A LEADING Lakeland teacher who was "devotedto young people" and was awarded an MBE for services to youth has died,aged 91.

Elsie Robinson, who had lived in the Windermere areasince 1936, had been the head teacher at both Bowness Boys School and theOld College School in Windermere, and had taught at Calgarth PrimarySchool and the Lakes School.

She was born in South Shields in1909 where she lived with her family until they moved to London in1921.

She returned to the North to study at Durham University,which was where she met her husband Roland Robinson.

Thecouple married in 1935 in London, where Mrs Robinson taught briefly beforethey moved to the Lake District the following year so Mr Robinson couldtake up a position at Windermere Grammar School.

He taught atthe school until his retirement in 1965.

He died in1974.

During the Second World War, the head teacher of theBowness Boys School went into the RAF, and Mrs Robinson took over therunning of the school.

Once the war was over, Mrs Robinsontaught at Calgarth Primary before she was appointed headmistress of theOld College School in 1950.

She was head of the Windermereschool which provided secondary modern education for girls in the buildingknown as the Phoenix Centre, until its closure in 1965 when it was one ofthree schools to be amalgamated to form the Lakes School, at TroutbeckBridge.

Mrs Robinson then became a seniormistress at the new school until she retired in 1969.

She wasalso the president of Westmorland branch of the National Union ofTeachers, chairman of Windermere Young Mothers' Club and chairman of thewomen's section of the Royal British Legion.

Mrs Robinson wasalso chairman of the Phoenix Youth Centre, and led the Westmorland YouthEmployment Committee.

In 1974 she was awarded an MBE forservices to youth.

"She played a full part in Westmorland lifeand particularly education - she was devoted to helping young people,"said former colleague Griff Thomas, who was head teacher at the LakesSchool and knew Mrs Robinson for more than 40 years.

"She wasa pioneer in post-war education and youth development in Westmorland, andshe will be remembered for it.

"She was a brilliant teacherand a wonderful person."

Mrs Robinson had two sons David andJohn and five grandchildren.

A service in celebration of herlife was held at St Mary's Church Windermere yesterday(Thursday).