Henry Robinson was born in
Dublin, the son of Sir Henry Robinson (1823–1893) and his wife Eva (née Medora), daughter of the
10th Viscount Valentia. Although he initially started work in a
London merchant's office, he followed his father into the Irish Civil Service at the age of nineteen. He served in a number of temporary positions before being appointed an inspector with the
Local Government Board for Ireland, with which he remained for the rest of his career. He eventually became vice-president of the Board, a position previously held by his father and generally the body's operational leader, in 1898, and retired in 1922. Robinson left Ireland in 1923, selling his
Foxrock house, and went to live in
Ealing as his life was under threat. He published a couple of volumes of memories of his Irish life in 1923–24, entitled 'Memories, Wise and Otherwise'. He was succeeded in the baronetcy by his eldest son, Christopher. He had four granddaughters through his daughter Eva Eleanor Hone (
d. 1894), including the stained glass artist
Evie Hone. ==Recognition==