Robert Palmer Payne, Free Settler "Golconda" 1858

Robert did not accompany his parents and siblings to Botany Bay. The story within the family is that he had already gone to sea at the time they came out to Australia. His age was believed to be 11 when he went to sea.

Further, for some reason, when he was 15 he jumped ship with a mate in Melbourne and headed for the gold fields. At some point on the journey he went to ask a woman hanging washing in a field for a drink of milk. He came face to face with his mother. It is believed he did not know his family had come to Australia not having had contact after he went to sea..

Robert then settled in the same area as his family.

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In late January 2006, Mrs. Pat Hase, Research Consultant of the Weston Super Mare family history society advised that Robert was born to Mary Ann Palmer, Single Woman of Winscome.

It appears that Charles Payne, who later married Mary Ann Palmer, accepted Robert as his son. Charles was certainly not living with Mary Ann during the 1841 census but boarding with the family he worked for. Perhaps he is his natural father, perhaps not. Either way it does not really matter.

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Robert was illiterate. He "signed" his marriage certificate with his mark only.