Clark & Robinson was an Australian firm of stockbrokers, of which the principals were William Clark and Lionel George Robinson. They made their fortunes in mining then left for London, where they continued to operate, living in a grand style. They are remembered for their horse racing triumphs, which included two Melbourne Cups.
History
Robinson and Clark went into partnership in 1890 and developed a large and profitable business dealing in mining shares during the Broken Hill and Kalgoorlie mining booms.
In 1895 Clark & Robinson moved their office to Adelaide, initially located at 27 Grenfell Street from April 1896 to October 1897, then Cowra Chambers, 23 Grenfell Street, then from March 1899 Brookman Building, 35 Grenfell Street. Robinson made substantial investments in the Hainault Goldmiming Company, which proved highly profitable.
Robinson began an association with Kalgoorlie and its "Golden Mile" when the Great Boulder Proprietary opened up its 200 ft. level, and in the late '90s deputised Sydney J. Yeo to open the company's Kalgoorlie office.
A large and lucrative business was developed with London, and Robinson moved there to handle this business in person. The rules of the London Stock Exchange not only demanded that he relinquish his membership of Australian Exchanges before he could join, but could not belong to an overseas partnership, so that with Clark was dissolved in May 1899 by mutual agreement.
For a couple of years Robinson and Clark ran their respective offices independently, then decided to reunite in London. Clark and his accountant Guy Stanton left for England in May 1902. Clark, who had renounced membership of the Stock Exchanges of Melbourne and Adelaide, was elected a member of the London Stock Exchange as from 1 January 1905, and on the same day Clark joined Robinson as a partner of the firm of Lionel Robinson and Co., renamed Lionel Robinson, Clark & Co., with offices at 24 Throgmorton Street, London. Within two years it was the largest finance house dealing in Australian mining shares in London. Business was good and the company prospered even better than it had in Australia, and each became very wealthy.
The Adelaide office was taken over by Arthur J. Walkley, previously an employee, and became a minor partner of the new company; he died 1 March 1942 after being struck by a tram. Other employees who later became partners were Andrew D. Young, Sydney E. Knights (later a member of the London Stock Exchange), and C. B. Jessop. Robinson was ever on the lookout for business opportunities in Australia: in 1905 when the Broken Hill mines were struggling with a host of problems he organised a luxury private carriage on the "Barrier" train for an invited group of industrialists and investors, who invested thousands of pounds of British capital into the North and South mines, Zinc Corporation, and Amalgamated Zinc Companies. Robinson and Clark formed a company Broken Hill Syndicate Limited with W.L., E.L. and W. Baillieu and others.
In 1919 the stockbroking firm of Knights, Jessop & Stanton was involved in the takeover of Lionel Robinson, Clark & Co.
Although he made his fortune through mining stocks, Robinson was also interested in industrials: he was a major shareholder director of the London Motor Omnibus Company, and the London Underground Railways. As a director of the omnibus company he was concerned at the reputation motor 'buses had for unreliability, and insisted on a daily overhaul of each bus, whether giving problems or not, with immediate beneficial results. Robinson and Clark invested heavily in establishing woollen mills and associated factories in Victoria.
From 1915 to 1921 Robinson was a committee member of the London Stock Exchange, and in 1916 became High Sheriff of Norfolk.
After Robinson's death, Yeo in Adelaide said:— *Lionel Robinson was a loyal friend and a thorough-going gentleman, and I would work the skin off my bones for him." In announcing the death of Robinson to members of the Stock Exchange of Adelaide, the President (W. B. Carr) said that although it was some years since he had been associated with the Adelaide Exchange, Robinson was well known to all the present-day members, who would deeply regret his death. The success they achieved in Adelaide they followed up in London, where they quickly gained a high reputation in leading financial circles. As a man Lionel Robinson was beloved by all his associates on the Exchange. He had a charming personality, and his cheerful disposition made him a host of friends who still retained a pleasant recollection of the days he spent among them.