William Cleaver Francis Robinson

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Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson

Sir William Cleaver Francis Robinson GCMG (born January 14, 1834 – May 2, 1897) was a British colonial administrator and a musical composer, being the author of several well known songs. He was the fifth son of Admiral Hercules Robinson.

In 1858 he entered the service of the Colonial Office as private secretary to his elder brother, Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead, who was then Lieutenant Governor of St. Kitts.

He married in 1862 and in 1866 was appointed Governor of the Falkland Islands. On June 10, 1873 he was appointed Governor for the Province of Prince Edward Island and created a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG).

After leaving Prince Edward Island he was made Governor of Western Australia and served three terms being 1875 to 1877, 1880 to 1883 and 1890 to 1895, which included the transition of the colony to self-governance in 1890. He was made a KCMG in 1877 and a GCMG in 1887.

Between the three terms of office in Western Australia, he took the offices of Governor of the Straits Settlements (1877-1879) and Governor of South Australia (1883-1889).

Robinson retired from active service in 1895 aged 61 and died two years later in South Kensington, London.

Government offices
Preceded by Capt. James George Mackenzie	Governor of the Falkland Islands 1866–1870	Succeeded by Colonel George Abbas Kooli D'Arcy
Preceded by Sir Robert Hodgson	Governor of Prince Edward Island 1873–1874	Succeeded by Sir Robert Hodgson
Preceded by Sir Frederick Weld	Governor of Western Australia 1875–1877	Succeeded by Major-General Sir Harry Ord
Preceded by Sir William Jervois	Governor of the Straits Settlements 1877–1879	Succeeded by Sir Frederick Aloysius Weld
Preceded by Major-General Sir Harry Ord	Governor of Western Australia 1880–1883	Succeeded by Sir Frederick Broome
Preceded by Lieutenant General Sir William F.D. Jervois, GCMG, CB	Governor of South Australia 1883–1889	Succeeded by Right Honourable the Earl of Kintore, PC, GCMG
Preceded by Sir Frederick Broome	Governor of Western Australia 1890–1891	Succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Gerard Smith