Alan Kirkwood Robb (10 Feb 1943 - 15 Mar 2018)

Way too young to leave us...remember well the glory days in Caracas...and then Miami...Alan was the fun banker, great times and I imagine most of the pics are from good old Venezuela...rest in peace

I first met Alan in 1972 when we and a bunch of other young hopefuls were drawn from various parts of Barclays to be part of the newly formed International Division. We worked alongside each other for some years until he was transferred to Madrid and other overseas postings. We kept in touch throughout and he always found time on his home-leave to stay with us. I last spoke to him just before Christmas when,although unwell, he was pretty upbeat about the future. Not for the first time, my offer of Christmas hospitality resulted in the usual response of Bah Humbug. A previous Christmas I tucked into his Christmas card a sachet of instant soup to tide him over and for that he was most grateful saying it would easily last him until Hogmanay. He has been a light in my life for as long as I can remember and I will miss him terribly. Shine on you Crazy Diamond.

I first met Alan when I joined the South American Team in International Finance in
the early 1980s. His irreverent sense of humour was a welcome antidote for a
an assorted group of accountants, lawyers, domestic bankers and bush bankers grappling with strange instruments called Eurodollars and trying to understand how we could lend $1.2 billion to the
Republic of Venezuela with absolutely no security at all.

We would go to loan signings at Ironmongers' Hall to enjoy the lunch, catch
up with bankers from many backgrounds and then slip into the Jamaica Inn
for a quick Becks Beer before returning to the office. And then we met again
when I had moved to Corporate Division in New York in the early 90s and Alan was based in Miami. We invariably ended up in a restaurant on 3rd Avenue, Alan's telling the tales and me laughing. As others have said, I never met anyone who could make people happy like he could. Our evenings always ended predictably with Alan revealing that he only had his American Express card.- which was of course the one card the restaurant wouldn't take.

Outside of work and just enjoying ourselves, we were also shared an interest in
our respective national rugby teams and an abiding hope each year that they would both
beat England in the Six Nations.

Happy days, I shall miss him a lot.

Alan was quite simply a member of our family. I can’t remember him not being around. He was at my childhood birthday parties, there on Christmas Day, at family occasions, on family holidays and perpetually in Dad’s chair in the living room covered in a pile of Sunday papers watching the rugby or F1. I just can’t quite believe he won’t be around anymore. My entire life is filled with wonderful memories of good old ‘AK’.... going for curries at the local ‘Afsana’ as a family when we were younger... stealing his Levi denim jackets when I was a kid pretty much as soon as he walked through the door.... delivering cups of tea and chocolate biscuits to him first thing in the morning when he came to stay and AK eternally joking that my sis and I used to deliver them at 4am... Alan and dad listening to music together and blasting out some guitar tracks with Alan doing air guitar... Alan always referring to Mum and Dad as ‘Mummy Wummy and Daddy Waddy’ and my sister and I as the ‘Twinthetas’... Dad and Alan endlessly doing their “I used to eat gravel.... bloody luxury” joke which would go on forever to much eye-rolling from my sister and me... wondering what brightly coloured shirt/sock combo or ‘travel t-shirt’ he would be wearing when we next saw him... AK always after the next ‘gadget’ and discussing them at great length and yet always absolutely unable to actually use them!... I could go on and on. There are so many memories and so many of his funny little idiosyncrancies that make me smile.

AK you’ve been such an important part of our family and our lives are so much richer for having had you in them. We will miss you so terribly much x

Graham and I came across Alan in Madrid in 1977, sitting outside a pub (where else?!), The Red Lion, close to the kiosk where the expats went every week to collect their Sunday papers. Over ensuing weeks and months we got to know him and then Sue and the girls well, and have very fond memories of time spent with them eating and drinking our way around Madrid and holidaying in Mojácar.

Over the intervening years, we have always kept in touch. Alan was such great company - a mischievous rogue with a twinkle in his eye (especially for the ladies!), always good fun and a fantastic, loyal friend. There was a lot of laughter and a lot of wine!

Graham and I are so very sad that he will no longer be a part of our lives. We will greatly miss his humour and his friendship, and we send our deepest condolences to Eleanor and Karen.

Jill Zacharias (always known to Alan as Jillikins!)

So sorry we won't be at the funeral. We shall however coif a bottle of Rio-ja as Alan liked to call it. Eat fish and recall some of the good times we had with Alan doing same with us on his many holidays with us in Spain and Monaco and day trips to Northern France.

No doubt Paul will have to tell me his views on the Bahrain grand prix and not his old mate Alan.

Alan you are missed already and will continue to be missed but mentioned for years to come.

Judy and Paul

My sincere condolences to you both Eleanor and Karen.

Alan and I were great friends since Caracas days. I was drawn to his charismatic personality, charm and sense of fun.
I was his Landlady (which he joked about) when he returned from Key Biscayne.

That was such a fun and happy time, as indeed were all the times I spent in Alan's company.

He was one of a kind and I will miss my friend dearly.

In Loving Memory of Alan

Margaret

A Thank you from Alan's daughters - Eleanor and Karen

We are both delighted to see so many of dad's friends posting here on his memorial page, reminiscing about him and the wonderful times you each spent with him over the years. It's also lovely for us to read your memories and see your pictures of him, so thank you for taking the time to post.

We would both like to apologise to any of dad's friends who have not heard directly from one or other of us. The contacts pages of dad's Filofax are missing therefore we have been unable to personally contact his many friends, near and far, to advise them of this web page for him, or to pass on details of his funeral.

As you all probably know, dad was an expert administrator and loved nothing more than documenting relevant information, so these lost pages would have been a mine of information for us.

Unfortunately, we're not sure who will be able to attend on Monday but we hope wherever you are in the world and whatever time it is you'll raise a glass to dad at 13:30 GMT on Monday 9th April, to wish him well as he embarks on his next, undoubtedly fun filled journey.

We miss you dad
Eleanor and Karen

So sorry to learn this sad news. Gill and I sadly can't come to the funeral, but hope the day goes well. We shall make a donation to the Stroke Association.

Dear Alan,

Thanks for so many splendid, joyful memories over the years-- from Darien, Connecticut to New York City, Montreal, Rome, the South of France, the English countryside and beyond. Always good company. So grateful our paths crossed. You will understand when I say-- Dance on!

Love,

Margaret

Alan and I finally caught up again with each other in 1972 - in Zambia of all places. I was at a rowing regatta between Kitwe & Ndola. The custom for visitors is to put your name on the notice board for accommodation. While watching & encouraging one of our crews, Alan heard the refined dulcet tones of a Greenock accent motivating our oarsmen.He was surprised to see me & invited me to stay as his guest where I met his lovely wife & daughters.After the regatta we strolled down memory lane (later staggered) of The Good,The Great & The not so Great Inhabitants of Greenock.Many hours later & quite a few beers (chiboolies)we had exhausted our repitoire & memories.As it was now 7am in the morning there was no sense in going for a sleep,a hearty breakfast & down to the Boat Club for that day's regatta.No idea who won????
Our paths crossed a few times over the years - Madrid , London , Greenock depending on our timetables. I shall always remember with fond memories of the laughter,banter & great stories of our respective travels & the characters we met.