Capt Gerald (Timmy) Robarts

  General Notes:

Timmy was educated at Eton and Magdalene College, Oxford and joined the 7th Hussars in 1899. He saw service in the Boer War 1901-02 - the regiment sailed on the Manchester Merchant on 30th November 1901. Shortly after their arrival they were brigaded with the 2nd Dragoon Guards under Colonel Lawley and operated in the Winburg district. The brigade was for some time in the north of the Orange River Colony. They took part in General Elliot's great drive in the last half of February, which was the most productive of the very numerous operations of that nature. It was during this drive that Steyn and De Wet with some followers broke the line near Vrede, but the bulk of the enemy were driven back by the New Zealanders under Garratt, who held their ground with magnificent determination and inflicted very heavy loss. The drive resulted in over 800 prisoners, 25,000 cattle, 2000 horses, 200 waggons, and 50,000 rounds of ammunition.

In March 1902 Lawley's brigade was moved to Springs in the Transvaal, and on 1st April had severe fighting. In his despatch of 8th April Lord Kitchener says that Colonel Lawley sent out Colonel Fanshawe with three squadrons Queen's Bays and 30 National Scouts to make a detour preparatory to co-operating with his own advance. At 3.15 am Fanshawe surrounded a farm, where several Boers were captured; he then went on and tried to surround a laager, but the enemy were on the alert and he "was received by a very heavy fire, and realising that he was in presence of superior numbers, ordered a gradual retirement upon Leeuwkop. Close fighting then went on for several hours. The Bays, who were skilfully handled, retired steadily by alternate squadrons, whilst the Boers followed, pressing the withdrawal with the greatest determination and persistence". Leeuwkop was found to be in the enemy's hands, and Fanshawe had to make for another ridge, "where he received the timely support of the 7th Hussars and Lieutenant Colonel Lawley's guns". The Boers then fell quickly back. "In this affair, although the Bays were capably handled and displayed steadiness and gallantry in face of superior numbers, their losses were, I regret to say, heavy. Two squadron-leaders and 10 non-commissioned officers and men were killed, and 5 officers and 59 men were wounded".

The assistance which the 7th Hussars were able to afford to the Queen's Bays on 1st April 1902 at Leeuwkop, east of Springs, in the Central Transvaal, was absolutely invaluable, as the Bays were being extremely hard pressed.

Two officers and 2 non-commissioned officers of the 7th Hussars were mentioned in despatches by Lord Kitchener during the comparatively short period they were on active service and in the final despatch the names of 3 officers and 2 non-commissioned officers were added. Four officers and 1 man, who had been attached to other units, were mentioned in Lord Roberts' despatches of 2nd April and 4th September 1901. Timmy was awarded the Queen's South Africa medal.

In 1904 he transferred to The Blues (Royal Horse Guard) - which in 1969 amalgamated with The Royal Dragoons to form The Blues and Royals. He resigned his commission as second lieutenant in June 1905 and by March 1912 he was a territorial Supernumerary Lieutenant in the Northamptonshire Yeomanry.

He served with the Northamptonshire Yeomanry during WWW1. On mobilisation in August 1914 the 1/1st Northamptonshire Yeomanry was attached to the Eastern Mounted Brigade (part of the 1st Mounted Division). In November 1914, they moved to France with the 8th Division, they remained with the 8th Division until April 1915 when the Regiment was split up with RHQ and B Squadron joining the 6th Division, A Squadron joining the 4th Division and C Squadron the 5th Division. This lasted until May 1916 when the Regiment reformed becoming the 6th Corps Cavalry Regiment. In November 1917 they were moved to Italy, becoming 14th Corps Cavalry.

He was twice mentioned in despatches and was awarded the 1914 Star with clasp and roses. In August 1915 he was seconded as an aide de camp along with 2nd Lt. Keith Frederick W. Dunn, Royal Artillery - a Brigadier in WW2 - but I do not know to where! In May 1917 he had transferred to the Royal Horse Guards as temporary Captain (a position he had already achieved in the Yeomanry).

