Jeff Robson (sportsman)

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

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(s)
​
​
(m. 1953; died 2019)​
Sport
CountryNew Zealand
SportTennis, badminton

Early life and family

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

Badminton

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

Tennis

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

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

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
  1. 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. "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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