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Norman Forbes ROBERTSON

Norman Forbes ROBERTSON

Male 1858 - 1932  (74 years)

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  • Name Norman Forbes ROBERTSON 
    Birth 24 Sep 1858  Albion Cottage, Thornhill Road, Islington Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Dec Q 1858 1b 194 Islington
    Christening 7 Nov 1858  Holy Trinity, Islington Find all individuals with events at this location 
    1858 Norman Forbes-Robertson Baptism
    1858 Norman Forbes-Robertson Baptism
    Gender Male 
    Possessions From 1900 to  Stocks Mill, Wittersham Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • STOCKS MILL, WITTERSHAM

      This large white weatherboarded post mill on its single-storey tarred brick roundhouse, is the largest postmill in Kent. Though originally carrying common sweeps, four single-shuttered spring sets had been in use for most of its life, The mill is winded by a tail-pole and talthur and never had a fantail. It drove two pairs of stones overdrift, one each at breast and tail respectively. Its centre post is one of the stoutest to be seen on any mill. It stood on six foot high brick piers.

      The mill was built in 1781 and there is a date carved on the post "RV 1781", though this may possibly record the date of its removal as some think it started life at a previous site. The mill stopped work in 1900 and both the mill and the nearby Tudor-style millhouse were purchased by the Edwardian actor, Norman Forbes-Robertson. He took a keen interest in the mill and kept it in good order and well repaired during his ownership.

      However, the mill still needed extensive repairs by 1958 when new sweeps were fitted; more repairs were needed again in 1968. The mill was purchased by Kent County Council who undertook major restoration in 1980, fittingnew sweeps and repairing and repaintingthe woodwork. The mill has been firmly anchored by the tail-pole and massive steps; though the sweeps are shutter-less, they are turned annually through 90degrees to relieve strain. Nearly all the machinery has been dispersed.

      The mill is open to the public by the "Friends of Stocks Mill" on summer Sunday afternoons.

      LOCATION: Beside the B2082 road, 1 mile north-east of the village of Wittersham.

      GRID REF: TQ 132273
    Address 1901 
    Address:
    5, Old Bond Street, London 
    • His age was given as 39 in 1901 which puts his birth in 1862. He was actually 43
    Death 29 Sep 1932  Heavitree, Exeter Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Cause: Road Accident 
    1932 Norman Forbes Robertson Probate
    1932 Norman Forbes Robertson Probate
    Obituary 30 Sep 1932 
    1932 Norman Forbes-Robertson Obituary
    1932 Norman Forbes-Robertson Obituary
    1932 Norman Forbes-Robertson - An Appreciation
    1932 Norman Forbes-Robertson - An Appreciation
    Notes 
    • Although Norman Forbes was never as well known as his brother Johnston Forbes-Robertson, he was a distinguished Shakespearean and played many roles; so many, in fact, that it will be easiest simply to list the plays and parts by years:

      He made his stage debut in 1875 at the Gaiety Theatre, London, as Sir Harry Guildford in Henry VIII. He also played in Twelfth Night that same year.
      In 1879 he joined Sir Henry Irving in The Merchant of Venice.

      1881: Paris in Romeo and Juliet with Wilson Barrett.

      From 1883 until 1887 he joined Sir Henry Irving's company at the Lyceum Theatre and in those years he played Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Gratiano in The Merchant of Venice, Rosencrantz in Hamlet, and Sir Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night.

      In 1890 he joined Lilly Langtry for a production of As You Like It.

      In 1896 he again joined Irving's company and acted as Cloten in Cymbeline, played in Richard III, took the parts of Gobbo and Shylock in several productions of The Merchant of Venice, and, again, Sir Andrew Aguecheek.

      In 1904 he once more played both Gobbo and Shylock.

      In 1906 he joined Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree to take the part of Lepidus in Antony and Cleopatra.

      Besides these roles he played at various times in his career Wolsey in Henry VIII, Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet.

      In 1916 he acted in several films, but his career in the cinema seems to have lasted only that one year.

      According to Ann Mills he toured America with Ellen Terry. Ellen called him the politest man in Britain.
    • Norman Forbes-Robertson was the son of John Forbes-Robertson (1822-1903) and one of the 11 siblings of Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson. He was also a notable actor and a friend of Ellen Terry, Oscar Wilde, Edward Elgar and Henry Irving. Together with Bram Stoker, he helped to organize Irving's funeral; a large body of letters connected with this event still exist. Forbes-Robertson was a prominent member of London's exclusive Garrick Club.
    • See:-
      Scrimgeour's Small Scribbling Diary, 1914-1916
      Page 101 - 102 - November 1914
      https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=Xn_MHtbe8swC&pg=PA101&lpg=PA101&dq=norman+forbes-robertson&source=bl&ots=IekemOmQey&sig=AIqD7aE0O8yZ4r2R-pJ-NNWEa9M&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_iNDbstbJAhXI1xoKHVyPBss4ChDoAQgzMAU#v=onepage&q=norman%20forbes-robertson&f=false

      Scrimgeour notes 5 children, but Frank was born years before Norman's marriage to Louisa Wilson.
    Person ID I000360  Mills/Rushton Family History
    Last Modified 1 Jan 2018 

    Father John ROBERTSON,   b. 30 Jan 1822, Aberdeen Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1903 (Age 80 years) 
    Relationship Birth 
    Mother Frances COTT,   b. Abt 1828, Bow, London Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1902 (Age ~ 74 years) 
    Relationship Birth 
    Marriage 1850 
    Family ID F000134  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 ? ? 
    Children 
    +1. Frank FORBES-ROBERTSON,   b. 1 Aug 1885   d. 15 Mar 1947, London Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 61 years)
    Family ID F571  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 13 Dec 2015 

    Family 2 Louisa WILSON 
    Marriage 1901 
    • Name: Norman Forbes-Robertson
      Registration Year: 1901
      Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
      Registration district: St George Hanover Square
      Inferred County: London
      Volume: 1a
      Page: 971
    Children 
     1. Norman Henry FORBES-ROBERTSON,   b. 1903, St. Giles, London Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1966, Aldwick, Sussex Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 63 years)
     2. Olivia FORBES-ROBERTSON,   b. 1906, St.Giles, London Find all individuals with events at this location
    Family ID F000140  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 14 Dec 2015 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsChristening - 7 Nov 1858 - Holy Trinity, Islington Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - Cause: Road Accident - 29 Sep 1932 - Heavitree, Exeter Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Norman Forbes-Robertson
    Norman Forbes-Robertson