Alwyn Robbins

{{Short description|British geodesist (1920–2002)}} {{Use British English|date=November 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}

'''Alwyn Rudolph Robbins''' (5 January 1920 – 9 or 10 January 2002) was a British geodesist, former chairman of the Royal Society subcommittee on geodesy, and a founding fellow of St Cross College at the University of Oxford. Robbins published on geodesy and photogrammetry, with additional contributions to geodetic astronomy and the development of clocks. He held multiple positions within the International Association of Geodesy during his career as well.

==Early life, education, and military service== Alwyn Robbins was born in Lydney, Gloucestershire on 5 January 1920.{{efn|Sources conflict on Robbins' place of birth, with both Lydney and Oxford put forward.<ref name="Ashkenazi Lydney"/><ref name="Survey Review Oxford"/> His date of birth is calculated from his age at death.<ref name="Survey Review DoB"/>}} He was educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton, Devon, winning multiple scholarships and exhibitions to attend Hertford College of the University of Oxford.<ref name="Ashkenazi Blundells"/> At Hertford, he studied mathematics,<ref name="Olliver Blundells"/> and participated in rowing, squash, and tennis.<ref name="Ashkenazi sports"/>

Robbins graduated from Oxford in 1940,{{efn|Olliver 2002 states that Robbins did not complete his degree until after his return from military service,<ref name="Olliver RE"/> but other sources offer that his graduation occurred before mobilisation.}} and was awarded his degree with first class honours.<ref name="Ashkenazi degree"/><ref name="Survey Review degree"/> Later that year, he received a commission in the Survey Branch of the Royal Engineers and was posted to West Africa.

From his studies at Oxford, Robbins had also received Master of Science, Master of Arts, and Doctor of Philosophy degrees.<ref name="Survey Review degrees"/>

==Career== Following military demobilisation in 1946, Robbins returned to Oxford and soon gained a post as an academic post in surveying.<ref name="Survey Review demobilised"/> He was promoted multiple times and continued to climb the ranks, becoming a reader and head of the surveying and geodesy department in 1966 upon the retirement of Guy Bomford.<ref name="Ashkenazi reader"/><ref name="Olliver Bomford"/> {{harvnb|Olliver|2002}} records:

{{quote|His work for his BSc degree (converted to MSc) involved developing precise formulae for the geometry of long lines on the earth ellipsoid. His D.Phil. project was an investigation of the shape of the geoid – the equipotential surface of the Earth's gravity field that coincides with the sea surface{{snd}}in England and Scotland. This involved making astronomical observations at 43 Ordnance Survey triangulation points, extending from Dover to John o'Groats{{snd}}an arduous campaign over several seasons that had to be fitted in with his academic duties. His particular interest in astronomy was the definition and precise measurement of time, and he designed a highly accurate portable printing chronometer for use in geodetic astronomy, which was successfully marketed. He was also the author of a military handbook on the same subject.}}

Robbins published on geodesy and on timekeeping, and held several appointments within the International Association of Geodesy. He also represented the United Kingdom on the international scale as a delegate to conferences and assemblies, and was the chairman of the geodesy subcommittee of the Royal Society.<ref name="Ashkenazi career"/> He also had extensive international connections and spent in various countries, as well as a two-year secondment with the Ministry of Defence.<ref name="Olliver links"/> During his time at Oxford, robbins held multiple visiting professorships, including at Ohio State University, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the University of Otago.<ref name="Survey Review visiting"/>

In 1980, Robbins retired, becoming an ''emeritus'' fellow of St Cross College.<ref name="Olliver retirement"/> During his career, he had been elected Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, and Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.<ref name="Survey Review fellowships"/>

==Personal life and death== Following his retirement, Robbins moved to Devon and pursued recreational fly-fishing.<ref name="Olliver Devon"/> He died in his home at Ottery St Mary<ref name="Olliver died"/> on 9 or 10 January 2002.{{efn|Sources conflict on date of death: Olliver 2002<ref name="Olliver DoD"/> and ''Survey Review'' 2002 state he died on 9 January,<ref name="Survey Review DoD"/> while Ashkenazi 2002 and Ashkenazi & Lachapelle 2002 state he died on 10 January.<ref name="Ashkenazi DoD"/>}} He was survived by his wife Mary and his children: a son and a daughter, Mike and Rowena.<ref name="Olliver leaves"/><ref name="Ashkenazi missed"/>

