FOR THE REGIMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23669, 29 November 1938, Page 18

FOR THE REGIMENT

WIFE KEPT SECRET BROKEN ROMANCE HIDDEN For 40 years Mrs Lilian Robotham, recluse, found dead at her home in Victoria road, Shoreham, kept her broken romance a secret for fear that her husband's character might "let down" his old regiment. It was 40 years ago' that a . young woman living at Windsor met Corporal Edwin Robotham, serving in the 2nd Life Guards. They fell in love and were married in 1899. But six weeks later he left her.

For years Lilian searched for him. When acridents were reported she would imake certain it was not her husband who was involved. She earned a living as best she could. She wrote the words of many songs, including " Maggie Machree " and " Barney from Killarney."

After years of search had failed to trace him, Robotham- was officially presumed dead, and Lilian was granted a widow's pension. Then came the war. Lilian joined the "W.A.A.C.S." Always she cherished a hope that she might meet her husband again. Ten years after the war ended sh-3 went to a kinema and saw a film. "Buck." "My husband," she shoutert, as the face of a " Ted Duncan" was shot on to the screen.

She rushed from the kinema, communicated with Hollywood film producers, and later with officials of tha United States Army at Washington. Edwin Robotham was traced. He refused to return, or to find her a home in the United States. But he paid her art allowance. All this time Lilian refused to say a word to her friends. She put her husband's and her own regard for his old regiment first.

Then she received divorce papers from Portland, Oregon, accusing her of making her husband unhappy. He was described as a retired captain of the United States Army.

Faced with the choice of staining her own character by allowing the divorce to go through, or telling the true facts, Lilian at last decided to reveal the truth. Since then she became a recluse.

The discovery of Mrs Robotham's death was made when it was noticed that two days' milk and newspapers v/ere still outside her door.