Henry Robinson was born on 15 April 1879, one of the thirteen children of Henry Robinson (1846-1923) and Hannah Robinson née Williams (1850-1930). His birth was registered in the 2nd quarter of 1879 in the West Derby Registration District, Lancashire. On 29 September 1879 he was baptised in St Peter's Church, Church Street, Liverpool, Lancashire, where the baptismal register confirms his date of birth, that the family lived in Toxteth Park, Liverpool and that his father was a carter.
In the 1881 census he is shown as aged 2 years and living at 4 Gwydir Street, Liverpool, with his parents and his brother George A. Robinson, aged 6 years. His father was described as a railway carter.
He was shown as aged 12 years and a scholar in the 1891 census residing at 21 St Arnaud Street, Liverpool, with his parents and six siblings: George A. Robinson, aged 16 years and a port office clerk; Herbert Robinson, aged 9 years and a scholar; John Robinson, aged 8 years and a scholar; Thomas Robinson, aged 5 years and a scholar; William Robinson, aged 3 years and Hannah Robinson, aged 7 months. His father was listed as a carter.
He enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry and was attached to HMS Orlando during the Boxer Rebellion. He was killed in action, aged 21 years, on 17 June 1900 at Tientsin (now called Tianjin), China,. The Army & Navy Registers of Deaths and Injuries show the cause of death as a fractured skull when a bullet had entered his mouth and had become lodged in the base of his skull.
He is shown as 'Private H. Robinson HMS Orlando' on the Royal Marines war memorial at The Mall, London, SW1 and as 'H. ROBINSON. PTE. R.M.L.I.' on the HMS ORLANDO (BOXER RISING) war memorial at Victoria Park, Anglesea Road, Portsmouth, PO1 3HJ.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
