Much-loved Lesley Robinson dies

Lesley Robinson, who died on Thursday, was one of the best-known faces on the league cricket scene.

To many cricketers she was like a second mum who would give them a hug or words of encouragement when their spirits needed a lift.

But she was also a hugely-respected and determined administrator who won great respect and affection as the long-serving secretary of the Heavy Woollen Cup. In recent years she has been a vice-president of the competition and was still attending meetings in December.

Lesley also served as secretary of Baildon and was for many years an official of Keighley where she formed a formidable partnership in the tearoom with her late husband Keith who she was married to for 59 years.

They had four children, Phil, Jamie and Richard who have all played with distinction in the Bradford League and a daughter Rachel who is married to cricketer Tim Burnley.

It is fitting that Lesley's funeral on Friday, March 18. at Oakworth Crematorium, 1pm, is to be followed by a celebration of the lives of her and Keith at Keighley Cricket Club.

Whenever you met Lesley at cricket, she was invariably at Keith’s side greeting their many cricket friends with warm smiles and kind words.

But there was also a steely side to her character and if the need arose she would stand her ground stubbornly. This earned her the nickname of ‘My Margaret Thatcher’ from her son Richard who is the Bradford League’s all-time leading run scorer.

There was a proud moment for Lesley in 2002 when she presented the Heavy Woollen Cup to Richard after Keighley beat Baildon in the final at Liversedge.

“I was also named man of the match,” recalls Richard. “That didn’t have anything to do with mum, but some people probably thought so.”

Another happy moment shared by Lesley and Richard came 2014 along with Keith they won the Bradford League’s Unsung Hero Award for their outstanding work at Keighley.

That accolade came a year after Keith, who died in 2020, won the coveted Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy.

Just how much affection the cricket community felt for Lesley is reflected in the many tributes that have been posted on social media.

League chairman David Young said: “This is very sad new. Lesley was a lovely lady who did so much for cricket. She will be very sorely missed, and our thoughts are with her family at this time.”

Nasa Hussain, the league’s EDI Officer, has known Lesley since he was a teenager playing in junior cricket alongside Richard.

“Lesley was like a second mum to me. She was so kind, so friendly and this is an extremely sad day.

“I can remember one day winning the player of the day award in the Robert Bland Indoor Finals. The prize was a bat and my brother always insisted that I only won it because Lesley was the adjudicator.”

Lesley Robinson, who died yesterday, was one of the best-known faces on the league cricket scene.

To many cricketers she was like a second mum who would give them a hug or words of encouragement when their spirits needed a lift.

But she was also a hugely-respected and determined administrator who won great respect and affection as the long-serving secretary of the Heavy Woollen Cup. In recent years she has been a vice-president of the competition and was still attending meetings in December.

Lesley also served as secretary of Baildon and was for many years an official of Keighley where she formed a formidable partnership in the tearoom with her late husband Keith who she was married to for 59 years.

They had four children, Phil, Jamie and Richard who have all played with distinction in the Bradford League and a daughter Rachel who is married to cricketer Tim Burnley.

Whenever you met Lesley at cricket, she was invariably at Keith’s side greeting their many cricket friends with warm smiles and kind words.

But there was also a steely side to her character and if the need arose she would stand her ground stubbornly. This earned her the nickname of ‘My Margaret Thatcher’ from her son Richard who is the Bradford League’s all-time leading run scorer.

There was a proud moment for Lesley in 2002 when she presented the Heavy Woollen Cup to Richard after Keighley beat Baildon in the final at Liversedge.

“I was also named man of the match,” recalls Richard. “That didn’t have anything to do with mum, but some people probably thought so.”

Another happy moment shared by Lesley and Richard came 2014 along with Keith they won the Bradford League’s Unsung Hero Award for their outstanding work at Keighley.

That accolade came a year after Keith, who died in 2020, won the coveted Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy.

Just how much affection the cricket community felt for Lesley is reflected in the many tributes that have been posted on social media.

League chairman David Young said: “This is very sad new. Lesley was a lovely lady who did so much for cricket. She will be very sorely missed, and our thoughts are with her family at this time.”

Nasa Hussain, the league’s EDI Officer, has known Lesley since he was a teenager playing in junior cricket alongside Richard.

“Lesley was like a second mum to me. She was so kind, so friendly and this is an extremely sad day.

“I can remember one day winning the player of the day award in the Robert Bland Indoor Finals. The prize was a bat and my brother always insisted that I only won it because Lesley was the adjudicator.”

Lesley Robinson, who died yesterday, was one of the best-known faces on the league cricket scene.

To many cricketers she was like a second mum who would give them a hug or words of encouragement when their spirits needed a lift.

But she was also a hugely-respected and determined administrator who won great respect and affection as the long-serving secretary of the Heavy Woollen Cup. In recent years she has been a vice-president of the competition and was still attending meetings in December.

Lesley also served as secretary of Baildon and was for many years an official of Keighley where she formed a formidable partnership in the tearoom with her late husband Keith who she was married to for 59 years.

