Sad to report that Allan Robinson, long-time Hon Secretary, Hon Treasurer and for many years mainstay of the TT Riders Association, died last night after a long illness.

Another gentleman has passed - may his soul rest in peace.

Terrible but not unexpected news.Knew Allan from when we were both young and knew he had been very ill.
It is the TTRA Annual dinner next month and a minutes silence I think would be appropiate in regonition of his enormous contribution to this organisation.
R.I.P. ALAN under the chequered flag

I had the pleasure of meeting Allan when he joined in one of my TT Supporters gatherings.
A gentleman and enthusiast.

R.I.P.

Very sorry to hear this. He did so much for others.

I just enjoyed him on television last night, helping with the commentating at this year's Goodwood Festival. One of the nice guys of this world.
Sad news, if not totally unexpected. Condolences to the family.

As President of the TTRA, I am saddened to hear of Allan's passing. As long time secretary of the TTRA, Allan did sterling work maintaining the profile of our organisation. After his wife's death, life was not easy for him, but he maintained his interest in the TT right to the end. Though desperately ill, there are several photos of him at this year's TT re-enactment. For many years, you couldn't fail to miss his voice at the Annual TTRA Luncheon, parading Past Winners, commending overseas riders for their gallant efforts to attend, and warmly welcoming widows of veteran riders long gone. His ability to raise money at the auction was legendary.
Allan your heart was always in the right place, you will be sorely missed by many of your colleagues, be at peace my friend.

For anyone who did not know this man's sense of humour, take a look at http://www.allanrobinson.com/
Sadly unfinished, but still a memorial on the web.

Allan since the passing of his wife that affected him badly has travelled the world racing and parading his repro Manx, over the years he has kept contact by email with around fourty of us who he referred to as his great friends letting us know of his exploits,

I was humbled privelidged to be included on that list of names.

This was his final message to us a few weeks ago.

Hi all,

Due to the cancer and none stop depressing reports from the medics I have sold my beautiful McIntosh Manx to Stan Woods of Suzuki and Honda 'works' fame.

I feel like a cowboy who has just had to shoot his horse but if I do recover stability in health I will buy another because I have had much joy from the Manx and I am very sad to have to let her go but cancer makes fast progress and perhaps my track days are over - perchance a miracle I had hoped to go via hong Kong to Australia and New Zealand late November through to May but I will not be going to the TT again as after 48 years of close involvement the current advisers would not even give me a pass or a ride in the parade. What a mess it has all become.

Regards and Best Wishes and grateful thanks for all your support and good wishes offered at this painfull time.

ALLAN ROBINSON.

I phoned Allan a week or so ago a Lady from New Zealand who was caring for him answered, I did not expect to speak to him but he must have made a supreme effort to speak to me briefly, he never gave me the opportunity to ask how he was or give words of encouragement.

His first words were "hi Tom hows the eyes I am sorry to hear you have trouble, I am so tired will you speak to a good friend and they will tell you how I am".

A few days later I spoke to that lady again and Allan had been moved into a hospice and I knew I would never hear from him or speak to him again.

I cannot bring myself to say more now perhaps later. But hang your heads in shame those who denied Allan so much as a paddock pas after he did so much for and devoted his life to the TTRA the TT Trophy presentations at the Villa Marina as MC and so much more.

I bumped into Allan at TT 2007 up at Nobles, I was there for my Warfarin test, and Allan was there for his special treatment.

He told me he was quite sad at the state of the TT and that people now ignored him even after so many years involvement.

He then told me without reserve that he knew that he didn't have long and we shook hands, he said "take care of that heart" and we said that final goodbye.

I left Nobles feeling that that would be the last time I would see him.

His commentaries on varoius videos and his recorded announcements at the motorcycle functions we attended will be part of the memories I will have of him. His website should be visited and you can see the man as he was.

It has been an awful seven years since we lost Joey, so many other people associated with the TT have gone on and we seem to be writing dedications at the rate of at least one per month..

We will remember you Allan for all the good things you did for the TT.

http://www.allanrobinson.com/AR_viewer.asp

Should be compulsory viewing for today's TT organisers.

....and read what he experienced and felt about TT 2007........

If anyone knows the details of the funeral arrangements etc before I do please post them up. I have had a a few emails and calls from people who do not visit this site. For example one from a lady who tells me she was his PA when she worked for himin Coventry in the 90s.

This is indeed Sad News, and i cant believe how this man was snubbed at this years event!
I am indebted to the late Allan Robinson for one very important reason, and that is;, when Honda were celebrating their 40th anniversary at the IOM TT, They had a special parade lap, ALL hondas, AND ALL riders, who rode with the Japasnese concern or were prominent TT riders, however, when i was siging on for the main Parade Lap, Mr Robinson, asked me to come back at 5 oclock later in the day!
I was rather bemused as to why, and kept saying to myself, maybe i am not getting going, but why??
anyway, a few hrs later, and i ent nervously back to the 38th milestone, and Mr Robinson, along with Tommy Robb were having a wee chat, he excused himself from Tommy, went and looked up my folder, and produced the photo of the bike i sent him, as to what i would be riding in the Classic parade, "Is this the bike you have with you?" he asked, and i said Yes, Not knowing what to say!, he then asked me, if i would like to take paet in the actual Honda Parade itself!!!!, now to say i was gobsmacked would be an understatement!, sure, i wasnt going to turn this down!, Allan explained, he wasnt 100% sure earlier in the day when i called in first, but, i think it was eithe Ian Richards or Dave Hancock, who couldnt be there for the parade, and the wee bike i had was apparently very populr amongst a few of the Honda brigade!, So i was Priveleged to ride this lap with all the IOM TT Honda riders!, something i will always remember,THANKS to Mr Allan Robinson!
I am so sorry to hear of his passing, RIP Mr Robinson, and THANKS for what you done for me that year at the TT, you made me a special person that day.
RIP
Baylon McCaughey

