Was of Huguenot descent; he studied at the Hunter Street Academy and at St Bartholomew's Hospital. He then joined in partnership with Holmes, of Everett Street, Russell Square, whose sister he married, and eventually succeeded to the practice. Later he moved to 11 Great Coram Street, then a centre for literary residents and medical practice; Thackeray being one of his patients. Robarts later was in partnership with John Chatto until the latter in 1853 separated to become Librarian of the Royal College of Surgeons. In 1860 Robarts went into partnership with William Gill, of Russell Square, until his retirement in 1871. Robarts was a man of literary ability, a silver medallist of the Medical Society in 1836, and Fothergillian gold medallist in 1844 with an essay on scarlatina. At one time he was Hon Secretary, and later on a Vice-President, of the Medical Society. He was a regular attendant of the Literary Institution in Great Coram Street. He was, too, a Governor of the French Protestant Church and Schools. His death, attributed to heart failure, occurred at his house, 6 Alfred Place, London, WC, on November 9th, 1893, he being then one of the oldest Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons. His portrait is in the Fellows' Album.