Robin Short devoted much of his life to serving the Crown

A MAN who devoted much of his life to service to the Crown, former Magistrate Robin Short, died last month aged 82.

Born in Jersey in 1927, he was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel Kit Short and Daphne Short, who came to live in the Island when Col Short, who was from Sunderland, was stationed here with the King’s Regiment.

Mr Short was educated at Wellington College in Berkshire and joined the Rifle Brigade in January 1945, being commissioned the following year and going on to serve in Palestine.

After completing a course at Queen’s College, Cambridge, he joined the Colonial Service and served in Northern Rhodesia – now Zambia – including time as a Magistrate from 1950 to 1965.

He met professional ballerina Veronica Vail on a voyage to Northern Rhodesia. It was a whirlwind romance and when the ship docked in Cape Town they were engaged. At the time, she was a member of the Royal Ballet and her company was due to go on tour there.

They were married in Northern Rhodesia in July 1954 and went on to have daughters Oriana and Lydia (twins) and Olivia and a son, Nigel.

During his years in Northern Rhodesia, Mr Short had a respect and fondness for the African people, including those with whom he worked. After his return to the UK he asked his son when he visited Zambia on a ‘gap year’ to take a watch to his former messenger, who had never possessed one.

His years in Africa held lasting memories for him and he wrote a book called ‘African Sunset’ which gave his view of the end of the colonial era. It was his belief that the timing of independence there had not been right and that those working in countries on that continent were more aware of the needs of their people than those far away in Whitehall.

On his return to Britain, Mr Short worked for three years for the Ministry of Labour. His parents had returned to the Island in 1945, and Mr Short and his family came back to live here in 1968, buying a house at Almorah Crescent.  Four years later he was called to the English Bar and became an Advocate of the Royal Court in 1975, working for Ogier and Le Cornu, and Crill Cubitt-Sowden and Tomes.

As quite a shy, self-effacing man, Mr Short was better suited to the Bench than to the Bar, and he was appointed Assistant Magistrate in 1977. He loved the job because it brought him into contact with so many people, but he found it difficult at times when dealing with those in unfortunate circumstances.

Determined to know what life was like in St Helier at night when many of the offences he dealt with in court occurred, he would accompany members of St Helier honorary police and the States police from time to time on their rounds there.

As Youth Court panel chairman, he took an interest in the welfare of the children brought before them and had a good rapport with them.

He was appointed as a Magistrate in the late 1980s and retired from the bench in 1990.
A very fit and active man, he loved Jersey and its people, its clean air and the sea, and he enjoyed relaxing on his boat or swimming, snorkelling and belly-boarding.

He was a strong believer in protecting the Island’s heritage and spoke publicly about, among other things, the importance of upgrading the historic railings along Victoria Avenue.
Following his retirement he served on the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board.

Mr and Mrs Short celebrated their golden wedding anniversary in 2004 and during their 51 years together he was a devoted family man.

After Mrs Short died in 2006, Mr Short went to live near his son Nigel in East Anglia  to be closer to his family, including his nine grandchildren. He died in a nursing home in Suffolk on Sunday, 24 May.