Since joining Sturt Bowling Club two years ago, many members have come to know some of the headline aspects of Neville Robinson's story.
At 87, he was possibly one of the oldest members in decades to begin playing pennant bowls. Fellow bowlers also know him for his skillful use of both a bowling arm and a spotting scope.
Yet those are only small parts of a much richer story.
In this interview, Neville reflects on a remarkable life journey spanning South Africa, the United Kingdom and Australia.
Along the way he has experienced joy, heartbreak, adventure, business success and new beginnings.
What shines through, however, is not so much the breadth of his achievements as the depth of his gratitude—towards his adoptive parents, his beloved wife Dilys, Australia, Living Choice, Sturt Bowling Club, and the people who encouraged him to take up bowls.
Meet Neville Robinson.
When and where did you first become involved in lawn bowls?
I first became interested in lawn bowls when for many years we used to take our family to a delightful holiday farm on the border of South Africa and Lesotho where the owners had a well-manicured lawn bowling green for residents to use.
This is where I first started to play bowls.
Having a bowling green at Living Choice encouraged me to take bowls more seriously, and, encouraged by Peter Vroom and John Collins - Sturt Bowling Club members - it eventually led to me joining our great Sturt Bowling Club.
How old were you when you began playing pennants for Sturt?
87, two years ago.
Had you played pennant bowls at other clubs before joining Sturt?
I have never played pennant bowls or been a member at a bowls club until I joined Sturt.
Many bowlers are interested in the use of the bowling arm. How has it helped your game, and what has your experience been like using it?
It was suggested I try the bowling arm by a friend of mine at Living Choice, and I have never looked back.
Having a lower back problem, it has been a great help also giving me more accuracy in applying correct grass and weight.
However, in saying that it takes a lot of practice and I’m still learning to use it more accurately every time.
I can honestly say that, because of my back problem, had I not been able to use the arm my days of playing would have been limited.
You also use a spotting scope to view the bowls in the head. Could you explain how you use it and how it assists you during a game.
As I have very bad macular degeneration - 78 Injections to date - the scope enables me to play as it gives me some idea of the distance to the jack as well as the bowls around the head.
I’m not able to distinguish which bowls belong to which players but only their approximate position to the jack.
Without this accessory I doubt if I could continue to play bowls with any accuracy or confidence.
What are some of the things you most enjoy about being a member of the Sturt Bowling Club?
The genuine friendliness of everybody who goes out of their way to make you feel at home as a welcomed member.
I really feel privileged to be part of this wonderful group of men and women bowlers.
They make you feel at home from the moment you arrive.
Away from bowls, what other interests, hobbies or pastimes keep you busy?
Weather permitting I try to play golf once a week at Aston Hills, Mount Barker.
Gym workout in our gymnasium twice a week.
Snooker and kelly pool almost every week.
Watching movies and sport, plus enjoying time together with my lovely supportive partner Dee the last four years here at Living Choice.
I understand your wife Dilys passed away five or six years ago—our sincere condolences. You are now happily settled at Living Choice. How has that transition been for you, and what do you enjoy about living there?
My wife and I first visited Australia for our son’s wedding in 1990 and got our first feel of life in Adelaide and the friendliness of Australians in general.
We also saw the similarities between the lifestyles in South Africa and Australia as well as a lot of the scenery including the gum trees.
After visiting beautiful Sydney and a boat trip to the barrier Reef we couldn’t wait to return and eventually fell in love with the country and its people and decided to make it one of our homes in future.
As I still had my business and we both had family in South Africa my wife Dilys and I agreed to spend six months in Australia and six months in South Africa each year and we did this for almost 20 years until I eventually retired.
Due to her deteriorating bad health doctors said that Dilys should not undertake air travel with the fear of her having another heart attack.
Dilys lived to the age of 80. We enjoyed a happy marriage of 60 years before she passed away peacefully on 29 June 2020.
When and why did you move to Living Choice at Fullerton?
Prior to Dilys’s passing I had my daughter Kelly who was still living in South Africa and my grandson Dale pack up our home there, which we easily sold.