While I was the one who started this thread, and while there were quite a few things that I wanted to say, I needed some time to collect my thoughts and so I restricted myself to a simple factual posting.

Jane and I have known Allan for quite a few years, and were pleased and honoured to have known him as a good friend.

In the context of the TT Riders Association, he drove the organisation for years, and made it the Association that it became.

I do not say "that it now is", because I fear that it is no longer the Association that he developed with such success.

For whatever reason, certain Committee Members apparently became dissatisfied with Allan's Secretaryship, and allowed matters to develop to the point where he felt that he had to resign.

"Stay and fight" I told him.

"No" he said. "I've had enough. I'm off to race my new Manx Norton".

This he did, and it is sad that not enough years were given to him to enjoy this.

Whatever the reasons, too many of his "old friends" ceased to be so, and matters came to a head, I think, at the Centenary TT this year.

We met him in the Pre-TT paddock at Billown and, not having seen him for some time and knowing that he was not well, we invited him back to the tent for a sit-down, a cuppa and a chat, and to introduce him to our new pup.

During the ten days that we were there this happened, I think, three times and it became obvious that he was delighted with the invitations.

I was appalled to find that the "organisers" of the TT didn't want to know him, wouldn't give him so much as a Paddock Pass and, most disgraceful of all, had refused to give him an entry in the Parade Lap.

This Lap, over many years, was the product of Allan's hard wotk and effort, and when I looked at the Programme and observed the list of, in many cases, nonentities and "never-wases" who had been given entries, I was totally disgusted.

Worse, I found it inexplicable and disgraceful that the TTRA, which owed him so much, had not spoken to the Parade organisers on his behalf.

Here was a man, near to the end of his life as he and we knew, to whom was denied the simple pleasures which he had so well earned, and to which he was entitled.

It was my first thought, on returning home from the Isle of Man, to write to the TTRA and end my membership, and to tell them why. However, I decided not to run the risk of embarrassing Allan, and so did not.

I am, however, considering my position on this point.

At any rate, now is I think an appropriate time to speak my mind, and to thank Allan most sincerely for his comradeship and more, his friendship.

A lovely man, a gentleman, a TT rider, a friend.

Sleep well, Allan.

Larry and Jane Devlin

Larry,(and others) I agree with almost everything that's been said. You've all summed up what a fantastic character Allan was. As I wrote earlier, I am the President of the TTRA, and thanks to Allan, (and many many others) it is still an amazing organisation. We are in transitional times with almost everything in our lives in this troubled world we live in, and I don't think we should soil our Website with matters best placed elsewhere. I've already made my feelings for Allan known to you all, and the TTRA loved him. Larry, had I known that Allan wanted to ride in the Lap of Honour, I would have moved heaven and earth to get him a ride. I DID get one rider a ride on the Friday Parade, who is ill, and had every right to be in that Parade, and I have still have the letter from his wife thanking me. Believe me the Parade Laps this year, were one very thorny subject. Please be careful what is written here, because I'm sure you guys haven't got all the facts.
However, I'm more concerned with some of the content on his website, a site I was not aware of, I must admit. On this site, he lets us know his thoughts on the way the TT is now being run. His treatment was disgraceful, I agree, but there are loads more stories abounding on this theme. Oh dear oh dear, what IS going wrong with the TT? I thought his remarks regarding the Re-enactment were spot on, and there were other little tit-bits that give us all food for thought.
Slowly but surely, we are sliding down a politically correct, health and safety driven mine shaft, is there anyone up there who can pull us out?

To lighten the mood a little

Alan's tales of daring do by Edgar Jessop are brilliant and very funny.

I will post in full in another thread

Larry, that was so moving.
It left me feeling quite tearful.
How can people be so cruel and heartless.
The thought of how he must have felt on what was his last
visit fills me with horror.
Thank you for speaking up.

It seems that the TT as manyof us knew it has now gone or is on its last legs.

Thank you for all you did Mr Robinson.

RIP

Allan Robinson MBE was one of the old school.
Who can forget the interviews with riders at the TT presentation nights?
Not just the winners, but every overseas rider was given the microphone to tell of their views and experiences of the races.

He made it seem as if he watched at every point on the course and knew every rider, not just the top names.
Despite his illness and disappointment at this years TT he still made time to visit Barry in hospital after his crash.

A truly memorable man who will never be forgotten by true TT followers.

Peter Kneale, Geoff Cannell, Norrie White, Allan Robinson MBE, they can be replaced but no one will ever capture the atmosphere of the racing as these men did.
I am glad that I was privileged to have known them all
The TT will never be the same again.