Mike Singleton, the son of Helen Backshell (nee Cordingley), belongs to the Cordingley family and is an enthusiastic collector of Cordingley surfboards and memorabilia. He displays some of these items at the WA Surf Gallery in Yallingup and played a key role as organiser and major exhibitor at the 2025 Vintage Surfboards Swap Meet, which took place at Perry Lakes, Floreat, on Sunday, 2 November 2025.
In preparation for the Vintage Surfboards event, Mike gathered several Cordingley pieces from the Surf Gallery for display. Photographer Mick Marlin captured an image of Mike holding a 1971 Cordingley GL S deck surfboard, which was later shared on social media (see photo below).
Unexpectedly, Cathryn Robins recognised the surfboard as belonging to her late father, Allen Robins, and expressed a strong interest in retrieving it.
The story, from this point is told by Mike and others.
2025 Jim King & Mike Singleton with Tony Harbison’s Cordingley Surf Team parka and a 1971 Cordingley GL S deck surfboard at the WA Surf Gallery.Photo Mick Marlin.
Mike Singleton. “After the Surf Gallery posted this photo on social media 29 October 2025 a frantic Cathryn Robins contacted curator Jim King regarding the board. A 1971 Greg Laurenson Cordingley S deck. Cathryn and her sister Alana (Qld) have been searching for their late father’s board for decades. Alan Robins was a champion surfer and character back in the day.
Then when Cathryn sent me the pic of herself on the board nearly 50 years ago, I realised I was going to lose one of my most prized boards.
Yesterday it went home to Capel. Lots of tears from his Cathryn and her sister in Qld and emotions all round.
Rip Al. You had great taste in boards.”
Circa 1985 Cathryn Robins riding her dad’s Cordingley GL surfboard in Yallingup lagoon. Photo courtesy Cathryn.
Cathryn Robins. “My sister and I are delighted that Dad’s board is back in the family. I spotted it in a recent post from the WA Surf Gallery. Years ago, Dad had given the board to our cousins in Balinup to learn surfing, and after that, we lost track of it. When my older sister Alana returns from her holiday in New Zealand, we plan to return the board to the WA Surf Gallery for display purposes. We’ll use Dad’s 2000 Ford Pursuit ute to deliver it to the Gallery at Christmas time.“
2025 Mike returning her Allen Robin’s Cordingley GL surfboard to daughter Cathryn. Photo Robins family.
2025 Mike and Catheryn holding her dad’s 1971 Cordingley surfboard. Photo Robins family.
Allen Robins’ surfing background
Allen Robins was a foundation member of the Dolphins Surfriders Club and competed successfully in State surfing competitions in the late 60s & early 70s. Allen Leslie Robins of Bunbury, formerly North Beach and Balinup passed away 18 May 2022.
2011 State representives Dave Williams & Allen Robins at Pioneer Surfing Sculpture unveiling Yallingup. Photo Loz Smith. RIP Davo & Al.
Kevin Merifield. “I shared many good surfing sessions with Allen back in the sixties. He was a natural surfer with graceful manoeuvres and always in the right place to pick off the best waves. Also one of the 4 hairy ones along with Ray Nelmes, Gordon Crowther (can’t remember the fourth) that were guilty of the Dolphins Board Riders club being referred to as the “Gorillas Club”. I came second to Al in the State Senior men’s titles in 1971 and shared a room with him at the Bells Beach nationals. Sharing a room with Al was quite an experience and I assumed he must of had many fans back home based on the number of post cards that were flying out the door. I think Al’s favourite wave down south would have been the Guillotine as he spent a lot of his time chasing waves there. Cheers Kevin.”
2011 Allen Robins far right with his surfing mates at Pioneer Surfing Sculpture unveiling Yallingup. Photo Loz Smith.
L-R Dave Williams, Brian Milne, Kevin Merifield, Mark Paterson, Les Gillies, Len Dibben, Jim Keenan, Jim ‘Lik’ McKensie, Bruce Hill (insert), Bill Pratley, Tony Burgess, Laurie Burke & Allen Robbins.
Tom Blaxell. “Allen Robins was one of the “Hairy Backs” in the Dolphin Surfriders Club, and without doubt the best surfer in it when I joined in ‘66 with some fellow Gremmies- Garry Nicholas, Johnnie Wynne, Geoff House and Steve Fordham, – mainly to get lifts down south before we had a license, but also because these guys just oozed enthusiasm, fun and big wave down south experience. The Dolphins grew from a core of the 50’s toothpick down south pioneers like Kev Merifield, Ron Drage, Ray Geary, Dave Williams, Ray Nelmes, Glen Marshall, Ken Gimm and Ray Smith. I’m thinking that Alen was one of the more junior members of that revered elders clan until we came onto the scene with our cheeky puerile attitudes. We used to take movies of every comp. I’m talking 8 mm film ( later video), but whenever Ronnie Drage came on the screen, us young pranksters used to sing the Peter Gunn movie theme song that he was riding a big hunker while we rode the new short boards. It was all in wonderful good humour. But back to Allen. The very first Aussie National Titles held in WA was in 69. Al was the runner up to Ted Harvey in the Senior Mens. (Dave Williams was 3rd). He was also a State Champ as well, and if it means anything at all, he was definitely the very best Hairy Back Surfer in our Club. Vale Big Al ❤️.”
1964-76 State Champ winners’ courtesy WASRA Spring Title Program.
This is a remarkable story with positive outcomes. It was Mike’s favourite board from his collection, and has it has now gone home and will provide enjoyment to another family. And another plus, Allen’s daughters intend to return the surfboard to the WA Surf Gallery at Aravina Estate, Yallingup, in the near future.
