He was tutored by a Roman Catholic clergyman, and at age 19 while acting as an assistant teacher qualified for entry to the University of Dublin, but family illnesses kept him in England, and in 1823 he took to teaching, and opened a school in Ovingham, near Newcastle upon Tyne.
He had intended to start afresh as a farmer, but must have had second thoughts as he accepted an appointment as mathematics master at St. Peter's College, which he left after a few months to open his own school in North Adelaide, first at the Salem chapel, then at Goode's store in Kermode Street,[1] finally at new premises at the corner of Ward and Jeffcott Streets, which later became Australian Lutheran College.
His rule was cut short however, when he was thrown from his horse at North Adelaide when returning from the city on 24 October 1884, and died that evening.
The horse, Robert's favourite, was a skittish animal and without both reins was uncontrollable, and taking alarm at some small thing threw him sideways, breaking his spine when he hit the ground.
The University School of North Adelaide was merged with Whinham College in 1896[9] In mid-1898 Newman was charged with indecent assault against a 14-year-old student in late 1897.
[11] John Whinham (3 August 1803 – 13 March 1886) was married to Mary, née Bedlington, (c. 1811 – 4 September 1891) They lived at Ovingham House, Buxton Street, North Adelaide.