the successful brewer and property owner William Presnell. In September 1823 Robinson was granted a license to sell Presnells's Colonial-brewed beer from his residence at the 'Eagle' or the 'Spread Eagle' (Hotel) as it appears on the Promissory notes he issued in 1824. Reflecting his American roots, Robinson also dabbled in tobacco and cattle farming on land gifted to him by his father-in-law and augmented by a land grant he managed to secure. However, the pull of the sea proved too much for Robinson and in 1825 he mortgaged his properties to a Mr Kemp and purchased the schooner 'Endeavour' which he re-named the 'Hunter' before setting sail on a failed sealing venture. In his prolonged absence Kemp took over the mortgaged properties and on returning to Hobart Robinson sold the 'Hunter' and in 1827 was once again the proprietor of the 'Spread Eagle' Tavern in Argyle Street which was re-badged as the 'Tasmanian Inn.' Robinson was declared insolvent in 1828 but by 1932 he had rebounded as the proprietor of the 'Mail Coach Inn' at Lovely Banks where he also acted as Post-master. Robinson went on operate the 'The Black Snake Inn' and the 'Fox Inn' at Glenorchy before his premature death in 1839 after a short illness. Condition:
- Largely intact on backing paper.
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