The Rt. Hon. Lord Robins, K.B.E., O.S.O., E.D., died on 21st July, 1962, at the age of 77.
He was born in Philadelphia and educated privately at the University of Pennsylvania. He came to England as the first Rhodes Scholar from the State of Pennsylvania at Oxford University, and was at Christ Church from 1904 to 1907.
After a short period in the United States he returned to England and was private secretary to Earl Winterton, M.P., for five years, and took British citizenship in 1912. He served in the Middle East during the first world war and was twice mentioned in despatches and was awarded the D.S.O. He was secretary of the Conservative Club from 1921 to 1928, and commanded the City of London Yeomanry Battery R.H.A., T.A., from 1925 to 1928.
During the second world war he served in East Africa Command and then as O.C. 1st Battalion the Rhodesia Regiment until 1943. He was Q.M.G. Southern Rhodesian Forces from 1943 to 1945.
Lord Robins joined the British South Africa Company in 1928 and spent 30 years in Rhodesia. He was their general manager in South Africa and later resident director in South Africa. He became vice-president in 1955 and president in 1957. He was knighted in 1946 and received the K.B.E. in 1954; he was created Baron Robins of Rhodesia and Chelsea in 1958.
Honorary Membership of the Institution was conferred on Lord Robins in 1960, in recognition of his services to the mineral industry, particularly in Southern Africa.
Vol. 72, Trans I.M.M., 1962-63, p.679