In 1924 he went to New York on the SS Tyrrhenia from Liverpool, aged 46, to take part in a squash tournament which, somewhat typically for the USA, was described as the world championship even though only the USA, Canada and Great Britain were involved, to be fair perhaps no other countries played squash in 1924 and, that said, he won the contest so can be regarded as the squash Olympian of his time at the age of 46. Pretty impressive

His entry in the ship's manifest states that he was in good health, he had no deformities nor was crippled, he was 5'11" with fair complexion, brown hair, blue eyes, a tattoo on his left arm (according to Dad it was of a snake) and he was born in Lillingstone Dayrell. His occupation was Director and he was able to read and write English! Gerald is unique in the history of squash for, during his visit to North America, he won both the U.S. and Canadian singles championships. He was also a noted cricketer.

In 1927 he was appointed a land tax commissioner for Buckinghamshire. Land Tax was levied annually from 1692 to 1949. Each county was required to contribute an annual quota, the local assessment being the responsibility of local assessors who surveyed and valued individual properties. They compiled annual returns for the commissioners who in turn submitted records of the amount paid by each parish, and the money collected, to London.

He was also a Justice of the Peace for Buckinghamshire in 1937.

  Research Notes:

The Times, Tuesday, Dec 04, 1923 (Timmy was 45)

SQUASH RACKETS

BATH CLUB CUP

The Bath Club beat the RAC in the Inter-Club Squash Rackets Tournament at the RAC yesterday by two matches to one. As a result of the day's play the RAC, with 15 matches won out of a possible 18, are at the top of the table for the first half of the tournament.

The play in the first two matches was exceptionally good, and even a little thing might have altered the result of either match. Captain Gerald Robarts has never played so well in a competition - outside, perhaps, his own court - except in his match against Captain T. O. Jamieson at Lord's this year, when a lucky half-nick altered the whole course of the Amateur Squash Rackets Championship matches. Colonel Bassett was troubled by a slight cold and made more mistakes than usual, but many of those mistakes may be accounted for by the pace set by his opponent. Colonel Bassett was within a stroke of the first game in the set of five, and no game could well be more contested….Captain Gerald Robarts (Bath Club) beat Colonel W.F. Bassett (R.A.C.) by two games to none (18-17, 15-12).

Play was extraordinarily level in the first game. Captain Robarts led 13-12, but Colonel Bassett put him out and got to 13 all. Captain Robarts set 5. He was 3 - 1 in the set, his opponent 4 - 3. Captain Robarts won the game with a beautiful length stroke at the end of a very long rally. In the second game Colonel Bassett could do nothing right at the beginning, and was led 9 -1. Playing very well from that point , he got to 8 - 9. Afterwards he played too much for safety, and Captain Robarts won by hard hitting to a good length.

The Times, Thursday, Jan 03, 1924 (aged 46)

SQUASH RACKETS

BATH CLUB CUP

Captain Gerald Robarts, who played such a wonderful match against Captain T.O. Jameson in April last year, was very "fogged" by the light at the beginning of his match, but recovered to win fairly comfortably…. Captain Gerald Robarts (Bath Club) beat Mr H.D.G. Leveson-Gower (M.C.C.) by two games to none (15 - 9, 15 - 8).

Captain Robarts could not follow the ball at the beginning of the match and made some bad mistakes: Mr Leveson-Gower actually led 6 - 1 in the first game. Then Captain Robarts played purely for length - with a large margin of error. Mr Leveson-Gower began to hit the wood, and his opponent got to 11 - 7 by hard and safe hitting. Mr Leveson-Gower was 9 - 11, but made three bad mistakes running and did not score another point in the game. In the second game Captain Robarts, playing very well, reached 7 - 0. This was practically a winning score, and although Mr Leveson-Gower lasted well and played well to the end, he could never hope to quite overcome that big lead.

