Robert Pitcairn arrived in Van Diemens Land in early 1824, and before a year was over he had been admitted to the Supreme Court, the first barrister admitted who had actually qualified in Tasmania. In 1830 he married Dorothea Jessy, the eldest daughter of Captain John Craig Dumas from Richmond.

He persuaded Captain John Bell, the owner of a large land grant at New Town to the north of Hobart, to sell him 5 acres at a cost of 500 pounds. Upon this grant he built an attractive freestone house which he named Cairn Lodge.

At this stage his legal practice was affording him and his family modest prosperity, and the family resided in the house until February 1850, when it was decided to sell the property (today known as Runnymede) to Bishop Nixon, for 1500 pounds.

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