The eldest son of a cleric, William Robinson entered the Colonial Office in
1854 and was promoted to first junior clerk, third class, in
1856. During the following decade he served as private secretary from
1858 to
1869 to
Herman Merivale, and from
1860 to
1862 for
Sir Frederic Rogers, successive permanent undersecretaries of state, after which Robinson was promoted
to assistant senior clerk, second class. After serving briefly as private secretary to
Edward Cardwell, secretary of state, and Charles Fortescue, parliamentary secretary, he was promoted
to senior clerk, first class in
1870 and principal clerk in
1872. From
1873 to
1891 he served as governor of several Caribbean colonies before ending his career as governor
of
Hong Kong. He was made KCMG in
1883 and CGMG in
1897.