Life of William Cargill Robertson (1925 - 2011)

The information on this page is based on Cargill's own story conveyed by him on his 80th birthday in Sydney in 2005.

Cargill Robertson was born on 17 May 1925, the second son of John Charles Robertson (1894 - 1942) and Dorothy Robertson (nee Aikman). See the link for further information on the history of where Cargill lived when he was young.

Cargill went to Geelong College and left at Intermediate level. He signed up as a fitter and turner in his grandfather's engineering works in Geelong, in his words 'to follow my father's requests when he went off to war by looking after my mother and sister'. After finishing his apprenticeship he got a job as a junior draftsman on the Kiewa scheme in north east Victoria at the Bogong Village, but he left that job to return to The Gordon Institute of Technology in Geelong to become a qualified mechanical engineer. He completed this course over two years full time, and one year part time (while working as a draftsman.

After completing his Diploma, he worked at the Phosphate Co-operative Company Pty Ltd (commonly known as Pivot) in Geelong for four years as an Assistant Engineer.

Cargill then spent a year and a half travelling over Europe and working at a company as a draftsman. He went to Toronto in Canada and worked there for 6 months before returning to Australia.

From around 1956, Cargill worked for the Ford Motor Company at Geelong and Broadmeadows where he was involved in the expansion of manufacturing and assembly facilities. At the time Ford was building a new vehicle assembly plant in Broadmeadows and were re-arranging their Geelong plant. In 1962, Cargill re-located to live in Melbourne to work at Ford Broadmeadows. In 1964 he was seconded to Ford New Zealand to organise the building of a new Parts Depot in Auckland and to organise the expansion of the Wellington Assembly Plant. In late 1966 he returned to Australia and was appointed as Plant Assembly Manager at the Sydney, Homebush, Assembly Plant. He left because 'it was dull and I was not learning much'.

In 1966 he joined Nabalco Pty Ltd in Sydney. Nabalco was building a Bauxite Mine and Treatment Plant at Gove (Nulamboy) in the Northern Territory. He prepared tender documents with design engineers for mechanical and electrical contracts. He spent around 8 months at Gove when all contracts had been let resolving contract claims. He then returned to Sydney after '5 satisfying years during which I learned a lot'.

In 1971, Cargill joined Weserhuette Otto Wolfe Pty Ltd (Sydney) as the Project Engineer for the manufacture and installation of coal stackers and reclaimers at Port Waratah, Newcastle.

It was during this time that Cargill met Jean Crocker. He was living in Mosman (Sydney) and was trying to join Mosman Council. Jean was one of Cargill's 'helpers' (as he called her). He did not get enough votes.

In 1973 Cargill joined CSR Sydney (Sugar Division), involved in major contracts for the construction of a new Bulk Sugar Storage Shed and Bulk Sugar Terminal at Lucinda near Ingham (Queensland). His work included regular visits to North East Queensland Bulk Sugar Terminals to ensure that the works were being carried out correctly and to report on progress. He also did contract work on the Brisbane Sugar Terminal; after completion of that terminal CSR closed its Engineering Group because of a recession in Australia. Cargill was now 60.

CSR was able to secure employment for Cargill and two of his colleagues at BHP Engineering BHP Engineering Pty Ltd in North Sydney; BHP were, at the time, one of the few companies still spending money during the recession and was upgrading their steel making facilities. According to Cargill, 'in signing up I gave my age as being 5 years younger but I did not join their Super fund as that required a birth certificate'. His work at BHP involved the calling of tenders and the letting of contracts.

By 1989, work at BHP was becoming less and BHP seconded Cargill to NSW State Rate Authority on their automatic fare collection project. He worked under this arrangement until 1991, when he transferred to work directly as a contractor. At the end of February 1994 the work on the automatic ticketing project was virtually completed. He was offered a job for 6 weeks as a temporary employee working on contracts and tenders for Station upgrades. With extensions, that job continued until April 1995. He was a month short of his 70th birthday.

Cargill then retired and spent time caring for Jean who died in 2004(?). Cargill continued his (unsuccessful) attempts to win Powerball, bet on the horse races, walked every day, and kept in regular contact with family and friends.

Cargill died in Sydney, NSW, on 14 March 2011.