Sidney Robinson

In the entire cemetery, there is only one memorial with a sun-dial. This is the memorial of Dr. Sidney Robinson, and amazingly after almost 120 years, the sundial has never been stolen or vandalised and it still keeps good time. Under the dial is engraved ‘To improve each fleeting hour before it’s past, and know each fleeting hour may be thy last.’ 

On the face of this dial are engraved the latitude and longitude of Geelong, along with the directions for reading the time.

Dr. Robinson had arrived from England in November 1860 advertised his business as a ‘homeopathic practitioner and surgeon’, originally in Melbourne, but moved to Geelong in 1865. He first worked from his home in Fenwick St, then took rooms in Myers St. He was unusual in that he made his house-calls on a large wheeled ‘penny farthing’ style tricycle, built for a big man – and he was obsessive about having the correct time. That’s why on his death at age 82, he got that sundial on top of his monument.

To meet more residents on your self-guided tour, scan the next QR code.