==Notes== {{Notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist|refs= <ref name="Survey Review DoB">{{harvnb|''Survey Review''|2002}}: "...{{nbsp}}death of Dr Alwyn Robbins on 9 January 2002, just 4 days after his 82nd birthday."</ref> <ref name="Ashkenazi Lydney">{{harvnb|Ashkenazi|2002}}; {{harvnb|Ashkenazi|Lachapelle|2002}}: "Alwyn was born in Lydney, Gloucestershire, in 1920."</ref> <ref name="Survey Review Oxford">{{harvnb|''Survey Review''|2002}}: "Born in Oxford in January 1920{{nbsp}}..."</ref> <ref name="Ashkenazi Blundells">{{harvnb|Ashkenazi|2002}}; {{harvnb|Ashkenazi|Lachapelle|2002}}: "He was educated at Blundell’s School in Tiverton, Devon, and at Hertford College, Oxford, where he won an open mathematical scholarship and two exhibitions."</ref> <ref name="Olliver Blundells">{{harvnb|Olliver|2002}}: "He was educated at Blundell's School, Tiverton, and won an Exhibition to Hertford College in 1938, where he read mathematics."</ref> <ref name="Ashkenazi sports">{{harvnb|Ashkenazi|2002}}; {{harvnb|Ashkenazi|Lachapelle|2002}}: "While at Hertford, he wore the college colours in rowing, squash and tennis."</ref> <ref name="Survey Review degrees">{{harvnb|''Survey Review''|2002}}: "In due course he obtained M.Sc., M.A., and D.Phil. (Oxon)."</ref> <ref name="Olliver RE">{{harvnb|Olliver|2002}}: "In 1940 he obtained a commission in the Survey Branch of the Royal Engineers and was posted to West Africa. Demobilised in 1946, he returned to Oxford to complete his degree, which he was awarded with first class honours."</ref> <ref name="Ashkenazi degree">{{harvnb|Ashkenazi|2002}}; {{harvnb|Ashkenazi|Lachapelle|2002}}:"He graduated from Oxford in 1940 with a First Class Honours degree in Mathematics. ... service with the Survey Branch of the Royal Engineers, gaining a commission in 1940."</ref> <ref name="Survey Review degree">{{harvnb|''Survey Review''|2002}}: "His two years at Oxford produced a First Class Honours in Mathematical Moderations, ... and a Pass with Distinction in Surveying in 1940."</ref> <ref name="Survey Review demobilised">{{harvnb|''Survey Review''|2002}}: "On demobilisation Oxford was obviously a great draw to him as he straightway took a post as Assistant Instructor in Surveying at the University ..."</ref> <ref name="Ashkenazi reader">{{harvnb|Ashkenazi|2002}}; {{harvnb|Ashkenazi|Lachapelle|2002}}: "...{{nbsp}}he became in 1966 Reader and Head of the Department of Surveying and Geodesy."</ref> <ref name="Olliver Bomford">{{harvnb|Olliver|2002}}: "On Bomford's retirement in 1966 he was appointed to the Readership in Surveying and Geodesy, ..."</ref> <ref name="Ashkenazi career">{{harvnb|Ashkenazi|2002}}; {{harvnb|Ashkenazi|Lachapelle|2002}}: "...{{nbsp}}ex-Chairman of the Royal Society’s Geodesy Subcommittee, ... outstanding contributions to knowledge in Geodetic Astronomy and the design and development of the Chronochord (printing crystal clock). ... International Association of Geodesy which elected him Secretary of Section I (Control Surveys) of the Association, and President of the Special Study Group on Geodetic Astronomy. He was a United Kingdom delegate to many international scientific assemblies and symposia."</ref> <ref name="Olliver links">{{harvnb|Olliver|2002}}: "He had extensive international links and spent sabbatical periods in the United States, Canada and New Zealand, as well as a two-year secondment with the Ministry of Defence."</ref> <ref name="Survey Review visiting">{{harvnb|''Survey Review''|2002}}: "At other times whilst at Oxford he spent short periods away as Visiting Professor of Geodesy first at Ohio State University, Columbus, USA and then at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. ... Six months in 1974-5 was as the William Evans Visiting Professor at the University of Otago, New Zealand."</ref> <ref name="Olliver retirement">{{harvnb|Olliver|2002}}: "He was a Founding Fellow of the College, and became an Emeritus Fellow on his retirement in 1980."</ref> <ref name="Survey Review fellowships">{{harvnb|''Survey Review''|2002}}: "The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors where he was a Fellow, ... he was at some time a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society; Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society ..."</ref> <ref name="Olliver Devon">{{harvnb|Olliver|2002}}: "On retirement he moved to his beloved home county of Devon, where he was able to indulge his passion for fly-fishing to the full."</ref> <ref name="Olliver died">{{harvnb|Olliver|2002}}: "...{{nbsp}}died at his home in Ottery St. Mary, Devon ..."</ref> <ref name="Ashkenazi DoD">{{harvnb|Ashkenazi|2002}}; {{harvnb|Ashkenazi|Lachapelle|2002}}: "...{{nbsp}}ex-Chairman of the Royal Society's Geodesy Subcommittee, died on January 10, 2002."</ref> <ref name="Olliver DoD">{{harvnb|Olliver|2002}}: "...{{nbsp}}died at his home in Ottery St. Mary, Devon on 9th January 2002, ..."</ref> <ref name="Survey Review DoD">{{harvnb|''Survey Review''|2002}}: "...{{nbsp}}the death of Dr Alwyn Robbins on 9 January 2002 ..."</ref> <ref name="Olliver leaves">{{harvnb|Olliver|2002}}: "...{{nbsp}}and leaves a wife, Mary, and son and daughter."</ref> <ref name="Ashkenazi missed">{{harvnb|Ashkenazi|2002}}; {{harvnb|Ashkenazi|Lachapelle|2002}}: "Robbins will be greatly missed by his wife Mary, his children Rowena and Mike, and his two grandchildren."</ref> }}