The Times, Tuesday, Jan 08, 1924

SQUASH RACKETS

BRITISH TEAM TO VISIT AMERICA

It is with the greatest satisfaction that one is able to report that England are sending a representative side to the United States and Canada to play in the Championships and in inter-club matches…. Captain Gerald Robarts has elected to go also: it will be remembered that he very, very nearly beat Captain T.O. Jameson in the Amateur Championship in the April of 1923. Captain Robarts has a private court of his own and is very hard to beat indeed. As a match player he has been described as "just five aces better than himself." This is no compliment. It was once written of Mr Baerlein that he was five aces better than himself, but Captain Robarts does not pretend to this expansion.

The side representing England is not the very best which we have in the country. At the same time it is the best which can be got to go abroad. If the United States and Canada should win in the open competitions they will win on their merits. It is certain that, if they should win, they will send a representative side to meet us next year. It is not yet decided - officially - that Squash Rackets will be played in the Olympic Games, for an official court is not yet built in Paris.

The official team will be:-

Mr S.M. Toyne (captain) (Queen's Club)
Dr T. Drysdale (R.A.C)
Lieutenant-Colonel W.F. Bassett (R.A.C)
Captain Gerald Robarts (Bath Club)
Reserves - Colonel V. V. Harvey and Mr T.D. Morrison

The Times, Jan 15, 1924

TODAY'S MATCHES

A match will be played at Queen's Club today between professionals and the players who will represent England against Canada and America in the forthcoming inter-club matches and championships. Mr SM Toyne (captain), Dr T Drysdale, Colonel WF Bassett and Captain Gerald Robarts will all play.

The American game in the matter of scoring differs very greatly from ours, and the handicap capping of today's matches will be very difficult. It is hoped that after this series of matches the English players will learn some of the tactics most applicable to the game as played in America and will learn to make their play apposite in place of opposite.

The Times, Jan 18, 1924
SQUASH RACKETS

BATH CLUB CUP

The Bath Club beat Prince's Club in the Inter-Club Squash Rackets Tournament at Princes Club yesterday by three matches to none….Captain Gerald Robarts (Bath Club) beat Mr H.N. James (Princes Club) by two games to none (15 - 2, 18 - 14).

Captain Robarts was 14 - 0 in the first game. In the second he slacked off and Mr James, fired by a little luck and a spark of hope, led at 13 - 7. Captain Robarts started to play very seriously again at this point and played very well indeed against an opponent who was now approaching the first class.

The Times, Jan 19, 1924

A dinner was given at the Bath Club on Thursday, Lord Desborough in the chair, to the British team of squash rackets players, on the occasion of their departure to Canada and the United States to compete against those countries. The team consist of Mr S.M. Toyne (captain), Colonel W. Bassett, Dr T. Drysdale and Captain Gerald Robarts, with Lieutenant Colonel V.V. Harvey and Captain W. D. Macpherson, reserves.

The Times Feb 26, 1924

Boston, Feb 24 - Captain Gerald Robarts has won the American Squash Rackets Championship, beating Mr W. Harrity in the final round - Reuters.

The Times Mar 06, 1924

THE BATH CLUB CUP

….The play of Captain Gerald Robarts, the winner of the American Championship, was of great interest yesterday. Captain Robarts in the American and Canadian tour made the astonishing effort of playing 17 matches in 19 days and winning all of them. Sometimes he played two matches in one day. When he was not playing a match he appears to have been dressing, undressing, or packing. Occasionally he seems to have slept, and sometimes, one must presume, have eaten. At the start of his match yesterday Captain Robarts failed to find his touch and his length, but soon "found" the Bath Club court again, and some of his squash rackets was intensely severe….. Captain Gerald Robarts (Bath Club) beat Mr P. Q. Reiss (R.A.F.) by two games to none (15 - 10, 15 - 7).

