THE MYSTERIOUS ARTHUR ROBBINS

By Bryan, Nick.C, Alan

WHAT ABOUT ARTHUR?

A good friend of Derek was Bill. He like Derek was ex RAF and a founder member of the XVI Cricket Club.

Bill had a son Terry and a daughter Rita around the same ages as Derek’s children, David and Valerie.

The four children grew up with the XVI Cricket Club and played together at matches. So they became part of the close circle of friends linked to the extended family.

Rita met and married a RAF lad called Arthur. They were regulars at the XVI Cricket Club annual dinners and were always present, right from the start, at the Pikehand of the Year presentations.

Arthur was very interested in the activities of Piking but didn’t qualify for Pike membership, as he wasn’t a member of the immediate family. In the early days of the Pikehand Weekends, it was often asked ‘where was Arthur’? So the spirit of Arthur entered the realms of Piking. His presence occurs at most Pikehand Weekends either verbally, as part of a search, in a puzzle, etc. He is now part of Piking lore. A legend.

Nick.C met Rita at Terry's funeral (he died in his late 40’s). He told her that Arthur always talked about Pikehand weekends and that he owed us 20 years backdated subs. Sadly Rita died (in her late 50’s) and Arthur now lives on his own in their home in Gloucester.

Reference to Arthur and other legends here.