John Robertson
27.3.1938 - 14.4.2010
by Stephen Robertson
My dad, John Robertson, was born in Falkirk
on 27th March 1938. His father was Alex and his mother Peggy and he had an older sister Elsie. He had a happy childhood and a close family with several aunts, uncles and cousins living nearby.
He worked briefly for a shipping company but at 17 he joined the police force and moved to London to pursue this calling. He was an officer for 30 years in total reaching the rank of Detective Chief Inspector. He served for about five years on the Flying Squad. When he retired in August 1987 he was stationed at Holborn Police Station.
He married my mum, Elaine Emmett, in 1966 and I was born three years later.
My first memories of him are of going for walks in Scratch Woods, playing in the garden at home in Edgware and of his various DIY projects. In particular once he was concreting over the front drive and I remember the cat walking over it leaving footprints. I remember watching him go for a ride on mum's motorcycle. He went away round the corner and came limping back, wheeling the bike, a few moments later after having crashed it. I think that was his first and last motorcycle ride.
He used to cook (always with garlic) and he kept bees for several years. He was good company when the tone was light but could be a bit pessimistic when things weren't going quite to plan, always seeming to assume that everything was ruined before looking for a back-up.
He was a good husband, father to Ruth and myself and grandfather to James and Alice when they came along. He loved playing cards and once won a horrible trophy in a cribbage tournament that he took me along to. In later years he took up bridge and was very keen, attending the club meetings a couple of times a week.
He didn't generally express very strong political views but he was naturally a Conservative supporter and did some canvassing for them after he retired. He was a Convervative candidate for the local Council for several years but was never elected, since Whickham, where he lived, was staunchly Labour.
He was incredibly good at crosswords and I never could quite figure out how he managed it. He was a very keen motorist but this diminished in his later years with the decline of his eyesig
ht and reactions.
Physically he was a tall man but not powerfully built. He went to the gym but didn't like pushing himself too hard. When we were little my sister and I used to joke that he must be very rich because he had gold teeth and silver hair. Many people, especially my aunt Sylvia, considered him a very handsome man.
He was a proud Scotsman and was always delighted when the national team did well, and for any successful Scottish athlete. He smoked cigarettes in his younger days but moved to a pipe that became a trademark in his forties. He stopped smoking altogether when he was about fifty.
He was well travelled both recreationally and in the course of his career. He lived in Hong Kong for several years and toured the Far East extensively. He also visited South Africa, Australia, the Philippines, the U.S., Egypt, Israel and many other Middle Eastern and European countries. One of his most recent trips was across Europe on the Orient Express as far as Istanbul. He always enjoyed trying the local food and wine.
In la
ter life he busied himself in the garden and for several years his hobby was making beer and wine. He enjoyed sport on television and would sit stroking the cat while watching.
Almost exactly five years before his death he had his first heart attack but he dealt with it well and appeared to have made a good recovery. It was a horrible shock when he died just a few days after his 72nd birthday.
He will be remembered as a very dedicated family man, a good friend and role model and in particular, by me, as a wonderful Dad.
