Robin Freeman - TrustNews Sep 16
For many years, Robin Freeman - who died on 21st June - was a very active member of the Trust but he was always modest and self-effacing about his activities.
The most obvious of these was to lead walks in each summer programme, often based upon his love for the buildings of Owen Browne Carter, the 19th Century Winchester architect. We always benefitted from Robin’s extensive knowledge of Carter and his ability to contrast Carter’s work and to relate it to other buildings.
Less apparent was his regular attendance at PAG panels where his knowledge and experience as an architect was deployed, gently and persuasively, for the benefit of the lay members of the panel and, ultimately, the City. In this field, Robin took on more responsibility when Shione Carden had to give up organising the PAG because of ill health. Robin took on this heavy task without hesitation and continued until 2015 when Mary Tiles took over. For much of that time he continued to lead his panel as well.
A different task was his membership of the small editorial group, responsible for producing the most successful volume Winchester, Heart of a City. In fact, it was Robin’s encyclopedic knowledge of Winchester that impressed the team involved and helped to make the book the success that it became.
Robin’s great commitment to the Trust was matched by one to the Chesil Theatre. There he did a bit of everything including acting and directing to the great advantage of the theatre. However, the commitment to the Trust and the Theatre were kept apart – that was his style.
I first met Robin in the 70’s when he was working for the well known firm of conservation architects, Purcell Miller and Triton. He worked under Corrine Bennett who at the time was the Winchester Cathedral architect. He was therefore responsible to her for helping with some excellent conservation work on many of their buildings, including the Cathedral and within the Close.
On retiring as an architect, he worked for some time in the archive department of the Hampshire County Council. No doubt this gave him the opportunity to widen his knowledge of historic Winchester, which was useful when advising on many aspects of the Trust’s work.
So, a very private man who gave much to the community but in all his activities he was sociable, friendly and very good company. We will certainly miss Robin; he has created a vacuum not easily filled.