Captain Robarts who had been kept waiting an unconscionable time to play his match, started, as has been said, without his true touch of the ball. Mr Reiss, playing exceptionally well, led at 7 - 0 in the first game. Later, Captain Robarts had sequence of five aces from 7 - 8 to 12 - 8, and with a further run of three aces from 12 - 10 he went to game. In the second game Captain Robarts, hitting very hard and keeping wonderful length, made a run of nine points, going from 0 - 2 to 9 - 2. From that moment the match was his. Mr Reiss is one of the best young players over here. He is immensely quick on his feet and has many fine strokes, but he has not yet learned control in match play.

The Times Mar 07, 1924

THE BATH CLUB CUP

Captain Gerald Robarts (Bath Club) beat Mr P. Le Gros (Queen's Club) by two games to none (15 - 8, 15 - 7).

Mr Le Gros played as if he was a trifle stale, but Captain Robarts was in his very best form. He led 6 - 0 and 12 - 3 in the first game before Mr Le Gros got going. In the second game Mr Le Gros was 3 - 0, but Captain Robarts out hit and out played him, and led, in short time, 9 - 3 and 14 - 4. Mr Le Gros prolonged the game, playing well, but Captain Robarts was never in any danger of losing it.

The Times Mar 12, 1924

DINNER TO BRITISH TEAM

Lord Desborough presided at a dinner at the Bath Club on Monday night, which was given in honour of the British Squash Rackets Team which visited America this year, and in particular in honour of Captain Gerald Robarts, who won both the American and Canadian Singles Championships. Captain Robarts did an astonishing performance for a man of 45 years of age. He played 17 matches in 19 days and won them all…. Captain Robarts was in the unhappy position of being asked to talk about himself. He did it extremely well by saying how he owed practically all his success to his colleagues. He would prefer to play the best three squash rackets players in America than to speak again about himself.

The Times Mar 18, 1924

THE BATH CLUB CUP

Captain Robarts (Bath Club) beat Colonel W. F. Bassett (RAC) by two games two none (15 - 8, 17 - 14).

The first game was level up to the middle of the game. Colonel Bassett did not quite realize the length of the court. He had no attack. Captain Robarts hit to a terrible length, and his cross shot is that for which he plays. It is seldom that he plays down the side wall unless he has his opponent out of position; in this matter he follows the play of Mr E. M. Baerlein at Rackets. There is more difficulty off the side wall with a cut shot than with the perfect stroke down the middle of the court. Moreover, ther is more margin of error.

Captain Robarts went away with two sequences of 3 aces in the middle of the first game and won it easily. In the second the game was point for point up to 6 - 6. Captain Robarts was 10 - 6 and 14 - 9 playing fine Squash Rackets. Then Colonel Bassett played the best Squash Rackets of his life. He learned the cross shot by experience in this particular match, and next year he should be 5 points better than he is at present. His pull up from 9 - 14 to 14 -14 can only be described as grand. In no case could he have beaten Captain Robarts, who, perhaps, was taking what is known as a "breather". In any case he ruined his last hope by serving his hand out at 0 - 1 in the set to 3.

The Times Oct 31, 1924

THE SEASON OPENS

Captain Gerald Robarts, as usual, played without mercy. Opponents watching him from the gallery, those, that is, who have never played him before, go into court with a certain amount of confidence, for the strength of his game is not immediately apparent….

Captain Robarts (Bath Club) beat Mr P. W. Rucker (Cavendish Club) by two games to none (15 - 10, 15 - 1). Mr Rucker started well, but when Captain Robarts found his game there was only one man in it. Captain Robarts made two sequences of 5 aces in the first game from 5 - 2 to 10 - 2, and from 10 -3 to game. In the second he made sequences of 4 and 6 aces, and fairly hit his opponent off the court. The time of the match was 15min.

