The island’s farming community has paid tribute to Royal Manx Show stalwart Henry Thomas ’Robbie’ Robinson who died on Boxing Day at the age of 97.

Robbie Robinson will be remembered for his, sometimes controversial, dedication to Manx agriculture and will be missed by many friends in the industry.

He was raised in London and served in the Second World War, taken prisoner in Italy from where he escaped and made it back to England.

After the war he married a Manx girl Gertrude Bridson, known as Gus, who predeceased him by 10 years. They had four children Martin, Keith, Janet and Helen.

In the early fifties he ran a market garden at Fuchsia Gardens, adjoining Ballamylligan Farm at Mount Rule, and a market stall in Douglas.

Around 1958 he was appointed secretary to the island’s Agricultural Marketing Society where he took on the many challenges facing the farming industry including the takeover of the Lake Road abattoir from the British Beef Co.

He was secretary to the Isle of Man Potato Marketing Association and also oversaw the founding of Agrimark. He retired from that role around 1984.

In 1985 he became a very able secretary to the Royal Manx Agricultural Show, becoming a life member upon his retirement from the post, and continued to take great interest in the show until as recently as 2015, gamely touring the show field in a Gator driven by his grandson Richard.

Following his retirement from the Royal Manx, he became general manager of the Laxey Glen Mills, turning round an inefficient mill at a time when scientists discovered a type of wheat that could be grown in the island instead of importing milling wheat from Canada. After his retirement he continued his interest in gardening.

A service to celebrate Robbie’s life will take place tomorrow (Friday) at 10.45am at Douglas Crematorium.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Hospice Isle of Man.