Robert Bakewell Webster was the eleventh child of John Hearne Webster & Euphemia Kay Stewart born christened September 6th, 1865 at St Mary, Reading Berks.
In 1871 he was living with the family at Prospect St, Reading.
In 1881 Robert was a scholar at Combe College, Monckton Combe, Somerset.
"Robert came out to Australia in 1884 on the Iberia, went to New Zealand for two years and then to Hay, New South Wales for five years. He may have worked for his cousin Charles Gideon Stewart at Wooloondool, Hay.” (Esther Byrt)
Robert married Ada Sarah Ann Bowker on June 2nd, 1900 in Victoria, Australia. Ada was born c1873.
According to ‘The Australasian’ newspaper (July 22nd, 1933) Robert moved to the Otway district, Melbourne, Victoria in 1900. He tackled the virgin forest in what was a huge task and became a pioneering farmer. Robert established both arable & dairy farming at Beechwood, Laver’s Hill, which by 1933 had been much improved & extended to 180 acres. His farming methods are described in detail in the article.
Son Robert Christopher Webster, an employee of the State Electricity Commission of Colac, was tragically killed on the Prince’s Highway, near Terang in 1936. It is believed that a drum around which were rolled power lines fell from a truck & struck Robert. (The Argus, Melbourne, Victoria, October 1936)
Robert died in 1957 at Colac, Victoria, Australia.
Ada died in 1960 at Colac, Victoria, Australia.
The children of Robert Bakewell Webster & Ada Sarah Ann Bowker were:
we.7.11.1 Effie Emily Webster born 1901 at Colac, Victoria; died November 21st, 2004
we.7.11.2 John Bowker Webster born 1903 at Colac, Victoria
we.7.11.3 Robert Christopher Webster born 1904 at Colac, Victoria, died 1936
at Terang, Victoria, Australia
we.7.11.4 Maud Bowker Webster born September 28th, 1906 at Lavers Hill, Beech Forest, Corongamite, Australia
we.7.11.5 Stewart Webster born May 2nd, 1908; died July 29th, 2000
we.7.11.6 Ada Mary Webster born in Australia; died 1991 in Australia