A CONTEMPORARY statesman of Sir Henry Parkes, and one who alternated with him for a generation as Premier of the colony (of NSW), was Sir John Robertson (pictured).

Sir John lived at Vaucluse, and after Parliament adjourned he would ride home on his white horse, Blucher. Always, on cold or wet nights, Sir John would ride to the hotel at the corner of Bathurst and Elizabeth streets to fortify himself for the journey.

His order was always the same — three pints of rum. However, this hardy old veteran of nearly 80 would only drink one pint of the rum himself. One would be given to the horse, and the third he carefully emptied down each of his long boots to keep the rheumatics out!

And so he would set out on the long journey to Vaucluse…

– ‘Queer Facts’ by Bill Beatty, The Sydney Sun June 9 1940

Royal Hyde Park Hotel at the corner of Bathurst and Elizabeth Streets, Sydney, where Sir John Robertson enjoyed his rum and milk. This was the hotel in 1936 before it was sold in 1983 and was closed and demolished. Picture: Noel Butlin Archives, Australian National University

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