Robert Benson

Robert Henry "Robin" Benson (24 September 1850 – 7 April 1929) He was baptised at St Stephen's Church, Audenshaw, on 1 November 1850.

Benson was educated at Eton College, from where he matriculated on 21 October 1869, before going up to Balliol College, Oxford. He graduated as Bachelor of Arts in 1874, having been admitted to the Inner Temple to read for the Bar in January 1873.

Benson earned his athletics Blue in 1870, 1872 and 1873 and in 1872, he was appointed President of the Oxford University Athletic Club. In the University Sports of 1870, Benson won the mile race by two yards in a time of 4 minutes 33 seconds. following the failure of many creditors after the financial crash of 1873, which had been masked by accounting irregularities. following which the firm became Robert Benson & Co. Benson also became heavily engaged in the financing of railways and mining development in Southern Africa, especially in Southern Rhodesia, where his brother-in-law Albert Grey, later the 4th Earl Grey, was administrator.

Benson and his wife also created a noted collection of early Chinese porcelain and pottery,

In 1914, Benson published a catalogue of his art collection, and later two catalogues of the Holford family collections, "The Holford Collection at Westonbirt" (1924) and "The Holford Collection, Dorchester House" (1927). In 1918, he published a booklet in which he advocated the creation of a central bank to manage the market in Government securities.

Public offices Benson was very active in public life, being a trustee of the National Gallery from 1912, and on the board of the Tate Gallery. He was the treasurer of the National Art Collections Fund from 1906, and a long-time member of the Burlington Fine Arts Club, regularly loaning pictures and porcelain for its exhibitions. The couple had five children: Guy Holford Benson (1888–1975) Reginald Lindsay (Rex) Benson (1889–1968) Margaret Winifred (Daisy) Benson (1892–1976) Constantine Evelyn Benson (1895–1960) Rosalind Frances (Lindy) Benson (1899–1982)

From 1902 to 1927, Benson and his family lived at Buckhurst Park, Withyham in (East) Sussex which he rented on a 25-year lease from Gilbert Sackville, Earl De La Warr. During his time at Buckhurst, Benson made considerable changes to the house,

In 1926, Benson and his wife purchased Walpole House, the largest house in Chiswick Mall, Chiswick, which at one time had been the home of Thomas Walpole.

Death Benson died of a paralytic stroke on 8 April 1929 at Walpole House. He left an estate valued for probate at £116,500.

Sporting honours Oxford University FA Cup winner: 1874

Old Etonians FA Cup runners-up: 1875