Robert John Sholl, J.P., was 67-years-old when died in his son-in-law, Dr. Scott, M.L.C.'s home. He died on the evening of Saturday, June 19, 1886 and was buried in the Anglican Cemetery at East Perth the next day.

Dr. Scott was recently elected as the member for Perth and the funeral left his residence at 4 o'clock. It was attended by nearly all the leading men of Perth. The pall bearers were Sir Thomas Cockburn-Campbell, Bart., M.L.C., Mr. Mckenzie Grant, M.L.C., Dr. Waylen, and Mr. F. Lochee. The Very Rev. Dean Gegg met the cortege at the cemetery gate and conducted the service at the grave. He had also spoken of the deceased during the morning service in St. George's Cathedral.

Robert Sholl was born in England in 1819, the second son of Robert and Elizabeth (nee Mutton). He had been partially educated as a doctor before he arrived in Western Australia on November 18, 1840, aboard the Shepherd. His uncle, Richard Sholl, had been the purser on the Sulphur in the early days of the colony. His mother, sister Elizabeth (Mrs. Corbett), and brothers William and Charles, migrated with him. William was a surgeon and died many years earlier in South Australia. Charles was a long serving chief clerk in the Colonial Secretary's office.

Robert married Mary Ann Berkelman in Bunbury on September 21, 1844, and had eight children - Treverton Charles, Richard Adolphus, Robert Frederick, Horatio (Horace) William, Edward, Penelope Fanny, Arthur, and Charles Edwin.

He worked for many years as a clerk to the Bench, as a tidewaiter and as a schoolmaster at Bunbury, under Mr. Eliot. In 1855 he edited the Commercial News which later amalgamated with the Inquirer newspaper. He began the Herald in Fremantle and later returned to edit and part own the Inquirer.

In the early 1864, Governor Hampton chose him to establish a settlement at Camden Island in North-Western Australia when men from the Eastern colonies were setting out in search of the "Denison Plains." They had been publicised in the reports of Augustus Gregory and were said to exist on or near the Victoria River.

The Government expedition left for Camden Sound with Robert Sholl at its head. His surveyor was James Cowle, his surgeon was Charles Smith Bompas, and his private secretary was his son Trevarton. Some Pensioner Guards and labourers accompanied them.

After the Denison Plains Company disbanded, the Government party stayed on until it was recalled. It was based at Nicholl Bay. Robert Sholl was appointed Government Resident and he oversaw the development of that part of the territory. He was virtually a Lieutenant-Governor as in those days the only communication with the settled districts in the south was by sailing vessels, which was both infrequent and tedious.

Pearl shells and pearls were exported from the area and the surrounding land was occupied by squatters. Sheep, cattle, and horses, soon made many of them into wealthy men. Messrs. Grant, Harper, and Anderson settled on the DeGrey River, exploration was extended, the population increased, and Robert Scholl was responsible for the district's order and social well-being.

His many duties included that of Magistrate, collector of Customs, Lay Reader, Surgeon and Sunday-school teacher, and although he was at the disposal of the public, the public treasury did not reward him. After a hurricane blew down his house, destroyed his "household stuff" and broke his son's thigh, Robert built a hovel out of the wreckage and continued his public duties.

The Government never reimbursed his considerable losses, among which were his irreplaceable books. Even though his rule and guidance had brought new wealth to the Government, his meagre £500-a-year salary was never increased.

[The West Australian, Mon. June 21, 1886, p3]

It is not necessary that, to merit distinction, a man should be an office-holder. Until very recently the members of our community have been banded together in a strong feeling of brotherhood. Their object was hardly selfish; they all worked together for one end -- the advancement of the Colony. A colonist was valued for his worth, not for his wealth or place. Honesty, clearsightedness and ability were his most accepted attributes, and these qualifications our friend had. He used them to advantage. He was one of a band of workers who fixed strongly the substratum of our social system; there are many of those he has left behind him who owe him much that they cannot define, but which nevertheless kept society sweet, and helped what was insignificant in politics to be at least creditable.

