Jeff Robson (sportsman)

Jeff Robson
MBE
Personal information
Birth nameJeffrey Ellis Robson
Born(1926-09-30)30 September 1926
Palmerston, New Zealand
Died5 September 2022(2022-09-05) (aged 95)
Auckland, New Zealand
Alma materUniversity of Otago
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1953; died 2019)​
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportTennis, badminton

Jeffrey Ellis Robson MBE (30 September 1926 – 5 September 2022) was a New Zealand badminton and tennis player.

Early life and family

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Born in Palmerston on 30 September 1926, Robson was the son of Maurice Alexander Robson, who later served as president of the New Zealand Badminton Federation between 1965 and 1967.[1][2] He was educated at King's High School, Dunedin, where he represented the school in association football.[3]

In 1951, Robson graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery.[4]

In 1953, he married Heather Redwood, who also played international badminton for New Zealand. The couple had one child.[5]

Sporting career

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Badminton

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As a badminton player, Robson won nine New Zealand singles championships, seven national men's doubles and four mixed doubles titles.[6]

Tennis

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In tennis, Robson won the New Zealand men's singles title three times, in 1949, 1952 and 1956.[6] He also won five national men's doubles titles, and twice won the national mixed doubles championship.[6] He represented New Zealand in the Davis Cup for three years, and was later the team captain.[6]

Honours and awards

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In the 1976 New Year Honours, Robson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to tennis and badminton.[7] In 1990, he was inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.[6]

Later life and death

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Robson's wife Heather died in Auckland on 11 October 2019.[8] Robson died in Auckland on 5 September 2022, at the age of 95.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b Kings, William (6 September 2022). "Badminton community mourns passing of Jeff Robson". Badminton World Federation. Retrieved 7 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Births". Evening Star. No. 19376. 9 October 1926. p. 6. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  3. ^ "School football". Otago Daily Times. No. 24993. 13 August 1942. p. 6. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  4. ^ "NZ university graduates 1870–1961: Q–R". Shadows of Time. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  5. ^ Taylor, Alister, ed. (2001). New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001. Auckland: Alister Taylor Publishers. ISSN 1172-9813.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Jeff Robson". New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  7. ^ "No. 46778". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 1 January 1976. p. 37.
  8. ^ "Heather Robson death notice". The New Zealand Herald. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
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