Robinson Piano Company [????- ]

Submitted by thackerata on Tue, 07/17/2012 - 20:40

I am searching for any information relating to the Robinson Piano Company and specifically, for any data relating to Walter George (Vaughan-) Robinson. He has been very elusive aside from the odd juror list entry and passenger list. Born in 1860 in Liverpool as Walter George Robinson, he later added the prefix Vaughan to his surname.  He was active in HK and Shanghai from the late 1890s into the 1930s. Any info regarding would be warmly received.  Thank you.  Ron

Type
Business
Status
Unknown
Photos of this organisation:
(see more)

Photos of this organisation:

W. Robinson & Co The China Mail page 5 14th April 1896.png
1896
1906

Comments

A search on this site for robinson piano turns up several results in the Jurors lists.

So far we've got lists for years 1894-1915, which include the following company names:

  W. Robinson & Co. W. Robinson & Co., Ld. Robinson Piano Co. Robinson Piano Co. Ld.
1894 Y      
1895 Y      
1896 Y      
1897 Y      
1898 Y      
1899 Y   Y  
1900 Y   Y  
1901 Y      
1902 Y      
1903 Y     Y
1904 Y     Y
1905 Y      
1906   Y   Y
1907   Y   Y
1908       Y
1909       Y
1910       Y
1911       Y
1912     Y Y
1913     Y Y
1914     Y Y
1915       Y
         

I'm not sure if they were two competing companies, or different companies under the same owner.

Walter Vaughan appears in the 1906 & 1907 lists as General Manager of W. Robinson & Co., Ld., isn't listed in 1908, but is back in 1909 (and 1910-11) as General Manager with no company, but address as "c/o Robinson Piano Co Ld". Finally in the 1913 & 1914 lists he's listed as Manager of Robinson Piano Co. Given the company names it seems likely he was owner of both.

In 1915, Robinson Piano Co. Ld. has a new manager, Norman Peterkin.

To find out what happens in 1916, please help us type it up!

Regards, David

I am tracking down a Walter George Robinson as well.  There was a Walter George Robinson who married my grandfsther's aunt in Adelaide South Australia in 1894. She was a Miss Catherine Naughton. The information in a newspaper notice about the wedding which took place on 4 July 1894 refers to the groom being from Hong Kong. Based on my understanding he  may have been a bit younger than the bride (at least on the records that I have so far). Anyway I would be interested to know if you have found any more information in your search. I have also found reference to Robinson being subject to charges of forgery that are reported in the Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser on 14 November 1898. Very interested to know if you find out anything more. My grangdfather ended up going and living in Singapore - so I'm interested if the Robinsons (at that early time) had a Singapore connection. Look forward to hearing from you.

 

Richard Naughton

W. Robinson & Co. advertisement mentioning they had 150 pianos for Hire on monthly payments and also pianos returned from Hire cheap 

W. Robinson & Co The China Mail page 5 14th April 1896.png
W. Robinson & Co The China Mail page 5 14th April 1896.png, by eurasian_david

Source: The China Mail, page 5, 14th April 1896