Robert Ian Jack (1935 – 2019) FRHistS, FRAHS, was an Australian historian, archivist, heritage specialist, industrial archaeologist, and musician.

He went to primary school in Dumfries before winning an academic scholarship to Ayrshire Academy where he finished as dux and also learned to play the organ.

In 1974, Jack co-founded the cross department discipline of Historical Archaeology at the University of Sydney with Judy Birmingham and introduced the first undergraduate subject in that area.

[4] This including digs at places like Hill End, home to the largest gold specimen ever found: the misnamed Holternmann's nugget, Jack had a long association with St Andrew’s College at the University of Sydney, being appointed Wilson Fellow in 1979, holding positions including Senior Tutor, Hunter Baillie Fellow in Oriental and Polynesian Languages, Senior Fellow, Woodhouse Fellowship, President of the Senior Common Room, College Archivist and Librarian.

Jack has published extensively in the areas of heritage, local history and historical archaeology from Medieval Wales to the Hawkesbury and Nepean Valley.

[7] He was a longtime member of the Book Collectors Society of Australia and he wrote articles for their journal Biblionews and Australian Notes & Queries.