Richard Robb

The son of an Inland Revenue Officer, Richard Robb was born in the Gorbals district of Glasgow. He went to Queen’s Park school and then to Glasgow University in 1918, where he studied mathematics and statistics. He went to the University of Michigan to take his M.Sc. degree, and also spent some time studying astronomy at the University of Lund in Sweden.

A keen athlete from his Glasgow University days, he was not allowed to run during his time at Michigan, but helped with the pacing of double Olympic gold medallist, Eddie Tolan. Robb was involved with the Glasgow University Athletic Club for more than 30 years and, during his time as a student there, was a regular competitor. He was beaten into second place by Queen’s Park footballer James Crawford in the 100 yards at the 1926 Scottish AAAs Championship, but two years later turned the tables on Crawford to win the title. Robb was part of the British 4 x 100 metres relay squad at that year’s Olympic Games at Amsterdam, but did not compete. Robb also served acted as judge for the Scottish Amateur Athletic Association.

Robb became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and was a lecturer as Glasgow University, becoming senior lecturer in 1948, a post he held until retirement in 1966.