The Robinson Family

Eric Gascoigne Robinson
Eric Gascoigne Robinson V.C.
photo from Gallaher Cigarette Card at Wikipedia

Eric Gascoigne Robinson

Title: Rear Admiral Eric Gascoigne Robinson VC, OBE

Birth: 16 May 1882, in Greenwich, Kent, England

Father: John Lovell Robinson

Mother: Louisa Aveline (Gascoigne) Robinson

Married: Edith Gladys Cordeux in 1913, in Basford district, Nottinghamshire, England. Edith was born in 1891, in Doncaster, West Riding of Yorkshire, the daughter of Dr. Robert Henry Cordeux and Ethel Monk Noble. She was baptised on 21 July 1891, in Doncaster. In 1910, Edith's father bought Bunny Hall, its Park and Bunny and Ratcliffe Woods in Bunny, Nottinghamshire. Edith died in 1938, in Petersfield district, Hampshire, aged 46.
Census& Addresses:
1901: Nottingham, Nottinghamshire: Gladys E. Cordeux is aged 9, born in Doncaster, Yorkshire
1910: Bunny Hall, Bunny, Nottinghamshire (Bunny Village website)
1911: Basford district, Nottinghamshire: Edith Gladys Cordeux is aged 19.

Occupation: Royal Navy Officer. Eric had a distinguished career, reaching the rank of Rear-Admiral, and he was awarded the Victoria Cross among numerous other honours. Eric joined the navy on 15 January 1897. Details of his career can be found on the Wikipedia page for Eric Gascoigne Robinson and the WWII Unit Histories website.

Eric Gascoigne Robinson demolishes guns
Artist’s impression of Lieutenant Commander Eric Robinson placing charges to demolish the Turkish guns at Kumkale, 26 February 1915.
drawing from VCs of the First World War - Gallipoli.(Stephen Snelling 1999) posted at anzacsite.gov.au
Eric was awarded the Victoria Cross in recogonition of his services in the Dardenelles on 26 February 1915 in preparation for the landings at Gallipoli.
London Gazette 13 August 1915 p8132
  The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the grant of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant-Commander (now Commander) Eric Gascoigne Robinson, R.N., for the conspicuous act of bravery specified below.
  Lieutenant-Commander Robinson on the 26th February advanced alone, under heavy fire, into an enemy's gun position, which might well have been occupied, and destroying a four-inch gun, returned to his party for another charge with which the second gun was destroyed. Lieutenant-Commander Robinson would not allow members of his demolition party to accompany him, as their white uniforms rendered them very conspicuous. Lieutenant-Commander Robinson took part in four attacks on the mine fields - always under heavy fire.

One of his superiors, Commander Richard Keyes, wrote, after he won the VC:
"I am honestly lost in admiration for Robinson, he has done splendidly and I honestly am surprised. I did not think much of him as a First Lieutenant. But that evidently does not prevent him being an exceedingly brave man." (as posted on the Great War Forum)

Not two months later, Eric participated in another mission to destroy a captured submarine that resulted in a special promotion as noted in the London Gazette 23 April 1915 p3946
Lieutenant-Commander Eric Gascoigne Robinson has been specially promoted to the rank of Commander in His Majesty's Fleet, in recognition of the distinguished service rendered by him on the night of the 18th April, 1915, as Commanding Officer of the force which torpedoed and rendered useless Submarine E.15, thus preventing that vessel from falling into the enemy's hands in a serviceable condition. Dated 20th April,
1915.
A German officer present at this incident noted that "I have never on the course of the war seen an attack carried out with such pluck and fearlessness" (VCs of the First World War - Gallipoli., Stephen Snelling 1995 p23)

Eric was awarded an O.B.E. on 11 Novemebr 1919 for "valuable services in command of the
Coastal Motor Boats in the Caspian Sea." (London Gazette 11 November 1919 p13744). Eric received a number of other medals and awards both in Britain and from abroad, including Russia, Japan, France and Norway.

Eric retired as a rear-admiral in 1933, but re-enterd the service at the outbreak of World War II and for three years he commanded convoys across the Atlantic before retiring again in 1942.

