Alwyn Robbins

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. He was educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton, Devon, winning multiple scholarships and exhibitions to attend Hertford College of the University of Oxford. At Hertford, he studied mathematics, and participated in rowing, squash, and tennis.

Robbins graduated from Oxford in 1940, and was awarded his degree with first class honours. 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.

Career

Following military demobilisation in 1946, Robbins returned to Oxford and soon gained a post as an academic post in surveying. 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. Olliver 2002 records:

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 – in England and Scotland. This involved making astronomical observations at 43 Ordnance Survey triangulation points, extending from Dover to John o'Groats – 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. He also had extensive international connections and spent in various countries, as well as a two-year secondment with the Ministry of Defence. 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.

In 1980, Robbins retired, becoming an emeritus fellow of St Cross College. 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.

Personal life and death

Following his retirement, Robbins moved to Devon and pursued recreational fly-fishing. He died in his home at Ottery St Mary on 9 or 10 January 2002. He was survived by his wife Mary and his children: a son and a daughter, Mike and Rowena.

Notes

  1. ↑ Sources conflict on Robbins' place of birth, with both Lydney and Oxford put forward. His date of birth is calculated from his age at death.
  2. ↑ Olliver 2002 states that Robbins did not complete his degree until after his return from military service, but other sources offer that his graduation occurred before mobilisation.
  3. ↑ Sources conflict on date of death: Olliver 2002 and Survey Review 2002 state he died on 9 January, while Ashkenazi 2002 and Ashkenazi & Lachapelle 2002 state he died on 10 January.

References

  1. ↑ Ashkenazi 2002; Ashkenazi & Lachapelle 2002: "Alwyn was born in Lydney, Gloucestershire, in 1920."
  2. ↑ Survey Review 2002: "Born in Oxford in January 1920 ..."
  3. ↑ Survey Review 2002: "... death of Dr Alwyn Robbins on 9 January 2002, just 4 days after his 82nd birthday."
  4. ↑ Ashkenazi 2002; 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."
  5. ↑ Olliver 2002: "He was educated at Blundell's School, Tiverton, and won an Exhibition to Hertford College in 1938, where he read mathematics."
  6. ↑ Ashkenazi 2002; Ashkenazi & Lachapelle 2002: "While at Hertford, he wore the college colours in rowing, squash and tennis."
  7. ↑ 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."
  8. ↑ Ashkenazi 2002; 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."
  9. ↑ 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."
  10. ↑ Survey Review 2002: "In due course he obtained M.Sc., M.A., and D.Phil. (Oxon)."
  11. ↑ 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 ..."
  12. ↑ Ashkenazi 2002; Ashkenazi & Lachapelle 2002: "... he became in 1966 Reader and Head of the Department of Surveying and Geodesy."
  13. ↑ Olliver 2002: "On Bomford's retirement in 1966 he was appointed to the Readership in Surveying and Geodesy, ..."
  14. ↑ Ashkenazi 2002; Ashkenazi & Lachapelle 2002: "... 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."
  15. ↑ 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."
  16. ↑ Olliver 2002: "He was a Founding Fellow of the College, and became an Emeritus Fellow on his retirement in 1980."
  17. ↑ 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 ..."
  18. ↑ 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."
  19. ↑ Olliver 2002: "... died at his home in Ottery St. Mary, Devon ..."
  20. ↑ Olliver 2002: "... died at his home in Ottery St. Mary, Devon on 9th January 2002, ..."
  21. ↑ Survey Review 2002: "... the death of Dr Alwyn Robbins on 9 January 2002 ..."
  22. ↑ Ashkenazi 2002; Ashkenazi & Lachapelle 2002: "... ex-Chairman of the Royal Society's Geodesy Subcommittee, died on January 10, 2002."
  23. ↑ Olliver 2002: "... and leaves a wife, Mary, and son and daughter."
  24. ↑ Ashkenazi 2002; Ashkenazi & Lachapelle 2002: "Robbins will be greatly missed by his wife Mary, his children Rowena and Mike, and his two grandchildren."

Sources

Further reading