M.J. Robinson (Michael) (SH 64-67).


Andrew Mitchell (FS 63-68) writes:

“M.J. Robinson (Michael, known to his school friends as Japi) died in Cairns, Queensland Australia on the 27th November 2019. Japi moved from Carlisle to Australia in 1972 and lived for many years in Melbourne and after that in Cairns.

He was on School House and his parents lived in Zambia. His father was an engineer who worked on the Kareeba Dam. Japi flew backwards and forwards between the UK and Africa and on one trip from Africa to the UK decided to put a baby Nile crocodile in his pocket, which was subsequently donated to the Biology fish tank where it lived for a year or two before it died. It was teased by a lot of teenage boys. On the flight over Japi told an air hostess that he had a crocodile in his pocket and she didn't believe him. He told her to put her hand into his pocket which she did and was bitten. The baby crocodile was about six inches long and had tiny but very sharp teeth. We were impressed that Japi managed to get that crocodile to the UK.

There are lots of other stories about him but many of the St Beghians who were there in the mid to late 60s will remember that crocodile - a fierce little creature.”

 

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