== Sources == *{{Cite journal |date=July 2002 |title=Alwyn R Robbins, 1920–2002 |journal=Survey Review |volume=36 |issue=285 |pages=563–564 |doi=10.1179/sre.2002.36.285.563 |ref={{SfnRef|Survey Review|2002}}}} *{{Cite journal |last=Ashkenazi |first=Vidal |date=May 2002 |editor-last=Andersen |editor-first=Ole Baltazar |title=IAG Newsletter: In Memoriam |journal=Journal of Geodesy |volume=76 |pages=300–301 |doi=10.1007/s00190-002-0258-5}} *{{Cite journal |last=Ashkenazi |first=Vidal |last2=Lachapelle |first2=Gérard |author-link2=Gérard Lachapelle |date=2002 |title=Alwyn R. Robbins |journal=Geomatica |volume=56 |issue=1 |pages=83 |doi=10.5623/geomat-2002-0014 |url=https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/abs/10.5623/geomat-2002-0014}} *{{Cite journal |last=Olliver |first=Joe |date=2002 |title=Obituaries: Alwyn Rudolph Robbins (1919-2002), Founding Fellow |url=http://www.stx.ox.ac.uk/about/publications/record/20/obituaries |url-status=dead |journal=The Record |publisher=St Cross College, Oxford |issue=20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109062524/http://www.stx.ox.ac.uk/about/publications/record/20/obituaries#robbins |archive-date=9 January 2010}}

==Further reading== *{{Cite book |last=Robbins |first=Alwyn |url=https://fig.net/organisation/perm/hsm/news/RICS_Geomatics_99_Volume_I.pdf |title=Geomatics |date=1999 |publisher=The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors |isbn=978-0-85406-965-1 |volume=1 |pages=61–62 |chapter=Reminsces |type=Proceedings of the Geomatics Division Conference |author-mask=2}} *{{Cite journal |last=Robbins |first=Alwyn R. |author-mask=2 |date=1966 |title=Evolution of the Geodetic Concept |url=https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19660028056 |journal=Satellite Geodesy, 1958–1964 |series=NASA SP-94 |pages=3–5}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Robbins, Alwyn}} Category:1920 births Category:2002 deaths Category:British geodesists Category:British surveyors Category:20th-century British astronomers Category:Photogrammetrists Category:People from Lydney Category:People from Oxford Category:People from Ottery St Mary Category:People educated at Blundell's School Category:Alumni of Hertford College, Oxford Category:Royal Engineers officers Category:British Army personnel of World War II Category:Academics of the University of Oxford Category:Fellows of St Cross College, Oxford Category:Fellows of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Category:Fellows of the Royal Astronomical Society Category:Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society