The Revd David Maudlin writes:
THE Very Revd John Kenneth Robinson died in his native Lancashire on 5 August, aged 83, after a long and very debilitating illness.
After an education at Balshaw’s Grammar School in Leyland, Ken undertook his National Service with the Field Security Unit in the Middle East, interviewing at least one despotic monarch in that region.
He trained for ordination at King’s College, London, from 1958 to 1961 under Sydney Evans; he must have been one of those whom Evans singled out in their first year to be one of his “sheep”, because he gained both the AKC and BD at the end of his studies. He was ordained deacon in 1962, to a title at Poulton-le-Fylde under Canon Jim Stretch, who was a hard-working and conscientious parish priest and trained his curates in like manner.
While at Poulton, Ken met and fell in love with Merriel (always known as Merry); they were married in 1965.
On completing his curacy, Ken moved to Lancaster Priory for a second curacy which also included the chaplaincy of Lancaster prison.
Always interested in education, Ken and Merry moved to Singapore in 1966 when he became chaplain to St John’s School. While there, their son, John, was born.
In 1968, they returned to the UK, when Ken became Vicar of Holy Trinity, Colne. Their daughter, Rachel, was born in 1969. But the lure of overseas and sunshine was always strong, and, in 1971, Ken became Director of Education for the diocese of the Windward Islands in the West Indies, a posting and a job that he loved and in which he was highly valued.
Returning to England in 1974, he became Vicar of St Luke’s, Skerton, north Lancaster, where he remained until 1981.
On being appointed Area Secretary in East Anglia for USPG in 1981, the family moved to Bury St Edmunds, where Ken was appointed a Minor Canon of the Cathedral (he was a fine musician and had an excellent tenor voice). But he was always ready to celebrate a Saturday eucharist for a handful of people at a “downtown” Anglo-Catholic church, and he also helped to prepare a number of people in the diocese for Readership.
Bishop John Satterthwaite invited Ken to take on the Greater Lisbon Chaplaincy in 1991, and he and Merry moved to live in Estoril. As always, wherever they lived, Ken and and Merry quickly entered into the life of the community and into the worshipping congregations of St George’s, Lisbon, and St Paul’s, Estoril.
Bishop John Hind, who had become Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe in 1993, asked Ken to become Archdeacon of Gibraltar in 1994, the post to be held jointly with the Greater Lisbon Chaplaincy.
The archdeaconry covers Spain, Portugal, and the Chaplaincies in Casablanca and Tangier in Morocco which inevitably meant a great deal of travel. Ken and Merry were equal to the task and supported the chaplains and chaplaincies — sometimes in some very tricky situations — in quite remarkable ways.
In 2000, they moved to Gibraltar, where Ken’s considerable liturgical, musical, and pastoral skills came into their own when he was appointed Dean of Holy Trinity Cathedral. Until 2002, the post was held with the archdeaconry; so considerable travel was still the order of the day.
Retirement came in 2003, and Ken and Merry moved back to Coppul in their native Lancashire and renewed their connections with St George’s, Chorley.
Fr Ken Robinson was a priest of a deep personal faith, which was nourished by the daily offices according to the Book of Common Prayer, frequent faithful attendance at the eucharist, and reception of the Blessed Sacrament. Ken had a rock solid faith, was always true to himself, and was a priest of great intellect, power, independence, wisdom, loyalty, integrity, and, when needed, a bit of holy guile, too. So many priestly colleagues will attest to the fact that he was also a “priest’s priest”
Ken served the Church of England and parts of the Anglican Communion with devotion and distinction for more than 40 years.
No obituary about Ken would be complete without reference to his culinary skills. One of the great joys in life is to have been a guest in Ken and Merry’s beautiful homes, where there was always great fun and generous hospitality — and, if you were lucky, baked stuffed rabbit followed by Ken’s incomparable Sussex pond pudding and cream.
One of the great sadnesses that afflicted Ken in retirement was that his priestly and administrative skills were not used by the Church; but he was never bitter about this, simply saying, “The Church of England is not what it used to be.” How true!
His funeral took place at St George’s, Chorley, on Wednesday 19 August with only the statutory 30 people in attendance, but it was possible for Bishop David Hamid to be present and to pronounce the blessing.
