Melville Marks Robinson
Encyclopedia
Melville Marks Robinson (born in Peterborough
, Ontario
, Canada
on April 8, 1888) founded the British Empire Games
, now known as the Commonwealth Games.
Bobby Robinson was a sports reporter for the Hamilton Spectator. He attended the 1928 Summer Olympics
in Amsterdam
as manager of the Canadian track and field team, to which he had recruited British Guiana
runner Phil Edwards, whose "country (actually a colony)" had no Olympic team; like other countries' teams, this was Canada's first-ever co-ed track and field team.
The Amsterdam Olympics provided Robinson with a venue for the contacts he would need to sell the idea of holding British Empire Games in the "spirit of friendly competition". The first British Empire Games
were therefore held in Hamilton, Ontario
, Canada in 1930, with Edwards competing for British Guiana.
The community-minded Robinson, who lived on a farm near Hamilton in Burlington, Ontario
http://images.burlington.halnet.on.ca, (from 1920-1957) would later be appointed to the board of Burlington High School
, serving from 1940 to 1963, including as its president from 1950 to 1963. Upon his retirement, a new school, M.M. Robinson High School
, was named in his honour.
He died on June 6, 1974.
Peterborough, Ontario
Peterborough is a city on the Otonabee River in southern Ontario, Canada, 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. The population of the City of Peterborough was 74,898 as of the 2006 census, while the census metropolitan area has a population of 121,428 as of a 2009 estimate. It presently ranks...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on April 8, 1888) founded the British Empire Games
Commonwealth Games
The Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
, now known as the Commonwealth Games.
Bobby Robinson was a sports reporter for the Hamilton Spectator. He attended the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
as manager of the Canadian track and field team, to which he had recruited British Guiana
British Guiana
British Guiana was the name of the British colony on the northern coast of South America, now the independent nation of Guyana.The area was originally settled by the Dutch at the start of the 17th century as the colonies of Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice...
runner Phil Edwards, whose "country (actually a colony)" had no Olympic team; like other countries' teams, this was Canada's first-ever co-ed track and field team.
The Amsterdam Olympics provided Robinson with a venue for the contacts he would need to sell the idea of holding British Empire Games in the "spirit of friendly competition". The first British Empire Games
1930 British Empire Games
The 1930 British Empire Games were the first of what later become known as the Commonwealth Games, and were held in Hamilton, in the province of Ontario in Canada from August 16–23, 1930....
were therefore held in Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, Canada in 1930, with Edwards competing for British Guiana.
The community-minded Robinson, who lived on a farm near Hamilton in Burlington, Ontario
Burlington, Ontario
Burlington , is a city located in Halton Region at the western end of Lake Ontario. Burlington is part of the Greater Toronto Area, and is also included in the Hamilton Census Metropolitan Area. Physically, Burlington lies between the north shore of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment...
http://images.burlington.halnet.on.ca, (from 1920-1957) would later be appointed to the board of Burlington High School
Burlington Central High School
Burlington Central High School is a public middle school and high school in Burlington, Ontario, Canada in the Halton District School Board. Enrollment was 686 students in September 2008. The current school building was constructed in 1922 and has been added to extensively over the years. The last...
, serving from 1940 to 1963, including as its president from 1950 to 1963. Upon his retirement, a new school, M.M. Robinson High School
M.M. Robinson High School
M.M. Robinson High School is a high school located in northern Burlington, Ontario, Canada, administered by the Halton District School Board. Founded in 1963, the school is named after the founder of the British Empire Games, Melville Marks Robinson, who was subsequently a Board member.The school,...
, was named in his honour.
He died on June 6, 1974.