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At a concert celebrating the 65th anniversary of the North Battleford City Kinsmen Band, the daughter of the founding bandmaster said her father had left鈥漚 wonderful legacy鈥� and she hoped the band would enjoy many more anniversaries.
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Frances Wakelin is 鈥淩obbie鈥� Robinson鈥檚 oldest daughter. Now living in Saskatoon, she attended the concert at the Dekker Centre to pay tribute to her father.
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Robinson, who had studied musical theory at Regina College and served as a bandsman with the famed Regina Rifles Band, came to North Battleford from Regina in 1937 to work as a roadmaster鈥檚 clerk with CN Rail.
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Wakelin said he came from a musical family of six. His niece, she said, even collected a special talent award in the 1954 Miss Canada pageant for playing a clarinet and a saxophone at once.
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鈥淚鈥檝e never seen it, and it was a miracle,鈥� she laughed.
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When her father came to North Battleford, he started the youth Sea Cadet Band because there were no bands in the schools at that time, said Wakelin.
His health, however, began to fail.
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鈥淗e invited his best friend Norm Lehman from Regina to carry on his vision, and Norm Lehman left a wonderful legacy,鈥� she said.
Robinson had met Lehman when they both played in the Regina Rifles Band.
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Both Wakelin and her sister, now Bernice Swan, were members of the youth band and Wakelin also played in her father鈥檚 sister dance orchestra.
Robbie Robinson suffered a fatal stroke in 1952.
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鈥淚 was seven and my sister was five when our father passed away. Our mother started Robbie鈥檚 Music Centre and she outlived my father by 50 years,鈥� said Wakelin.
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Both are buried in North Battleford, said Wakelin, as is her late husband Ron.
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鈥淥ur father left a wonderful legacy and we are very proud of both our parents,鈥� she said.
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At the Battlefords Provincial Park, a part of Jackfish Lake, Robinson Bay, has been named in her father鈥檚 honour, and the original band hall was named Robbie鈥檚 Memorial Band Hall after her father.
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His picture still hangs in the current band building along with that of his friend Norm Lehman, said Wakelin.
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She also noted there is still a family member in the band, introducing Miranda Maggrah, who plays the clarinet. Her grandfather was a Wakelin.
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鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful we鈥檝e come to celebrate the 65th anniversary of this historical North Battleford City Kinsmen Band,鈥� Wakelin concluded. 鈥淢ay there be many more anniversaries in the future.鈥�
