• Born: 11 February 1908, Rothesay, Bute, Scotland
• Died: 11 November 1928, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand at age 20

   Cause of his death was Drowned in Otago Harbour when his father's yacht capsized in a squall.

  Recorded Events in His Life

• Cenotaph: Although his body was not recovered from Otago Harbour, there is a memorial in Robert's honor in Andersons Bay Cemetery, Block 110, Plot 94, in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand.
  
  In Loving Memory of
  Elizabeth wife of James Jeffrey
  who died 20 June 1928 aged 55 years
  also James husband of above aged 59 years
  and their sons
  Robert aged 21 years,
  and Alex aged 18 years,
  drowned 11 Nov 1928

• Departure: Travelling aboard the steamship "Kumara," en route to Port Charmers, New Zealand, on 9 January 1909, in London, England.

• In Memoriam: Detailed newspaper article of the yachting tragedy from the Evening Post, on 12 November 1928, in New Zealand.

• In Memoriam: The yachting tragedy made the papers in Australia., on 13 November 1928, in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
  
  SIX DROWNED.
  YACHT CAPSIZES.
  New Zealand Tragedy.
  
  WELLINGTON (N.Z.), Monday.
  
  Six men were drowned in Otago Harbour yesterday when a yacht containing seven men capsized.
  
  The victims were James Jeffrey (59), his sons, Alexander (20), and Robert (19), Archi- bald Bell (24), and James Bell (20), brothers, Sidney Alexander Harcourne (21). All resided at Kaikorai Valley, a suburb of Dunedin.
  
  Victor Duell, of North-east Valley, alone was rescued.
  
  The men were sailing in a 16-foot yacht called Bute, ownod by Mr James Jeffrey, an expert sailor, with many years' experience of sailing in Bute, West Scotland. They were beating up the narrow channel between Quar- antine Island and the mainland, tlnough which a heavy tide was running, against a strong south-west wind, when the boat was struck by a heavy squall and capsized.
  
  Harcourne and Robert Jeffery disappeared almost immediately. Archibald Bell, who was a strong swimmer, struck out for the shore, but failed to reach it. The others clung to the overturned boat. James Bell shortly after was washed off by a wave and disappeared.
  
  The ferry steamer Waiareka was the first to notice the accident on rounding the point into the channel. James and Alexander Jeffrey and Duell were still clinging to the yacht when the Waiareka appeared round the bend, but by the time the steamer drew alongside Alexander had disappeared and James Jeffrey and Duell wore struggling in the water. A lifebelt and lifejackets were thrown over- board and a lifeboat was launched, but it was unnble to make headway against the wind. A rope was thrown to Duell, who caught it, and he was hauled aboard. Stanley Grubb, a bandsman on the Waiareka, took off his coat and boots, dived overboard, and swam to James Jeffrey's assistance. Jeffrey was unconscious when taken aboard, and died with- out regaining consciousness.
  
  Victor Duell states that when off the island a suddnn squall caught the yacht, which went over, but James Jeffrey handled the boat well, and she righted. When half way through the channel a gust of wind caught the yacht. The sails were flapping and it was necessary to make way very carefully. The wind suddenly changed, and the boat went under and did not right herself.
  
  
  — SIX DROWNED. (1928, November 13). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 11. Retrieved February 7, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16508703