They had four children, Phil, Jamie and Richard who have all played with distinction in the Bradford League and a daughter Rachel who is married to cricketer Tim Burnley.

Whenever you met Lesley at cricket, she was invariably at Keith’s side greeting their many cricket friends with warm smiles and kind words.

But there was also a steely side to her character and if the need arose she would stand her ground stubbornly. This earned her the nickname of ‘My Margaret Thatcher’ from her son Richard who is the Bradford League’s all-time leading run scorer.

There was a proud moment for Lesley in 2002 when she presented the Heavy Woollen Cup to Richard after Keighley beat Baildon in the final at Liversedge.

“I was also named man of the match,” recalls Richard. “That didn’t have anything to do with mum, but some people probably thought so.”

Another happy moment shared by Lesley and Richard came 2014 along with Keith they won the Bradford League’s Unsung Hero Award for their outstanding work at Keighley.

That accolade came a year after Keith, who died in 2020, won the coveted Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy.

Just how much affection the cricket community felt for Lesley is reflected in the many tributes that have been posted on social media.

League chairman David Young said: “This is very sad new. Lesley was a lovely lady who did so much for cricket. She will be very sorely missed, and our thoughts are with her family at this time.”

Nasa Hussain, the league’s EDI Officer, has known Lesley since he was a teenager playing in junior cricket alongside Richard.

“Lesley was like a second mum to me. She was so kind, so friendly and this is an extremely sad day.

“I can remember one day winning the player of the day award in the Robert Bland Indoor Finals. The prize was a bat and my brother always insisted that I only won it because Lesley was the adjudicator.”

Lesley Robinson, who died yesterday, was one of the best-known faces on the league cricket scene.

To many cricketers she was like a second mum who would give them a hug or words of encouragement when their spirits needed a lift.

But she was also a hugely-respected and determined administrator who won great respect and affection as the long-serving secretary of the Heavy Woollen Cup. In recent years she has been a vice-president of the competition and was still attending meetings in December.

Lesley also served as secretary of Baildon and was for many years an official of Keighley where she formed a formidable partnership in the tearoom with her late husband Keith who she was married to for 59 years.

They had four children, Phil, Jamie and Richard who have all played with distinction in the Bradford League and a daughter Rachel who is married to cricketer Tim Burnley.

Whenever you met Lesley at cricket, she was invariably at Keith’s side greeting their many cricket friends with warm smiles and kind words.

But there was also a steely side to her character and if the need arose she would stand her ground stubbornly. This earned her the nickname of ‘My Margaret Thatcher’ from her son Richard who is the Bradford League’s all-time leading run scorer.

There was a proud moment for Lesley in 2002 when she presented the Heavy Woollen Cup to Richard after Keighley beat Baildon in the final at Liversedge.

“I was also named man of the match,” recalls Richard. “That didn’t have anything to do with mum, but some people probably thought so.”

Another happy moment shared by Lesley and Richard came 2014 along with Keith they won the Bradford League’s Unsung Hero Award for their outstanding work at Keighley.

That accolade came a year after Keith, who died in 2020, won the coveted Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy.

Just how much affection the cricket community felt for Lesley is reflected in the many tributes that have been posted on social media.

League chairman David Young said: “This is very sad new. Lesley was a lovely lady who did so much for cricket. She will be very sorely missed, and our thoughts are with her family at this time.”

Nasa Hussain, the league’s EDI Officer, has known Lesley since he was a teenager playing in junior cricket alongside Richard.

“Lesley was like a second mum to me. She was so kind, so friendly and this is an extremely sad day.

“I can remember one day winning the player of the day award in the Robert Bland Indoor Finals. The prize was a bat and my brother always insisted that I only won it because Lesley was the adjudicator.”

Lesley Robinson, who died yesterday, was one of the best-known faces on the league cricket scene.

To many cricketers she was like a second mum who would give them a hug or words of encouragement when their spirits needed a lift.

But she was also a hugely-respected and determined administrator who won great respect and affection as the long-serving secretary of the Heavy Woollen Cup. In recent years she has been a vice-president of the competition and was still attending meetings in December.

Lesley also served as secretary of Baildon and was for many years an official of Keighley where she formed a formidable partnership in the tearoom with her late husband Keith who she was married to for 59 years.

They had four children, Phil, Jamie and Richard who have all played with distinction in the Bradford League and a daughter Rachel who is married to cricketer Tim Burnley.

Whenever you met Lesley at cricket, she was invariably at Keith’s side greeting their many cricket friends with warm smiles and kind words.

But there was also a steely side to her character and if the need arose she would stand her ground stubbornly. This earned her the nickname of ‘My Margaret Thatcher’ from her son Richard who is the Bradford League’s all-time leading run scorer.

There was a proud moment for Lesley in 2002 when she presented the Heavy Woollen Cup to Richard after Keighley beat Baildon in the final at Liversedge.

“I was also named man of the match,” recalls Richard. “That didn’t have anything to do with mum, but some people probably thought so.”

