I meet Lucy 29 years ago in local pub the Artful Dodger. I decided to ring her from a call box on Glenferness avenue later that week, Rob answered the phone with his booming educated telephone voice.  He shouted “Shirley there’s someone on the phone for Lucy”.

I was scared to go round at first, however I plucked up the courage and got on my bike.  After 4 hours and numerous phone calls to find there house in Branksome Park speaking to Rob telling him that I was lost made me feel like a right idiot.

I was lucky enough to meet Lucy’s family, sitting down eating large quantities of toast and honey after regular drinking sessions. Shirley came into the kitchen followed by Rob, thinking who this hooligan is with a northern accent eating my artesian bread and M&S honey.
Lucy said to me we needed to control our honey and bread intake, on occasions leaving him without breakfast.

Rob made me very welcome although he couldn’t understand my ‘yam yam’ Black Country accent I must have sounded like a foreigner to him. So communication was difficult in the early days I struggled keeping up with the sharp mind & precise information that he delivered. Left bewildered but motivated at the same time, on many occasions my head would be left spinning with useful information that I could apply to my current situation.

His business acumen was finally tuned the quickness in understanding and dealing with any situation in a manner that is likely to lead to a good outcome. Rob was the smartest person I have ever meet and a true inspiration, without his input I wouldn’t be living a relatively comfortable life now. He gave me the confidence and tools necessary to navigate the pitfalls.

Shirley would invite me every Sunday to a roast dinner making my student friends envious, Rob would be sitting at the kitchen table drinking a Budweiser making me feel at home.  

Early life was very difficult living in Bournemouth away from home for me, things would happen to me out of the blue.  Rob all ways had a solution to my problems on many occasions he would guide me in the right direction with good advice. He showed a real interest and ask lots of questions and came up with a viable workable solution.

Reminiscing about his early business ventures made for good conversation over Sunday Roast he like to hold court and entertain with his amusing stories of the past…

They owned a floor cleaning company employing many people, one Sunday evening Rob received a phone call from Dorset Police, Mr Boyes “do you own a floor cleaning company” yes replied Rob why? Two of your vans are racing each other across Studland beach. Okay I will deal with that… He fired them Monday morning.  
Working in London driving around in his mini-van full of heavy chemicals for stripping and polishing floors. After a long day one of his workers decide to get rid of the left over contents down the drain on a busy street near Buckingham Palace and thought nothing off it. They drove off with a mist rising up from the drain covers engulfing the surrounding area.

I was lucky to have two dads in my life, Rob was a true Maverick and will be very much missed but not forgotten. His energy will live on forever within all of us and continue to influence and support. He’s very much alive…