Born in New Plymouth on the 16th of July 1857, Robert was the 10th child of James and Jane Climo. He was only three years old when he and his family were evacuated from New Plymouth to Nelson at the onset of the Taranaki Wars in 1860.

When he was a lad in Marlborough, Robert heard the grown-ups talking about a dangerous kahikatea tree that needed to be felled. He waited until his parents had gone out and took it upon himself to cut the tree down. Luckily for Robert (and everyone else) the tree fell in the right direction and caused no damage - but Robert was in big trouble! So started a career in sawmilling.

As a young man he went with his family to work in a sawmill in Ormond, Poverty Bay where Robert learned to drive a bullock team. This proved lucky for his father, James for one evening when James had been 'celebrating', the local constable threatened to give James accommodation for the night. Robert took charge, loaded his father onto the bullock wagon and drove him home. It was at Ormond that Robert lost three fingers from his left hand in an accident at the mill.

A story that was told by his son William tells of Robert setting off to Wellington to take up an option he had on a section. While travelling through the Wairarapa, Robert happened to meet one of his brothers, who persuaded Robert to lend him the money to buy a bullock team - and so Robert never made it to Wellington. The section Robert failed to buy was the one on which Parliament buildings now stand.

In 1883, Robert returned to Havelock and married Elizabeth (Eliza) Gibbons. Eliza was born in New Plymouth on 6 January 1859 and she and her family had also been evacuated from New Plymouth to Nelson in 1860. As a child, Eliza had jumped from a footstool but fell on landing, breaking a bone in her hip. As a result, she always walked with a crutch. Her treadle sewing machine wsa adapted with a handle on the wheel as she could not operate it with her feet.

Robert and Eliza went to live at Halcombe and their first child, Cora Eliza Jane was born there in or about July 1884. Sadly Cora only survived a few months, and died on 4 December 1884. Robert and Eliza's next two children, Dora (born 25 June 1885) and Eva (born 6 February 1888) were also born in Halcombe, where Robert was employed as a bullock driver for a sawmill. Robert would be away during the week, but would come home for weekends. On Saturday, he would cut enough firewood to last the family for a week, sometimes working late into the night to cut plenty, as Sunday was a day of rest and no wood was to be cut on the Sabbath. Robert was a lay preacher of the Methodist Church which he helped to establish in the settlement, and woe betide anyone who made an unseemly noise on Sunday!

Later, Robert and Eliza moved their family to Rata, where three more children were born - William Robert James (born 14 November 1889), Charles Walter Lambton (born 1892) and Esmond Roy (born 1898). By now, Robert was employed as a bullock driver, tram laying and carting sleepers for the Main Trunk Railway until a fire swept through the bush and put an end to the mill there. Robert then leased some land and started dairying. At night, Robert would work for the dairy factory, carting butter to the railway station where he would manhandle the ice used to keep the butter cool whilst travelling. During the day between milkings, Robert worked on the roads - a very hard worker, he expected anyone working with him to keep pace , even his young sons. A strict disciplinarian, his children were brought up to respect their father's word.

Shortly after daughter Dora's marriage to David Henderson, Eliza had an attack of appendicitis. The doctor could not operate at night because of the lack of light so they had no choice but to wait until morning. This delay proved fatal for Eliza and she died before dawn on 12 September 1904.

In 1911, Robert ventured up to Huntly to visit his son Esmond Roy, who had had an accident - crushing his finger in a milking machine engine. Robert took his son to the doctor who advised them to stay in the town to be handy for treatment. Robert and Esmond Roy stayed at Somerset Boarding House, run by a Mrs. Amelia Dufty, to whom Robert was married some weeks later. Amelia and Robert returned to Rata where Robert now worked on the railway. Amelia unfortunately did not take to the quiet life in Rata and eventually returned to Huntly, to live among her friends.

Robert continued to work on the railway for many years until his retirement. He wore a beard down to his waist, but in later life, he trimmed it back into a tidy goatee. In Rata, Robert was an honoured identity after 40 years residence, known to young and old as "Uncle Bob". After retiring, Robert lived for a time with members of his family, finally settling with his niece, Lizzie Climo (his brother John's daughter) in Hunterville, where he lived for many years.

At 90 years of age, Robert vividly told a story of his childhood at Havelock as he displayed a large turkey dish which had belonged to his late sister, Elizabeth Catherine Pope, from which the old Cornish game of 'Snapdragon' had been played each Christmas Day after dinner. Dried fruits were liberally scattered in the dish, brandy poured over them and set alight, and the children were allowed to eat what they could snap from the 'Dragon's Mouth'. (This turkey dish was gifted to the Whanganui Museum together with other Climo family items - unsure if it still remains in the collection there).

On Robert's 90th birthday, Robert received a congratulatory telegram:

"Heartiest congratulations on your birthday from District Chief Ranger and Executive. Your membership must be a world record. Greetings from Wellington District A. O. F."

This telegram revealed that Robert had been a member of the Association of Foresters (A.O.F) Lodge for 72 and a half years and was to be awarded the highest medal award given to any member of the Lodge.

Despite his four-score and ten years, Robert was hale and hearty and was guest of honour at a birthday party at the home of his niece, Lizzie, attended by a large number of friends and relatives from as far afield as Eketahuna, Great Barrier, Whanganui, Raetihi and the King Country. The guest list also included member of the Halcombe A.O.F. and many telegrams were received. The centerpiece was a beautiful cake made by Lizzie and iced by May Maclarn (Lizzie's youngest sister). The cake was complete with 90 candles and a second cake was presented, a gift from Robert's grandchildren.

Robert Climo died on 1 February 1951 in his 94th year. He is buried beside wife Eliza in the Mt. View Cemetery in Marton.

- Excerpt from The Chronicle of the James Climo Family in New Zealand