Robert's parents were both born in Scotland. His father, also Robert, was married to Margaret nee McKean. Robert Stanley was born in Cumbria, then called Westmoreland and Cumberland, in 1879. However, by the time he was 2 the family had moved to Islington in London where his father was a bookkeeper in a merchant's office. In fact, they moved a lot. In 1891 they were in Edmonton, Middlesex, and in 1901 in Finchley. In 1905 Robert Stanley married Florence Annie Watts in her home town of Leicester. Their address in 1911 was 21, Crescent Green, Kendal, Cumbria, where Robert was a secretary. Their only child, Margaret Joan, was not born until 1914. From about that time Robert was ill with tuberculosis and for 2 months before he died on 1 March 1920 this was complicated by Bright's disease, named after a British doctor, which affects the kidneys. His last address was Stonedean, in Windsor Road, Worthing, and his sister, Jane Grieve, was present at his death. In 1926, Florence Grieve brought a case against John George Baker, trading as Chambers and Baker, for money owed to her late husband. Robert had loaned Baker £400 to enable him to carry on his business on condition that Baker agreed to 6% on the loan and a half share of the profits of the business. Baker had paid the interest on the loan but not a share of the profits, which were considerable. His argument was that he believed that he had not agreed to pay a share of the profits as well. Mr Justice Romer, presiding, gave judgment in favour of Florence.