Tributes paid to Robina Hill, managing director of Loomes of Stamford watchmakers
A charismatic teacher and businesswoman who ‘made everything fun’ has died at the age of 62.
Robina Hill had a variety of interests in her home town of Stamford and was admired and well-loved by many different people.
A qualified teacher and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (RSA), Robina had been a governor of St George’s Primary School, ran Stamford Arts Centre’s youth theatre group, and has headed performing arts, media and IT courses at Stamford College.
Until her peaceful death at home at the end of last month she was also managing director of Loomes of Stamford, where she and husband Robert Loomes were responsible for creating a range of hand-made watches, and for restoring clocks, watches and furniture from around the world.
Having grown up in West Kirby in Merseyside, where she attended the local grammar school for girls, Robina studied history at Hull University, went to drama school in London, and then undertook teacher training back in Hull.
Having worked as an artists’ model in Ibiza, she answered a job advert to become director of English drama at the Columbus Theatre (Teatro Colón) in the Argentinian capital, Buenos Aires. After a two-year stint, in 1991 she took a holiday in the Bolivian capital La Paz and met Robert.
“It was a holiday romance,” said Robert. “She was such a straightforward person - there were no subtleties with Robina.
“Since she had always planned to move back to the UK for her next job, she came back and moved in with me.”
The couple married in West Kirby in 1993, the year they moved to Stamford, a location they liked for being half way between London and Robert’s roots in Yorkshire.
Although they ran the business together, they tended to keep from under one another's feet while at work to avoid ‘silly squabbles’ and would instead have meetings as any other colleagues might, to discuss issues coming up at work.
Their successful working partnership lasted 30 years, and although Robina would remind people Robert’s name was on the front of their shop and workshops in St Mary’s Hill, she was extremely skilled in their trade.
“She loved the job,” said Robert. “She used to say, ‘It’s where art meets science and it’s brilliant’.
“Robina made everything fun. She took all the things that she had to do, and instead of seeing them as a chore she approached them as something to enjoy.
“She would say, ‘Let’s go out and do some trade shows!’ or ‘Let’s go to London and drown in champagne!’.
“Robina turned the everyday into a great laugh and remained like that until the end. She was chatting with friends on the phone the day before she died.”
Outside work, Robina had spent time as a Stamford Visitor Centre volunteer, helping in 2023 to set up a ‘meet and greet’ service to welcome people arriving on coaches.
Jill Collinge, who established the group of volunteers to help visitors find local attractions and places to eat, drink and shop, said: “Robina was wonderful and lively and losing her was a shock for us all.
“She was so full of life and joie de vivre, and she brightened every room she entered.
“She will be missed in Stamford because she was such a wonderful character.”
When the volunteers met this month to discuss the season ahead, they began with a two-minute silence for Robina.
Robina loved animals, particularly horses, and had three at one point, which she kept at Great Casterton.
Her dog, Cerys, and cat, Glenda - named after fellow West Kirby Grammar School pupil Glenda Jackson - were by her side when she died.
Robert, 57, who was diagnosed with cancer five years ago, said they had always thought he would ‘go first’ but that Robina had not wanted to stay in hospital following her own cancer diagnosis towards the end of last year.
“She had been in and out of hospital at Christmas and said ‘never again’,” he said. “She meant it too. Strong minded lady, Robina.
“In the end we all went along with her wishes and made sure her last days were lovely and comfortable.”
Robina’s funeral will be held at 1pm on Wednesday, March 12, at All Saints’ Church in Stamford.