Robert Percy Whitworth

Robert Percy Whitworth (1831 – 31 March 1901) was a journalist, writer, and editor active in Australia and New Zealand.

Life Whitworth was born in England, the son of John Whitworth and his wife Ann, née Dawson. Lancashire

He grew up in England "principally in Lancashire and Cheshire." which by 1860 proclaimed to be "under the patronage of his Excellency the Governor-General."

Discovering for the second time that acting could not support him, a commission from F. F. Bailliere took him just a few months later to Melbourne, Victoria. and a large volume of work published in his own name.

Before settling, however, there followed a period of extreme travel as he compiled successive gazetteers of two more Australian colonies: New South Wales in 1866 (where his second son was born in February of that year), and South Australia (where he lived in North Adelaide and his son was belatedly christened in September 1866). There followed a four-year residence often referred to as "A History of Australia", which was used as a school textbook for many years. It has been contended short stories, serialised stories, and books.

New Zealand Whitworth had already shown an interest in Maori culture. His younger son was born in its principal city, Dunedin, and his middle name (which became the surname of his stage persona) reflects the name of the Hollyford River.

Back in Australia he was active in promoting tourist excursions to New Zealand.

Selected works

Reference books He produced a gazetteer of each Australian colony (excepting Western Australia), produced by F. F. Bailliere, Government Printer, of 104 Collins Street east: Baillière's Victorian Gazetteer (1865) Baillière's N. S. Wales Gazetteer (1866) Baillière's South Australian Gazetteer (1866) Baillière's Queensland Gazetteer (1876) Baillière's Tasmanian Gazetteer (1877)

Short stories Many of his short stories were published individually and later in collections. Spangles and Sawdust (1872) Round the Camp Fire (1872) Under the Dray (1872) Cobb's Box (1874)

Novels Lost and Found (1874) recounting the loss of the General Grant on the Auckland Islands Hine-ra, or, The Maori Scout (1887) Uncle John published in serial form in several newspapers. Lost and Found — A Romance of the Desolate Region published in serial form in several newspapers.

Drama Whakeau, the Pakeha Chief was played in July 1862 at the Lyceum, with scenery painted by W. J. Wilson. It played in September of that year at the Princess's Theatre, Melbourne Rangatira Wahena, or, The Maori Queen, concerning a shipwreck survivor "Edward Dawson" who falls in with a Maori village, was played in the week following Whakeau at both venues. Both plays were supported by Maori performers brought to Australia by Dr McGauran. Maximilian, or, The Princess and the Traitor, written for Madame Celeste as Princess Charlotte. The Happy Land, a political farce adapted for the stage in 1880 in collaboration with his friend Marcus Clark

Other He wrote the occasional poem. sung by the Sydney Harmonic Society before the Duke of Edinburgh at the Prince of Wales Opera House, Sydney, on 22 February 1868. He was for a time associated in society journalism with Garnet Walch and John Conway.

Later years

In old age he suffered for "some years" which in the later stages included the paralysis

Family Whitworth married Margaret Rivers Smith on 9 September 1854, they divorced in 1919. He married secondly Marie Constance "Myra" Woodland (c. 1896 – ) on 12 October 1919. He married thirdly, to Jean. Known professionally as Robert Hollyford, he was an actor and theatre producer. Emmeline Margaret Whitworth (1872 – 1945) married John Patrick Joyce on 5 August 1902 and lived in Western Australia

They had a home at 5 Gladstone Street, Windsor, Victoria.