23 Facts About Robin Farquharson

Reginald Robin Farquharson was an academic whose interest in mathematics and politics led him to work on game theory and social choice theory.

Robin Farquharson was given a Research Fellowship at Churchill College, Cambridge in 1964.

Robin Farquharson published influential articles on the theory of voting: in particular, in an article with Michael Dummett, he conjectured that deterministic voting rules with more than three issues faced endemic strategic voting.

The main reason given for the delay in publication is that Robin Farquharson insisted that the logical choice diagrams be printed in colour, which they eventually were, in black, white and red.

At some point, Robin Farquharson came to diagnose himself as suffering from several mental illnesses including bipolar disorder and cyclothymia.

Robin Farquharson's condition caused him to be absent frequently from his university studies, starting November 1955 to March 1957.

Robin Farquharson was further absent from his studies after the death of his father.

Robin Farquharson was undergoing an attack of his mental illness, which it is believed caused him to contact the College Warden.

Robin Farquharson wrote, campaigned and argued with other members of the group for mental patients to have a greater say in their own treatment.

Robin Farquharson helped to secure squatted sites and rent houses for groups to hold meetings and simply for a place to live.

Robin Farquharson was a mental health activist working both with Tommie Ritchie in the Scottish Union of Mental Patients during 1972 and then the Mental Patients Union in 1973, shortly before his death.

Robin Farquharson was the first member of SUMP from outside Hartwood Hospital.

Robin Farquharson contributed to the counter-cultural Bitman magazine, which published a special obituary edition as a tribute to him after his death in 1973.

Robin Farquharson's friend Guy Legge, who knew him from his time in Horton Hospital, thought Robin was an alcoholic and blames his wild mood swings on his dependency.

Essentially the book is an account of Robin Farquharson finding himself homeless and with little money and many debts, both through circumstance and his own actions.

Robin Farquharson initiated an experiment commencing on Monday 20 November 1967: he set out to forsake money as a kind of restrictive social evil.

Many people see the book as a slightly forced and therefore somewhat inauthentic attempt to slum it with the lower classes in that Robin Farquharson is so often bailed out by either good fortune, the kindness of strangers or old friends.

Many sections of the book simply list the areas of London Robin Farquharson has walked through, including the names of streets and buildings he passes, interspersed with events and acquaintances he makes along the way.

Robin Farquharson was rumoured to have been a member of the political White Panther movement.

Robin Farquharson is said to have helped tear down the walls at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970.

Towards the end of his life, Farquharson spent much of his time in "open university" squat communities, a period during which he met artists and thinkers, including the poet Aidan Andrew Dun and the psychiatrist R D Laing.

Robin Farquharson died as the result of a fire at a house in Platt Street, Somers Town, London, in April 1973, down the road from St Pancras Old Church.

Robin Farquharson was taken to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases near to St Pancras churchyard, where he died from his burns.