Background
Wisdom was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, and arrived in Australia in 1834 with his parents.
Wisdom was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, England, and arrived in Australia in 1834 with his parents.
He was educated at Maitland, North.S.W., and at the Sydney College, and was admitted to the Colonial Bar in 1861.
He became the first member for Goldfields West in 1859, having resigned the office of Gold Commissioner, which he had previously held, to contest the seat. He represented this constituency in the Assembly in two parliaments, the Lower Hunter in two more, and was also member for the Goldfields North. Foreign a short period he was Crown Prosecutor, and afterwards represented Morpeth.
He was Attorney-General in the Henry Parkes Government from August 1879 to January 1883.
In 1887 he came to England with Sir Patrick Jennings as one of the delegates of New South Wales, to the Colonial Conference held in that year, and was created Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George during the sittings. Returning to New South Wales, Sir Robert died on 16 March 1888.
He was Chairman of Committees in the Assembly for nearly four years, and was appointed a member of the Council of Education 1878.