The Times Nov 11, 1924

THE BATH CLUB CUP

Captain Gerald Robarts (Bath Club) beat Mr G. E. V. Crutchley (Prince's Club) by two games to none (15 - 6, 15 - 3).

The first rally of the match seemed to go on for hours, and actually did last something like two minutes. Captain Robarts, after the first five minutes, found his very best form. From 5 - 4 he made a sequence of five aces, but Mr Crutchley, if he could not score a point, could, and did, frequently get in, and the game lasted 20 minutes. Captain Robarts led 4 - 0 and 11 -1 in the second game; but Mr Crutchley stuck to his game and 11 - 1 , 1 - 11 was called three times, when Mr Crutchley at last got his second point. He got one more point. Captain Robarts set a great pace and his winning stroke, hit very hard just above the wood to hug the right side wall to a perfect length, was extremely well played.

The Times Dec 09, 1924

AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

The best match of the day, and that which mat decide the Championship, was played between Captain J. E. Tomkinson and Captain Gerald Robarts. Captain Tomkinson was once a very great player. He is not so good as he was at one time. For this reason he has trained, and he won the third game against Captain Robarts by being the faster and less exhausted player in the court. Captain Tomkinson won by two games to one (15 - 7, 6 - 15, 15 - 4). The scores of the games mean absolutely nothing in the manner of which the match was played.

Captain Tomkinson has lost none of his old mastery of the service, particularly in his volleying. He played some strokes to kill the service yesterday which were of the very highest class - a class beyond any other amateur in the competition in the matter of "touch". In the first game Captain Robarts had a misfortune in the marking, and instead of leading 2 - 0, found his opponent in at 0 - 2. Captain Robarts was worried for the moment, and his opponent, with a sequence of four aces, led 4 - 2. For a dozen rallies the game was very close; then, suddenly, Captain Tomkinson assumed command of the court, just as he used to do, and in three minutes had made certain of a game which lasted more than a quarter of an hour. In the second game Captain Robarts had to go out for everything, and Captain Tomkinson saved himself, like the great match player of squash rackets that he is. In the final game Captain Robarts led 4 - 0. He was never, as it happened, to win another point in the match. Captain Tomkinson put on the pace again and played a magnificent game. Apparently he was quite fresh and he varied his game with a seeming ease and certainty that was too much for his opponent. Captain Robarts perhaps remembered how, years ago, Captain Tomkinson could, in the language of the game, "give him anything he liked". From 2 - 4 Captain Tomkinson went to 4 -4, from 4 - 4 to 6 -4, from 6 - 4 to 8 - 4, and from 8 - 4 to 11 -4. Until that last run Captain Robarts still had a remote chance of winning; after it he was too tired, too bewildered, to struggle further against a player whom he has always secretly admitted to be his master.

The Times Jan 16, 1925

THE BATH CLUB CUP

Captain Gerald Robarts (Bath Club) lost to Mr C. Browning (RAC) by two games to none (4 -15, 12 - 15). Captain Robarts began without his usual fire and dash, and Mr Browning, wise man, set the hottest possible pace, while his opponent was for the time being off colour. The first game was won very easily. In the second Mr Browning led 8 - 2, 10 -5, and 11 -7. Captain Robarts, apparently fresher than at the start, got up to 9 - 11, and, as his opponent was apparently tiring, he still seemed to have a chance of winning. He made two mistakes, however, and Mr Browning, overcoming a momentary lapse of form, won.

The Times Jan 27, 1925

THE BATH CLUB CUP

Captain Gerald Robarts was not playing for the Bath Club yesterday, and one hears with great regret that he will probably not be able to play Squash Rackets again, seriously at any rate, during this season. The loss to the strength of the Bath Club is so enormous that any chance of their winning the cup again this year has expired.

