Moving funeral service for former Alderman Roger Robinson
'He had a moral duty to help anyone he could'
Friday, 23rd August 2024 — By Dan Carrier
Roger Robinson on holiday
FROM fighting for equality of access to asking drug dealers to move away from stairwells and gardens, Roger Robinson used his work ethic to improve the lives of thousands of people in Somers Town and beyond.
The former councillor and Alderman, who died aged 88, spent a lifetime using his talents for the good of others.
At his funeral service at Golders Green crematorium on Friday, more than 100 mourners came to pay their respects and share stories of a man whose moral compass and determination to do the right thing touched so many.
Rabbi Larry Tabick began the service by reading a prayer that he said summed up Roger’s life philosophy.
“When you have died, and people weep for us and grieve, let it be because you touched their lives with beauty and simplicity. Let it not be said that life was good to us, but we were good to life.”
Roger was born in Hammersmith in 1937 into a politically active Jewish family who had roots in eastern Europe.
Roger’s mother Julia was the sister of Labour MP Manny Shinwell – he would be a mentor.
His father Lazarus served in the Special Operations Executive.
Roger joined the Army in the 1950s. He had to learn to parachute – but on his first jump he landed unceremoniously in a giant cow pat.
He would later serve in Suez. His training saw him excel in unarmed combat – and friends would recall how Roger had such an iron group when shaking hands.
His return to civilian life saw him work for the Labour party, and in 1964, he stood as a councillor.
Roger loved jazz – he was a fan of Benny Goodman – and the Soho coffee bars of the 1960s allowed him to catch live acts and play chess as he did so.
He married Helene Elvy in 1961 and they had two children, Mandi and Stuart.
Later, he would meet and marry Maureen Harwood and the pair moved from Lissenden Gardens, Parliament Hill Fields, to Brookfield Mansions in 1975.
They had two children – Ben and Emma.
In 1981, Roger was the driving force behind the establishment of a new charity called Artsline, which focused on increas- ing access for partially
abled people to all forms of art. It championed dis- abled access long before the law caught up.
Roger loved dogs and was particularly fond of pugs.
He and his pug Biscuit were a well-known sight on Hampstead Heath – they also had a St Bernard, creating an eye-catching canine partnership – and Roger saw great humour in his choice of pet.
A long-running joke was how he believed Biscuit was part of a shadowy canine cartel who ran the world.
Widely travelled and a skilled linguist – he spoke French, German, Italian and Hebrew – he had a soft spot for New York.
His half sister, Ruth, had been adopted by his par- ents in the 1930s when she had escaped Nazi Ger- many on a Kindertransport, lived there.
But he loved nowhere more than the people and places of Somers Town.
A fan of Bogart and Bacall – Casablanca and The African Queen were his favourite films – he also had a Sherlock Holmes obsession.
Other interests included tai chi, a passion for Spurs, and he was a dab hand at karaoke.
Friend Mark Krymer told the congregation: “He would fight anything lock, stock and barrel if he thought it went against his constituents’ interests. It was always people first, party second.”
Roger was Camden’s mayor between 2001 and 2002, and was given an OBE for his work.
His daughter Mandi added: “He felt he had a moral duty to help anyone he could,” adding: “I feel very honoured to have had him as my dad.”