Mr. Sholl having been partially educated for the medical profession, arrived here, in we believe the year 1841, in the Shepherd. Mr. Richard Sholl, his uncle, had been purser of the Sulphur in the very early days of the colony and his family was ultimately represented here by his mother, his sister (Mrs. Corbett) and his brother William, a surgeon, who died some years since in South Australia, and his brother Charles who was long the chief clerk in the office of the Colonial Secretary.

An early colonist did not as a rule bring much money with him. It was generally thought sufficient that a sound mind in a sound body the education and demeanour of a man were a gentleman's passport to society. There were but few drones in the hive, everybody knew everybody else; and when a body of colonists did not exceed some three thousand souls, a man's good and bad qualities were well known to his neighbours, and so he accordingly took his place among them.

For many years Mr. Sholl was clerk to the Bench, tidewaiter and schoolmaster at Bunbury, under Mr. Eliot. Then he succeeded to the editorship of the "Inquirer," and in course of time started at Fremantle the newspaper now known as the "Herald." Again he edited and was a part proprietor of the "Inquirer"; and at length in the early part of 1864, Governor Hampton selected him to establish at Camden Island a settlement. At that time some persons from the Eastern colonies, attracted by the reports of Augustus Gregory (clarum el renerabile nomen) resolved to find their way to the "Denison Plains," a problematical Eden supposed to exist on or near the Victoria River. So an expedition was equipped for Camden Sound, and Mr. Sholl was at its head; his surveyor was Mr. James Cowle; his surgeon Mr. Charles Smith Bompas; his private secretary was his son Trevarton, with some pensioners for a guard, and some labourers.

The Denison plains company broke up. The Government party stayed until they were recalled and stationed at Nicholl Bay. Mr. Sholl was appointed to the post of Government Resident there; and he saw the riches of that part of our territory developed. He was virtually a Lieutenant Governor, as in those days communication with the settled districts was by sailing vessels -- infrequent and tedious. Nickol [sic] Bay contributed to our list of exports pearl shells and pearls. The "Lilliput" of Swift, which Dampier had visited, was occupied by squatters. Sheep, cattle, and horses, soon made men wealthy. Grant, Harper, and Anderson settled on the DeGrey. Exploration was extended, population increased, a vast provision was added to the Empire without any flourish of trumpets, and for its first order and social well-being Mr. Sholl was responsible -- and he succeeded. His duties were multifarious; as Magistrate, collector of Customs, Lay Reader, Surgeon, Sunday-school teacher, his services were at the disposal of the public. The public treasury did not reward him. His house was blown down in a hurricane which destroyed his "household stuff" and broke his son's thigh. He constructed for himself a hovel from the wreck, in which he patiently discharged his public duties. A grateful country did not however, reimburse his losses. These losses were serious, for his books were destroyed, and could not be replaced. If it is to mankind a source of delight integros accedere fontes atque haurire that gratification was denied him, for although under his rule and guidance fresh fountains of wealth had been added to our colony has meagre salary £500 a year [sic] was all he got and was never increased. In the first administration of Governor Robinson he accepted a pension and retired from public service, living in Perth until he died.

He was essentially a public man; in a community such as Western Australia during his period of service it was no mean thing to be a journalist or a Resident Magistrate. In each capacity he did what he thought to be right. If his sphere of usefulness was limited he did good as far as he could and his work lives after him. Western Australia owes him much, and we will not begrudge him our feeble meed of praise.

The funeral took place on Sunday afternoon, leaving Dr. Scott's residence at 4 o'clock, and was attended by nearly all the leading men of Perth. The pall bearers were Sir T. Cockburn-Campbell, Bart., M.L.C., Mr. Mckenzie Grant, M.L.C., Dr. Waylen, and Mr. F. Lochee. The cortege was received at the cemetery gate by the Very Rev. Dean Gegg, who read the service for the dead according to the Anglican Ritual; Dean Gegg also made a feeling reference to the deceased at the morning service in St. George's Cathedral.