Robert Charles Dallas

Robert Charles Dallas (1754 – 1824) was a Jamaican-born British poet and conservative writer. He is known also for a contentious book on Lord Byron, and a history of the Second Maroon War.

Family

Robert Charles Dallas was born in Kingston, Jamaica, where his father, Robert Dallas, M.D., of Dallas Castle, Jamaica, was a physician; his mother was a daughter of Colonel Cormack or Cammack.

The elder Robert Dallas came to Jamaica from Scotland around 1730. His first wife was Mary Frances Main, daughter of Samuel Themer Main, a merchant of Kingston. Dr Dallas then had a long-standing affair with Sarah Hewitt, née Cammack, and Robert Charles Dallas was born 14 July 1754. Sarah had previously married John Hewitt in 1751. Robert Charles was born illegitimate, and his parents eventually married in 1769, in England, after John Hewitt's death.

A brother of Dallas was Alexander James Dallas. There were at least two other brothers (one possibly a half-brother) and two sisters in the family. Dr Dallas died in 1769, shortly after marrying Sarah Hewitt. His will left his estate to his wife Sarah. Dr. Dallas bought the Boar Castle estate on the Cane River, Jamaica in 1758, changing its name to Dallas Castle. He left the island in 1764, having mortgaged the estate and put it in a trust. This property included 900 acres and 91 slaves.

Early life

Robert Charles Dallas was educated at Musselburgh, in Scotland, and under James Elphinston at Kensington, London. He entered the Inner Temple, but on coming of age went to Jamaica to take possession of the estates which he had inherited, and became an official there. After three years he visited England and married. He returned with his wife to Jamaica. He subsequently resigned his post and left Jamaica for the sake of his wife's health.