Dilys and I moved into Living Choice in October 2015 from our home in Glenelg North after becoming Australian citizens in 2010.
Moving to Living Choice was the best life decision we could ever have made.
We have been very happy here, have made many friends, and enjoy a lovely apartment and all the facilities one could wish for.
I believe your daughter and grandson relocated from South Africa three or four years ago. What has that meant to you and your family?
Our daughter Kelly applied to come to Australia as Dilys’s carer, but at the eleventh hour was prevented in doing so because of Covid.
In 2022 Kelly came here to be my carer and is hoping to get permanent residence in the near future. Kelly has two sons, her eldest still in South Africa and her youngest Murray, who is the stage production manager on one of the Royal Caribbean ships In the Caribbean.
Murray lives in Cape Town when he is not out at sea.
Our dear son Mark has two lovely daughters, a son and grandson all living in Adelaide and are Australian born.
Bruce Williams tells me you have a fascinating childhood story. Could you tell us a little about your early years and upbringing?
I was born in Durban KwaZulu Natal South Africa in 1936 to my birth mother Iris Whybrow (23).
She was born and lived Walthamstow Essex UK, and as a young child was brought to South Africa by her parents and her other siblings and lived in Durban.
Iris was known to my adopted mother’s family who knew Iris was forced by her parents to give me up for adoption as I was born out of wedlock - my father was unknown.
The adoption process took over 6 months then I was finally handed over to my lovely and wonderful new parents Norman and Marion Robinson, who could not have children.
At birth Iris had registered me as Peter Oswald Whybrow and my new parents had it legally changed to Neville Robert Norman Robinson.
Iris stayed with my new parents for three weeks in their home, which is close to Johannesburg, during the handover.
My younger sister, who was also adopted, and I were only told at the ages of nine and twelve by my adopted parents that we had been adopted.
At that age we were too young to understand the implications and background of our adoptions. My baby sister was adopted from a different mother.
I understand that as an adult you sought to make contact with your mother. How did that play out?
It was only in the early years of marriage to my darling Welsh-born wife Dilys, that she encouraged me to investigate my birth mother and try to find out if she was contactable.
I did know from a few of my older cousins that Iris often asked after me, to inquire how I was doing in life, but never made contact.
I did investigate Iris’s family background and obtained her English birth certificate and visited the address stated on the birth certificate where Iris lived in London most of her young life.
The current residents told me that an American, Larry Dawkins, had also lived in the house as a child, after Iris's family had moved away.
Unfortunately, I never got to speak to or meet my birth mother, Iris. My investigation revealed that she had married, had a daughter, had lived in Adelaide in South Africa's Eastern Cape, and had died in 1977 at the age of 64.
She was cremated in Adelaide, South Africa, so I never even had the chance to visit her gravesite and am saddened that I never had the opportunity to meet her.
Bruce also mentioned that you enjoyed a successful and varied working life. Could you share some highlights from your career?
I was a merchandise manager with a major group of South African general wholesalers. I briefly worked in the hardware department of Harrods Departmental store in London, having returned from South Africa due to ill health.
I was involved as a merchandise manager in opening the first Makro Store in South Africa which was part of Metro/Makro group of Stores in Europe.
I was the director of buying of non-foods for the largest supermarket chain in South Africa, undertaking many trips to Asia, USA, Europe and the UK during my employment.
I then started my own successful business in South Africa, representing factories in the UK, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong/China for over 35 years, specialising in raw materials, hardware, DIY machinery and ironmongery.
What are some things that Sturt members might be surprised to learn about you?
I was a police reservist – Inspector - in South Africa for over 20 years and a volunteer with the South Australian Police Force at Sturt Police Station for over nine years.
I was an amateur bantam weight boxer in my younger days and obtained a third Dan Black Belt in my late 30s With the Japanese Karate Association.
I was a Jazz Drummer for over twelve years and drummer for a ten-piece orchestra during this period.
I was also a Licensed Radio Ham in South Africa for many years.