Comments on: So Long, Bobby Cummines OBE

By: Tim Hubbard

Tim Hubbard — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 07:35:31 +0000

My parents, two brothers and sister lived in 58 Bennett Court in Axminster Road until the late 1970’s. Our flat was right below Bobby’s parent’s (Fred and Mary’s) flat at number 60. Bobby lived in an house right opposite ours and his parents flat in Axminster Road, with his then wife Vera. I used to play with Bobby’s daughter, (Tara) in our flat as kids, and we all got along just great. Bennett Court is a post war housing estate which had a lot of poor families, (like our’s too) and there was a spirit of community where everyone looked out for each other. There was hardly any trouble on our estate as I’m sure Bobby had an hand in making that so. My late middle brother, (Ron) had quite a close connection with the Cummines family and did a fair bit of building work for Bobby’s dad Fred. As my brother was very impressionable, he was once gifted a double barrelled shooter from Bobbly for his 18th birthday! When my dad found out, he absolutely “did his conkers” and made him hand it back! Also, we were one of the very few flats on the estate back then that had a GPO landline telephone. (No mobile phones back in them days). Bobby often came downstairs and asked to if he could make a call from our phone in our kitchen. I remember very vividly our parents closing the kitchen doors whoever he was calling. God only knows what he was arranging over our flat’s landline! I’d like to have been a fly on the wall! I got in touch with Bobby in 2024 and he remembered me and our family and we both sent regards to each other and reminisced about those old days. I know he had a real hellish past, but he tried to come to some good in the end.. RIP

By: Penny Wrout

Penny Wrout — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 12:42:26 +0000

Very sorry to hear of Bobby Cummines death. When I was a journalist covering crime, he was a beacon of what life has to offer for those who feel genuine remorse. He was approachable, kind and most importantly, relatable for people who wanted to escape the misery and paranoia of a criminal life. No doubt his younger self had serious, negative impacts on some lives, but his older, wiser self was able to influence for the good, going a long way to make up for his misdeeds. He was a strong advocate for restorative justice – which ultimately is the only way to heal lives damaged by crime.

By: Robin

Robin — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:25:24 +0000

What a life!

By: achim

achim — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 15:02:06 +0000

MR ROBERT “BOBBY” CUMMINES (1951-2026) — R.I.P.

Love & Peace
ACHIM

By: James Harrison

James Harrison — Sat, 07 Mar 2026 06:50:29 +0000

Not sure how I feel about this. While the man managed to turn his life around and become an extraordinary force for good — and was rewarded with an OBE along the way — a leopard does not change its spots. His involvement with Unlock is commendable, but given his euphemistically “colourful” past, he remains in my eyes — rightly or wrongly — a violent criminal who ruined the lives of others. Forgiveness is equally commendable, but it’s not an easy thing if you have been on the receiving end of a sawn-off shotgun. Anyway, RIP Mr Cummines OBE.