13. Robert John Lynn (1873-1928), businessman
Robert Lynn was born in Newcastle, New South Wales. He joined the gold rush to Western Australia in 1895 but failed to make his fortune in the goldfields. He moved to Fremantle and joined the shipping company, McIlwraith, McEacharn and Co. as a clerk.
By 1906 he was able to purchase a fleet of five small ketches and schooners and formed his own company. R.J. Lynn and Co. The fleet traded along the Western Australian coastline over the next decade.
In 1919, Lynn joined with Walter Johnson and established Johnson and Lynn Ltd. This new company bought and operated run-down coal mining leases at Collie. In 1920 Lynn and Johnson founded the Amalgamated Colleries of W.A., monopolising the coalfields’ output until 1930.
Robert Lynn was a Fremantle councillor from 1904-1909 and patron of the East Fremantle Football Club for 17 years. He held the West Province seat in the Legislative Council from 1912- 1924. Lynn was known as a generous benefactor to many schools of various denominations.