The Times Feb 03, 1925

THE BATH CLUB CUP

The RAC are now easily favourites for the Bath Club Cup for this season. Their chief opponents, the Bath Club, lost a a most important match early in the season, and when they had a chance of still winning their own trophy again, they were unable to command the services of Captain Gerald Robarts, owing to illness, and of Captain Victor Cazalet.

The Times Apr 01, 1925

THE BATH CLUB CUP

The replayed match between the Bath Club and Queen's Club, who tied for first place in the Bath Club Cup competition, will be next Monday between 4pm and 7pm at Queen's Club.

The teams will be:-

BATH CLUB - Captain J. E. Tomkinson, Captain V. A. Cazalet and Captain Gerald Robarts.

The Times Apr 07, 1925

THE BATH CLUB CUP

The Bath Club beat Queen's Club in the inter-club squash rackets competition for the Bath Club Cup at Queen's Club yesterday by two matches to one. The Bath Club therefore regained their own cup….

Captain Gerald Robarts (Bath Club) beat Mr P. Le Gros (Queen's Club) by two games to one.

Mr Le Gros won the first game, a very strenuous one, 13 - 18. In the second games Captain Robarts played in his old form, and he out hit his opponent. In the final game Mr Le Gros was 11 - 8 and 13 - 12. Captain Robarts was lucky at the end of the match, for he had four dead nicks between 11 - 12 and the match. One nick, as he will remember himself, is almost a match. Mr Le Gros has played in every match for Queen's this year, and played better yesterday, perhaps, than he has done all the season.

The Times Dec 11, 1925

THE BATH CLUB CUP

Mr R. G. de Quetteville (Queen's Club) beat Captain Gerald Robarts (Bath Club) by two games to none (15 - 10, 18 - 15).

In the first game Captain Robarts led 8 - 5. Mr de Quetteville is a difficult player to beat, and he went, in tow hands, to 13 - 8 and finally won the game to 10. The second game was played at a great pace, and Captain Robarts, who is now fit again one is glad to say, played almost up to his best form. The game was called 6 - 6, 8 - 8, 10 - 10, 11, and then 13 - 11 to Mr de Quetteville. Captain Robarts made the score 13 -13, good squash. Mr de Quetteville set five. Captain Robarts led 2-1, but although he got in five times, he could not score another point. Mr de Quetteville will now, in all probability, enter for the Amateur Championship.

The Times Jan 12, 1926

AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Captain Gerald Robarts won his match very easily, as did Colonel W. F. Bassett.

The Times Mar 04, 1926

SQUASH RACKETS

Captain Gerald Robarts (over 40) beat Mr G. N. Scott-Chad (under 30) by two games to none (17 - 5, 15 - 3). Mr Scott-Chad led 11 - 7 in the first game, and then the slow ball was broken. Mr Scott-Chad was too tired to run after a faster ball - he had dealt with the rackets ball earnestly in winning the Army Rackets Championship, and was probably looking forward to a good rest.

The Times Mar 18, 1926

THE PAST SEASON

Captain Gerald Robarts has not played as much as much as one should have wished.

The Times Dec 14, 1926

AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

The Amateur Squash Rackets Championship (holder Captain V. A. Cazalet) was begun in the Bath Club courts yesterday. The Prince of Wales has entered for the competition, as also have all the best of the British squash rackets players, with the exception of Captain T. O. Jameson, Captain Gerald Robarts, and Mr S. M. Toyne.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Address: 1881, Lillingstone Dayrell, Buckinghamshire.

• Occupation/Address: Scholar, 1891, Lillingstone Dayrell, Buckinghamshire.

• Occupation/Address: Officer Student Lt 7th Hussars, 1901, School of Musketry Barracks, Hythe St Leonard, Kent.

Gerald married Ethel Florence Fletcher, daughter of Charles John Fletcher DL JP and Helen Knox, on 18 Jul 1905 in St Peter, Eaton Square, London. (Ethel Florence Fletcher was born on 7 Apr 1883 in St Georges, London ¹ and died 1966 ?.)