Another happy moment shared by Lesley and Richard came 2014 along with Keith they won the Bradford League’s Unsung Hero Award for their outstanding work at Keighley.

That accolade came a year after Keith, who died in 2020, won the coveted Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy.

Just how much affection the cricket community felt for Lesley is reflected in the many tributes that have been posted on social media.

League chairman David Young said: “This is very sad new. Lesley was a lovely lady who did so much for cricket. She will be very sorely missed, and our thoughts are with her family at this time.”

Nasa Hussain, the league’s EDI Officer, has known Lesley since he was a teenager playing in junior cricket alongside Richard.

“Lesley was like a second mum to me. She was so kind, so friendly and this is an extremely sad day.

“I can remember one day winning the player of the day award in the Robert Bland Indoor Finals. The prize was a bat and my brother always insisted that I only won it because Lesley was the adjudicator.”

Lesley Robinson, who died yesterday, was one of the best-known faces on the league cricket scene.

To many cricketers she was like a second mum who would give them a hug or words of encouragement when their spirits needed a lift.

But she was also a hugely-respected and determined administrator who won great respect and affection as the long-serving secretary of the Heavy Woollen Cup. In recent years she has been a vice-president of the competition and was still attending meetings in December.

Lesley also served as secretary of Baildon and was for many years an official of Keighley where she formed a formidable partnership in the tearoom with her late husband Keith who she was married to for 59 years.

They had four children, Phil, Jamie and Richard who have all played with distinction in the Bradford League and a daughter Rachel who is married to cricketer Tim Burnley.

Whenever you met Lesley at cricket, she was invariably at Keith’s side greeting their many cricket friends with warm smiles and kind words.

But there was also a steely side to her character and if the need arose she would stand her ground stubbornly. This earned her the nickname of ‘My Margaret Thatcher’ from her son Richard who is the Bradford League’s all-time leading run scorer.

There was a proud moment for Lesley in 2002 when she presented the Heavy Woollen Cup to Richard after Keighley beat Baildon in the final at Liversedge.

“I was also named man of the match,” recalls Richard. “That didn’t have anything to do with mum, but some people probably thought so.”

Another happy moment shared by Lesley and Richard came 2014 along with Keith they won the Bradford League’s Unsung Hero Award for their outstanding work at Keighley.

That accolade came a year after Keith, who died in 2020, won the coveted Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy.

Just how much affection the cricket community felt for Lesley is reflected in the many tributes that have been posted on social media.

League chairman David Young said: “This is very sad new. Lesley was a lovely lady who did so much for cricket. She will be very sorely missed, and our thoughts are with her family at this time.”

Nasa Hussain, the league’s EDI Officer, has known Lesley since he was a teenager playing in junior cricket alongside Richard.

“Lesley was like a second mum to me. She was so kind, so friendly and this is an extremely sad day.

“I can remember one day winning the player of the day award in the Robert Bland Indoor Finals. The prize was a bat and my brother always insisted that I only won it because Lesley was the adjudicator.”

Lesley Robinson, who died yesterday, was one of the best-known faces on the league cricket scene.

To many cricketers she was like a second mum who would give them a hug or words of encouragement when their spirits needed a lift.

But she was also a hugely-respected and determined administrator who won great respect and affection as the long-serving secretary of the Heavy Woollen Cup. In recent years she has been a vice-president of the competition and was still attending meetings in December.

Lesley also served as secretary of Baildon and was for many years an official of Keighley where she formed a formidable partnership in the tearoom with her late husband Keith who she was married to for 59 years.

They had four children, Phil, Jamie and Richard who have all played with distinction in the Bradford League and a daughter Rachel who is married to cricketer Tim Burnley.

Whenever you met Lesley at cricket, she was invariably at Keith’s side greeting their many cricket friends with warm smiles and kind words.

But there was also a steely side to her character and if the need arose she would stand her ground stubbornly. This earned her the nickname of ‘My Margaret Thatcher’ from her son Richard who is the Bradford League’s all-time leading run scorer.

There was a proud moment for Lesley in 2002 when she presented the Heavy Woollen Cup to Richard after Keighley beat Baildon in the final at Liversedge.

“I was also named man of the match,” recalls Richard. “That didn’t have anything to do with mum, but some people probably thought so.”

Another happy moment shared by Lesley and Richard came 2014 along with Keith they won the Bradford League’s Unsung Hero Award for their outstanding work at Keighley.

That accolade came a year after Keith, who died in 2020, won the coveted Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy.

Just how much affection the cricket community felt for Lesley is reflected in the many tributes that have been posted on social media.

League chairman David Young said: “This is very sad new. Lesley was a lovely lady who did so much for cricket. She will be very sorely missed, and our thoughts are with her family at this time.”

Nasa Hussain, the league’s EDI Officer, has known Lesley since he was a teenager playing in junior cricket alongside Richard.

“Lesley was like a second mum to me. She was so kind, so friendly and this is an extremely sad day.

“I can remember one day winning the player of the day award in the Robert Bland Indoor Finals. The prize was a bat and my brother always insisted that I only won it because Lesley was the adjudicator.”