Notes: Eric was often known by his nickname, "Kipper". He was initiated as a member of the Naval Lodge of the Freemasons on 17 May 1907 (MQ Magazine, Issue 9, April 2004). On retirement Eric was a church warden of St John's, a member of Petersfield Urban District Council and the chairman of the local parish council (MQ Magazine, Issue 13, April 2005)

Death: 20 August 1965, at Haslar Naval Hospital, Gosport, Hampshire, England, aged 83

Gravestone of Eric Gascoigne Robinson
Gravestone of Eric Gascoigne Robinson which includes a depiction of his Victoria Cross
photo from findagrave.com
Buried: St John the Evangelist churchyard, Langrish, Hampshire, England.
An altar frontal in his memory was given by Eric's sister, Mary Robinson, at Easter 1969.
For unknown reasons, Eric was buried initially in an unmarked grave. The church was later approached by the Royal Navy VC Association, and after measurements were taken from adjacent marked graves, the exact position was established from church records. A standard War Grave headstone was erected, and a service of dedication was held on 28 August 1998, conducted by the vicar, Canon Terry Louden. It was attended by some 150 people, including a large contingent from Peterborough British Legion. Banners were lowered at the graveside, the Last Post sounded by a navy bugler, followed by Reveille - a most moving ceremony.

Census:
1911: Tendring, Essex: Eric Gascoigne Robinson is aged 28

Sources:

Ernest Robinson

Birth: 1880, in Greenwich, Kent, England

Father: John Lovell Robinson

Mother: Louisa Aveleine (Gascoigne) Robinson

Married: Margarite Herley on 25 June 1914, in Plymouth, Devon, England

Occupation: Naval Officer. Ernest was initially in the merchant navy as 2nd officer with the P&O company. He had a seniority date of 27 December 1897 as a midshipment in the Royal Naval Reserve then, as acting Sub-Lieutenant, he was confirmed as Sub-Lieutenant on 6 November 1905 (London Gazette 29 December 1908 p9944). Ernest was promoted to lieutenant on 16 August 1912 (London Gazette 29 October 1912 p7941).

HMS Hawke (1891)
HMS Hawke
photo from wikipedia
Chatham Naval Memorial
Chatham Naval Memorial
photo from Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Death: 15 October 1914, aged 34, aboard H.M.S. Hawke when it was torpedoed by German submarine U9 off the east coast of Scotland

Memorial: Chatham Naval Memorial, Chatham, Kent, England

Census:
1881: 1 Diamond Terrace, Greenwich, Kent
1911: Horsham, Sussex: Ernest Robinson is aged 31

Sources:
John Lovell Robinson
Rev. John Lovell Robinson of the Rover c1878
photo by Notman Studio from Nova Scotia Archives

John Lovell Robinson

Birth: 1849, in county Cork, Ireland

Father: Thomas Robinson

Education: Trinity College Dublin. John graduated with a B.A. in 1872, and M.A. in 1875.

Married: Louisa Aveline Gascoigne on 25 February 1875, in St Johns Church, Ivybridge, Devon, England
Children: Occupation: Naval Instructor and Chaplain
John was appointed naval instructor in the Royal Navy on 5 January 1871 (London Gazette 6 January 1871 p38) and was posted to the Agincourt, flag ship of the Channel Squadron, on 1 September 1871 (Navy List 1871). He was appointed chaplain on 20 October 1875, with seniority from 21 July 1875 (London Gazette 22 October 1875 p4952). On 14 December 1875, John joined the Rover as chaplain and naval instructor, at the ship's commissioning in Chatham. The Rover was stationed in North America and the West Indies (Navy List 1875), and John served on the ship until 1878 (Navy List 1878). On 12 August 1879 John was posted to the President, a drill ship, for service at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich as as chaplain and naval instructor. John is listed as as an "instructor of acting sub-lieutenants in mathematics &c". (Navy List 1883). He retired on 2 September 1902 (London Gazette 5 September 1902 p5752)

Notes: John was the author of "A treatise on marine surveying: prepared for the use of younger naval officers, with questions for examination and exercises, principally from the papers of the Royal Naval College, with the results.", published in 1882, and Elements of Dynamics (Kinetics and Statics), published in 1888.

Death: 7 December 1939 in Horsham district, Sussex, England, aged 90

Census & Addresses:
1881: 1 Diamond Terrace, Greenwich, Kent
1893: 7 Eliot Park, Lewisham, Kent (London Gazette 7 July 1893 p3867)
1911: Horsham, Sussex: John Loveee Robinson is aged 61 born in Cork
1914: Devon Lodge, Monksgate, Horsham, Sussex Dublin University Calendar 1914-1915 p282

Sources:

Mary Robinson

Birth: 1875, in Ivybridge, Devon, England

Father: John Lovell Robinson

Mother: Louisa Aveleine (Gascoigne) Robinson

Death: 1977/8, aged 102

Census:
1881: 1 Diamond Terrace, Greenwich, Kent
1911: Horsham, Sussex: Mary Robinson is aged 35, born in Ivybridge, Devon

Sources:
Return to Chris Gosnell's Home Page
Return to Chris Gosnell's Genealogy Page

If you have any comments, additions or modifications to the information on this page, please feel free to email me.
Created and maintained by: chris@ocotilloroad.com