Mike Singleton, the son of Helen Backshell (nee Cordingley), belongs to the Cordingley family and is an enthusiastic collector of Cordingley surfboards and memorabilia. He displays some of these items at the WA Surf Gallery in Yallingup and played a key role as organiser and major exhibitor at the 2025 Vintage Surfboards Swap Meet, which took place at Perry Lakes, Floreat, on Sunday, 2 November 2025.
In preparation for the Vintage Surfboards event, Mike gathered several Cordingley pieces from the Surf Gallery for display. Photographer Mick Marlin captured an image of Mike holding a 1971 Cordingley GL S deck surfboard, which was later shared on social media (see photo below).
Unexpectedly, Cathryn Robins recognised the surfboard as belonging to her late father, Allen Robins, and expressed a strong interest in retrieving it.
The story, from this point is told by Mike and others.
2025 Jim King & Mike Singleton with Tony Harbison’s Cordingley Surf Team parka and a 1971 Cordingley GL S deck surfboard at the WA Surf Gallery. Photo Mick Marlin.
Mike Singleton. “After the Surf Gallery posted this photo on social media 29 October 2025 a frantic Cathryn Robins contacted curator Jim King regarding the board. A 1971 Greg Laurenson Cordingley S deck. Cathryn and her sister Alana (Qld) have been searching for their late father’s board for decades. Alan Robins was a champion surfer and character back in the day.
Then when Cathryn sent me the pic of herself on the board nearly 50 years ago, I realised I was going to lose one of my most prized boards.
Yesterday it went home to Capel. Lots of tears from his Cathryn and her sister in Qld and emotions all round.
Rip Al. You had great taste in boards.”
Circa 1985 Cathryn Robins riding her dad’s Cordingley GL surfboard in Yallingup lagoon. Photo courtesy Cathryn.
Cathryn Robins. “My sister and I are delighted that Dad’s board is back in the family. I spotted it in a recent post from the WA Surf Gallery. Years ago, Dad had given the board to our cousins in Balinup to learn surfing, and after that, we lost track of it. When my older sister Alana returns from her holiday in New Zealand, we plan to return the board to the WA Surf Gallery for display purposes. We’ll use Dad’s 2000 Ford Pursuit ute to deliver it to the Gallery at Christmas time.“
2025 Mike returning her Allen Robin’s Cordingley GL surfboard to daughter Cathryn. Photo Robins family.
2025 Mike and Catheryn holding her dad’s 1971 Cordingley surfboard. Photo Robins family.
Allen Robins’ surfing background
Allen Robins was a foundation member of the Dolphins Surfriders Club and competed successfully in State surfing competitions in the late 60s & early 70s. Allen Leslie Robins of Bunbury, formerly North Beach and Balinup passed away 18 May 2022.
2011 State representives Dave Williams & Allen Robins at Pioneer Surfing Sculpture unveiling Yallingup. Photo Loz Smith. RIP Davo & Al.
Kevin Merifield. “I shared many good surfing sessions with Allen back in the sixties. He was a natural surfer with graceful manoeuvres and always in the right place to pick off the best waves. Also one of the 4 hairy ones along with Ray Nelmes, Gordon Crowther (can’t remember the fourth) that were guilty of the Dolphins Board Riders club being referred to as the “Gorillas Club”. I came second to Al in the State Senior men’s titles in 1971 and shared a room with him at the Bells Beach nationals. Sharing a room with Al was quite an experience and I assumed he must of had many fans back home based on the number of post cards that were flying out the door. I think Al’s favourite wave down south would have been the Guillotine as he spent a lot of his time chasing waves there. Cheers Kevin.”
2011 Allen Robins far right with his surfing mates at Pioneer Surfing Sculpture unveiling Yallingup. Photo Loz Smith.
L-R Dave Williams, Brian Milne, Kevin Merifield, Mark Paterson, Les Gillies, Len Dibben, Jim Keenan, Jim ‘Lik’ McKensie, Bruce Hill (insert), Bill Pratley, Tony Burgess, Laurie Burke & Allen Robbins.
Tom Blaxell. “Allen Robins was one of the “Hairy Backs” in the Dolphin Surfriders Club, and without doubt the best surfer in it when I joined in ‘66 with some fellow Gremmies- Garry Nicholas, Johnnie Wynne, Geoff House and Steve Fordham, – mainly to get lifts down south before we had a license, but also because these guys just oozed enthusiasm, fun and big wave down south experience.
The Dolphins grew from a core of the 50’s toothpick down south pioneers like Kev Merifield, Ron Drage, Ray Geary, Dave Williams, Ray Nelmes, Glen Marshall, Ken Gimm and Ray Smith.
I’m thinking that Alen was one of the more junior members of that revered elders clan until we came onto the scene with our cheeky puerile attitudes.
We used to take movies of every comp.
I’m talking 8 mm film ( later video), but whenever Ronnie Drage came on the screen, us young pranksters used to sing the Peter Gunn movie theme song that he was riding a big hunker while we rode the new short boards.
It was all in wonderful good humour.
But back to Allen. The very first Aussie National Titles held in WA was in 69. Al was the runner up to Ted Harvey in the Senior Mens. (Dave Williams was 3rd). He was also a State Champ as well, and if it means anything at all, he was definitely the very best Hairy Back Surfer in our Club.
Vale Big Al ❤️.”
1964-76 State Champ winners’ courtesy WASRA Spring Title Program.
This is a remarkable story with positive outcomes. It was Mike’s favourite board from his collection, and has it has now gone home and will provide enjoyment to another family. And another plus, Allen’s daughters intend to return the surfboard to the WA Surf Gallery at Aravina Estate, Yallingup, in the near future.
Thanks to the contributors.
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