Jaques, Robin – Father of Carry On actress was killed in Old Somerby air crash

Robin Rochester Jaques (1897-1923)

Robin Jaques was born in the Heaton area of Newcastle. He was the son of a billiard room manager.

The eldest son of eight children, sometimes he was called Robert in his younger days.

He was a keen sportsman and became a semi-professional footballer. He signed to Clapton Orient and Fulham FC but his career was cut short when he died young.

He had joined the Middlesex Regiment as a private and served in France during the First World War. He rose to 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Scots Fusiliers before joining the newly formed Royal Air Force.

He was posted to RAF Spitalgate as a trainee pilot in 100 Squadron, and on 8th August 1923 Flying Office Jaques took off for a solo trip in an AVRO 504 Bi Plane.

Flying at 10,000 feet and attempting some aerobatic manoeuvers he stalled the aircraft. At 300 feet control was lost and   he was killed instantly when the aircraft hit the ground .

A court of inquiry judged he had not used the controls of the aircraft correctly due over-confidence in his ability. There were no faults with the aircraft so it was “pilot error!”

Robin had married 20-year-old nurse Mary Adelaide Thorn less than three years earlier at St Luke’s Church, Chelsea. She had borne him two children. Their son Robin was three years old and daughter Josephine was just 18 months when they lost their father. They lived at Newton.

He was buried in an unmarked grave in n Grantham Cemetery only two days after the accident. A headstone was installed by RAFA in 2015.

Mary had been left just £180 to bring up her two children and moved to live with her parents in Chelsea.

Young Josephine showed promise at dancing and acting. She worked as a hairdresser and then followed in her mother’s footsteps as a Voluntary Aid Detachment Nurse until World War Two broke out.

Josephine and her brother changed their surname from Jaques to Jacques, by  inserting the “c” to make it sound more French.

Josephine, whose nickname was Hattie, went on to become one of Britain’s best loved actresses.

What a carry on!

Research thanks to Peter Reichelt and Lincolnshire Archives