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John Robert Sinclair

1850 – 1940

New Zealand politician

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About John Robert Sinclair

Lived 1850 – 1940 (aged 89–90). John Robert Sinclair was a New Zealand politician and lawyer.

Sir John Robert Sinclair (1850 – 3 December 1940) was a lawyer and a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 1907 to 1914, and from 1918 to 1932.

Sinclair was born in Anglesey in Wales in 1850. His father was Scottish and had moved to Anglesey in the 1830s. He received his early education in Wales before coming with his family to Port Chalmers in New Zealand in the early 1860s. Sinclair continued his secondary school education in Dunedin and the University of Otago, from where he graduated in 1875.

Based in Dunedin, he worked as a solicitor for the Dunedin City Council, other municipal bodies, and the Dunedin Drainage Board. Prior to his appointment to the Legislative Council, he took no part in political life, but had been chairman of the Otago High Schools Board, and held several directorships with finance companies. He represented New Zealand on the Dominions Royal Commission from 1912 to 1917. and the king passed the letters patent on 6 February 1918. He died on 3 December 1940, aged 90.

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Important facts

Born
1850
Birth century
Died
1940
Occupation
Nationality
Education
University of Otago
Awards
Knight Bachelor
Also known as
Sir John Robert Sinclair

People in John Robert Sinclair's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Robert Sinclair's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Robert Sinclair?

New Zealand politician

When was John Robert Sinclair born?

John Robert Sinclair was born in 1850.

When did John Robert Sinclair die?

John Robert Sinclair died in 1940.

What was John Robert Sinclair's occupation?

John Robert Sinclair was a politician and lawyer.

What nationality was John Robert Sinclair?

John Robert Sinclair was New Zealand.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Robert Sinclair

· Wikidata: Q15997092

· DBpedia: John Sinclair (New Zealand politician)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Robert Sinclair. https://biography.guide/john-robert-sinclair/

MLA: "John Robert Sinclair." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-robert-sinclair/.

Chicago: "John Robert Sinclair." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-robert-sinclair/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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