Cribb was born in 1805 in the town of Poole, Dorset, England into a rigidly Nonconformist family. Cribb's father, John Galpin Cribb, was a mariner and ship owner, operating to Newfoundland and the Mediterranean; young Robert and his brother Benjamin sometimes accompanied their father. However, this ended when their father was killed in action during the Napoleonic Wars. Following his father's death, Cribb's mother Mary Cribb apprenticed Robert and his brother Benjamin to two merchants. By 1832, Robert had settled in Covent Garden where he owned a local bakery. By the age of 22, Robert had married Sarah Sanson of Wareham. Cribb held views that were considered radical at the time, and was a committed member of the Anti-Corn Law League, as well as being a follower of radical politicians Richard Cobden and John Bright. After reading John Dunmore Lang's work "Cooksland," Robert emigrated to Australia aboard the Fortitude with his wife, four of his five children, and three other relatives, arriving on 20 January 1849.
Upon his arrival in Australia, Cribb settled in Brisbane where he first acquired a bakery on Queen Street between Edward and Albert streets, and then extensive landholdings around the growing city. In March 1852, Robert Cribb purchased land around the area of Cribb Street, Milton today; the street bears his name today. In December 1853, he bought 39 acres in what is today the suburb of Auchenflower. The land was bordered by Western Creek, Indooroopilly Road, the River Road alongside the Brisbane River and Chasely Street. He called this Lang Farm and he grew oranges, potatoes, cabbages, mulberries and olives. He built a house called Dunmore on River Road close to where Lang Parade intersects today. On 15 October 1857, his wife Sarah died at Ipswich aged 57 years. On 1 August 1860, he married for a second time to Sarah Walton in Ipswich, but she died on 3 January 1870 and was buried in Toowong Cemetery.
Politics
Robert Cribb became involved in local politics, earning the nickname "Robert the Restless" from the local press due to his nonconformist liberal and radical views. He was elected as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly representing the seat of East Moreton in June 1859, serving briefly until the seat was abolished due to the separation of the new colony of Queensland from New South Wales on 10 December 1859. During this time he also served as an alderman on the Brisbane Municipal Council from 1859 to 1861. Cribb was then elected at a by-election to be one of three members for the seat of Town of Brisbane, which took in areas of Brisbane north of the Brisbane River, following the resignation from Parliament of Henry Jordan. He represented this district until 1863, when he switched to the seat of East Moreton, which covered much of the area of the south-east corner of the colony, excluding the areas around the settlements of Brisbane and Ipswich. On 17 February 1870, Arthur Francis, member for East Moreton, resigned due to insolvency, and a by-election was called. On the nomination day, 19 February 1870, there were two candidates: Cribb and Robert Travers Atkin. In his nomination speech, Atkin made accusations against Cribb, who replied vigorously defending himself. The somewhat unexpected outcome of this verbal exchange was that Cribb announced he would withdraw his nomination. Cribb said that if Atkin believed he could represent them so well, the best thing they could do would be to let him try, predicting that Atkin would either resign or be asked to resign within six months. Being the only remaining candidate, Atkin was declared elected. Cribb's six-month prediction did not come true. However, Atkin did not complete his term, as he resigned on 7 March 1872 due to serious ill health. Although Brisbane had a municipal council since 1859, the area within that local authority was quite small and it was not until 1879 that local government was established in the area where Robert Cribb lived. In 1879 he would have been living within the Indooroopilly Division but shortly after in 1880 eastern part of Indooroopilly Division were separated to create the Shire of Toowong. Robert Cribb was a councillor of the shire from 21 June 1880 to 1 February 1881, representing the South Ward, and then a much longer period of service from 7 February 1882 to 4 February 1890, also representing the South Ward. He was president of the shire from 1885 to 1887. Although he stood for election to the shire council in both 1890 and 1891, he was unsuccessful. Cribb was a founder of the Queensland Liberal Association, and advocated strongly for the separation of Queensland from New South Wales, and for the abolition of forced labour within the new colony, whether by kanakas, convicts, or indentured labourers. Consistent with Nonconformist beliefs, he vigorously supported the separation of Church and State. He also sought to allow a man to marry his deceased wife's sister. He was committed to Chartism. Like Cribb, his brother Benjamin was also a member of both the NSW and Queensland parliaments, while two of his nephews Thomas, and James, also served in the Queensland Parliament.
Later life
Robert Cribb died in his home Dunmore on River Road on 16 April 1893. He was buried on 17 April 1893 at Toowong Cemetery.
