Robert came from Aberdeen Scotland with his brother John Woodford Ferres. John died 3 October 1830 and Robert continued and finished the Round House building. Elizabeth Bateman arrived with father John Bateman and step-mother Mary Anne Bateman. Elizabeth had married William Ledgard who was transported in 1835 for seven years for plundering the wreck of the ship 'Cumberland'. By the time William had his ticket-of-leave Elizabeth had 5 children by Robert. It is possible that she obtained church dispensation as an abandoned wife to marry Robert. Robert and Elizabeth married 11 July 1848 at Fremantle. Robert was in a building partnership with Richard Morrell until it dissolved in 1843. Robert was the first to realise the qualities of the local limestone and established the lime kilns at Fremantle from which he supplied lime for the construction of many public and private buildings. For his services Governor Stirling granted him a limestone quarry, Lot 372 Fremantle on which now stands the old Signal Station and Army Barracks. He was contracted to pave Fremantle main streets in 1859. The introduction of convict labour deprived Robert of his livelihood and they departed in 1862. He and his family went to Sydney and in 1863 to South Australia where they subsequently died. Two sons returned to Western Australia in 1879 on the 'Spinnaway' to establish themselves as butchers in High Street having regained title to land at Lake Munster (near Woodman's Point) for fattening of stock.