Members’ biographical register

Robert Lynn

House

MLC

Party

Liberal to 1917 then National

Date first elected

22 May 1912

Year Retired/Resigned

1924

Electorate(s)

West

Inaugural Speech

Parliamentary Service

Service

Electorates

MLC West Province, 22 May 1912–21 May 1924

Private Member's Bills

Personal Information

Death date

12 September 1928

Cause of death

Place of death

West Perth, Western Australia

Cemetery

Karrakatta Cemetery, Western Australia

Arrived in WA

Arrived in WA 1895

Occupation

Clerk, salesman, businessperson and manager

Employment History

Began work at 14 years as clerk with Newcastle wholesale firm, became chief salesman
Arrived in WA, 1895 where spent one year unsuccessfully prospecting on Coolgardie fields
Moved to Fremantle as clerk with McIlwraith, McEacharn and Co Junior partner, Denny Bros and Lynn, shipping firm
Formed business partnership with HE Mofflin
Started coastal shipping firm RJ Lynn and Co, 1906. Involved in this trade for 15 years
Amalgamated with Walter Johnson to form Johnson and Lynn Ltd, 1919
Bought and operated coal mining leases, 1920
Established Amalgamated Collieries of WA which over five years bought virtually all operative leases at Collie
Managing director of six companies including Swan Portland Cement Co, Fremantle Coal Co and WA Underwriters Ltd, director of number of others (local director of Bank of NSW)

Local Government

Member, Fremantle City Council, 1904–1909

Principal Honours

Background/Membership

Justice of the Peace, 1910
Member, Municipal Tramways Board Fremantle, 1903–1918
Patron, East Fremantle Football Club, 1912–1918. Lynn medal is presented in his honour
Lifelong interest in fishing and boating

References

D Black and G Bolton, eds, Biographical Register of Members of the Parliament of Western Australia: volume one 1870-1930, Parliamentary History Project, Perth, WA, 2001, p. 126.
Metropolitan Cemeteries Board website. Accessed 6 July 2022. https://portal.mcb.wa.gov.au/name-search/ns-detail/?id=475c8618-8e1d-ec11-b6e7-00224814c0bd

Bibliography

Further Information

Battye, JS. The Cyclopedia of Western Australia, vol. 1, p. 329.
Alan Bonds, 'Lynn, Robert John (1873–1928)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lynn-robert-john-7275/text1261, published first in hardcopy 1986, accessed online 23 December 2015.
Johnson, LW. "A history of the Collie coal mining industry." University Studies in Western Australian History, 1957, p. 33–36.
West Australian, 16 May 1912, 13 September 1928.