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Yacht racing and rugby related material

Subject or historical figure Wee George Robinson (1894 - 1987)

Date1930 - 1977

Object numberANMS0091

NameArchive series

MediumInk on paper

ClassificationsEphemera

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Faye Magner

Terms

DescriptionThis archive series numbered [001] - [026] consists of a range of material collected by skiff sailor and builder George Robinson. Included are publications, reports, newspaper clippings, programs, a map of sydney harbour, rules and by- laws, relating to yacht racing and rugby league footbal.HistoryMr George Robinson (1894 - 1987), known widely as "Wee Georgie Robinson", was the designer, builder, owner and skipper of the champion skiff BRITANNIA throughout its working life. Robinson was a foreman shipwright at Cockatoo island, living on the Balmain waterfront for his whole life. He sailed in summer and played football in winter. Like his father, George Robinson became a boatbuilder and 18-Foot skiff skipper, starting as a bailer boy in his father's boat. In 1913 he built his first boat, a 6-foot skiff named BRITANNIA, and in 1919 he launched his 18-foot skiff of the same name. Over the next 25 years BRITANNIA became a champion, crewed by 11 family and footballers. Robinson built other craft including other skiffs, his own work launch, a yacht named WAITANGI and a series of Sabot class dinghies. Upon his death in 1987, his family donated various papers (programs, notebooks race records, magazines and newsletters) relating to BRITANNIA and the Sydney Flying Squadron collected by George Robinson to the Australian National Maritime Museum. The Museum also holds half block models of boats he built.