11 replies to this topic

[Leigh Trevail]

http://[IMG]http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/1084/robinnrichardsforumxt0.th.jpg[/IMG]

Not to be confused with Robin Richards the B.B.C. commentator; I have spoken to this esteem gentleman and he stated that it had caused confusion before!

Robin Noel Richards (born 1920) was an ex. R.A.F. pilot who ran a garage in Boreham High St. Essex in the fifties. In 1951 he twice raced at Fersfield in his 1172 Ford based RBW Special (reg. SEV 9). I have it on good authority that he later went on to rallying with a degree of success, apparently he was last heard of living on a boat in Plymouth. Could anyone tell me more about this gentleman?

[ReWind]

Originally posted by Leigh Trevail

Not to be confused with Robin Richards the B.B.C. commentator

That’s strange because Robin Richards, the BBC commentator, also was born in 1920 according to this profile. He died in February 2007.

[David McKinney]

Anyone with the BBC man's autobiography should be able to confirm or deny the link with the Fersfield racer

[GeoffE]

The death of a Robin Noel RICHARDS was registered in Blackburn, Lancashire in November 1999. His date of birth was given as 26 December 1916. The birth of this person appears to have been registered in Thame registration district (Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire) early in 1917.

No RICHARDS boy with first name of Robin appears in the England and Wales birth index for the years 1919 to 1921.

[Leigh Trevail]

Quote …. “Anyone with the BBC man's autobiography should be able to confirm or deny the link with the Fersfield racer”

I wrote a letter to Robin Richards the commentator via the B.R.D.C. he kindly phoned me back and stated that the person that I was looking for was definitely not him! To add to the confusion the Fersfield races were organised by the E.C.M.C. and R.R. the commentator later wrote articles for their yearly magazine.

I must thank GeoffE for taking the time to check out the birth and death records, this is surely above and beyond the call of duty. However this contradicts ReWinds date of birth for R.R. the commentator, perhaps Robin was not his correct name, I must admit I would like to read his book.

I assume that the man I am tracing used the ‘N’ as a way not to cause confusion, I am sure that the line about the garage in Boreham was fact. My thanks to all of you for helping!

[KJJ]

The London Gazette is a good source of information and free. If you do an exact search on Robin Noel Richards his RAF connection - it seems he was an acting Pilot officer as early as July 1938 - will be confirmed as well as some information about his garage "Richards Bros" in High Street, Walton on the Naze. It also gives what is probably his brother's name (Rivelin Ewart Richards) and also the name of a partner in the garage business (Lionel Hubert Boustred).

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by GeoffE
No RICHARDS boy with first name of Robin appears in the England and Wales birth index for the years 1919 to 1921.

Robin is a diminutive of Robert
However, having introduced one red herring with the BBC man, perhaps I should keep schtum

[GeoffE]

Originally posted by KJJ
Rivelin Ewart Richards ...

... birth registered in Henley District 1908 - not a million miles from Thame.

[Leigh Trevail]

Quote.. “Robin is a diminutive of Robert
However, having introduced one red herring with the BBC man, perhaps I should keep schtum”

Not at all, I did not know that! The piece in the London Gazette must be my man, I am surprised anyone other than myself is interested, many thanks!

[Rupertlt1]

Boreham Airfield car races, West Essex Car Club, 26 May 1951, 20,000 spectators

Photo caption:

R. Richards' Ford-based R.B.W. leading W. Coleman (TA M.G.) round Railway

Corner in the scratch race for 1½-litre sports cars.

Autocar, 1 June 1951, Page 646

Registration: SEV 9. Fly-screen.

Exeter Trial, 1951, #245:

https://library.revs...er-trial/357346

 

For rallying start here: https://forums.autos...y/#entry7418987

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 12 May 2022 - 09:48.

[Geoff E]

Robin is a diminutive of Robert
However, having introduced one red herring with the BBC man, perhaps I should keep schtum

 

In fact, David's suggestion was correct in this instance.

 

Although the BBC man's birth, marriage and probate were all registered as Robert Batson Richards, the marriage was covered in the 12th March 1952 edition of the Tatler.  The bridegroom was described as Major Robin Batson Richards, Royal Corps of Signals.  His father-in-law was Capt. J Summers OBE "the famous test pilot". 

 

The newspaper obituary notice of the BBC man is here, his widow dying just three days later. https://funeral-noti...ichards/3794225

Edited by Geoff E, 15 December 2024 - 09:31.

[Rupertlt1]

#3 SEV 9 is here:

https://www.motorspo...arch=1018549399

"Robin Richards's R.B.W.—which consists of Ford 10 parts distributed very neatly round a tubular chassis"

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 22 December 2024 - 05:59.