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| RSB TRIBUTE FROM CHRIS & NICKY October 2025 We’re not going to detail the whole of Dad’s incredible 88 years, and there are already some wonderful tributes in the public domain, but allow us to paint a picture from Nicky’s and my perspective. Dad was born in Karachi in 1937, but returned to London soon after. He spent much of the second world war on a farm in Norfolk which was the beginning of his love for East Anglia. Dad had an annoyingly good memory, and was adamant that he could actually remember being left outside in his pram…And even recalled Spitfires returning across the Norfolk skies. And so began his reputation for stories that the grandchildren - who call him “Gumpa” - can all attest to. He went to Stowe school, conveniently within earshot of Silverstone race circuit, then completed two enjoyable years of National Service with The Royal Dragoons in Germany. Dad didn’t give his career after school too much thought - it was always going to be motorsport! There were clear clues - with his nephews describing Dad as every small boy's ideal “Bad Uncle”, infuriating their mother by taking them on his motorbike and racing around the orchard. Dad’s first motor race was in a Fiat Abarth 750 at Goodwood in 1958 and he then acquired a rare Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce for the 1959 season. These must have been amazing days,....racing around Europe, including Spa in Belgium and the infamous Nurburgring against the likes of Stirling Moss. But - far more importantly for Nicky and I - the Alfa Romeo was the catalyst for the dashing young racing driver to meet Mum at Snetterton, and there is a lovely photo in the service sheet of them with this car. After a whirlwind romance that seemed to involve Mum making an awful lot of tea & cakes for the race teams - they were married in December 1960. Dad’s most famous race was undoubtedly the 1962 Le Mans 24 Hour in the Morgan Plus Four Super Sports with Chris Lawrence, winning the 2-litre class and coming 13th overall. It is surprising how often as we grew up that this moment still featured in family life. Only Dad could be upgraded from economy to first class on a British Airways flight to Kuwait visiting Nicky and family just because the purser was a Morgan fan! The Le Mans Classic in 2012 celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Morgan win, and we witnessed Dad signing an owner’s dashboard; validation that Gumpa was actually famous! Dad hung up his crash helmet in 1963, but retained a keen interest in motor racing. Those of you here today who have been fortunate to go to Silverstone with Dad for Formula 1 or MotoGp, rallying at dawn in the Kielder forest, or amazing trips to Le Mans, will smile to know that he passed away at home on a Sunday afternoon after listening to the Italian Grand Prix. In the 70’s Dad went on to work for Joseph Billingham in the Midlands, followed by followed by TPI in Haverhill - which was how we first came to Poslingford in Suffolk in 1978, where some of Mum & Dad’s closest friends today are from. Nicky & I both have very fond memories of many family summer holidays in Mallorca. The photo in the service sheet really is all four of us on a Spanish rental scooter; I can still remember Nicky standing at the front singing everywhere we went. We also had many trips to France over the years, where Dad developed a taste for his favourite dish Moule-Frites. Visits to Wimbledon to watch the fantastic battles of Borg & McEnroe, tea in the Member’s Enclosure with John S-B, and Dad’s ritual of checking his mother’s 1931 Women’s doubles win in the programme. Mum and Dad moved further into the depths of Suffolk to Alderton, and Dad discovered the world of research interviews with the Kantar Group, which perfectly suited his interest in people. But we always said that he should have been a farmer - so it was very fitting that his final career was as an agricultural journalist. He wrote for South East Farmer magazine for 25 years, delivering his last articles for them in July. And as if one job in your eighties wasn’t enough, he joined a local voluntary team who check on the welfare of people held in police custody and the conditions of the facilities, which of course he loved as it involved..chatting. So - we all know he liked to talk. But what else made Dad who he was? Bravery One thing we didn’t realise until August, was how brave Dad was. He faced up to his terminal diagnosis with fortitude - albeit he was a little pissed off as he had always been adamant that he would make it to a hundred. In August he dictated an email to his family & friends advising them of his health situation. We only now comprehend how this helped him and us, and also you, to be prepared for what was coming, though none of us realised quite how rapid his decline would be. His letter elicited some lovely replies, and what became clear from all the messages are the values that everyone recognised: friendship, advice, support, helpfulness, and knowledge. Here are just a few of the comments we received: “Your drive and passion for life is an example to us all. “He was a ‘very special Godfather’ ” “He was always upbeat and friendly, and he underlined the best of what I would call the British character” “He was very knowledgeable about so many subjects and never short of conversation, bless him” “To me Richard was a true gentleman, and of course a special Morgan racer” The British Racing Drivers Club wrote a detailed Obituary, but their handwritten card summed up Dad best: “As you know, the BRDC is a broad membership and while it isn’t necessarily proper for us to have favourites, you can always tell how special a person is by the reaction in the office when one of the good guys is no longer with us. An absolute credit to the club.” But what do Nicky and I recall most about Dad? What he taught us. We actually had a chat with Dad in his last week about the things he had taught us both over the years: ● Love of cars & motorsport - of course ● DIY and an affinity with petrol powered garden machinery. The three of us built the stable for Nicky’s horse! ● Waterskiing: as kids we insisted on 7am skiing in Mallorca when it was flat calm, blissfully unaware that Mum & Dad had dragged in from the nightclub only a few hours earlier. ● Competitive spirit ● How to drive; to pass the test, and then properly afterwards, in the days of double declutching in the Morris Minor ● Career guidance ● How to build proper sand castles And he then added two we had omitted: ● How to ride a bicycle - of course ● How to reverse a trailer, although I’m not sure Nicky ever mastered that… He also taught us that Friendship is fundamental to a long partnership. Mum and Dad of course had their relationship tested many times over the 65 years, which doubtless Nicky and I added to. But, each evening at home they would just tell each other the stories from their day. And if you ever travelled in the car with them both on a journey, you really didn’t need to contribute to the conversation! They genuinely were friends. And finally Sunsets, Potatoes and Ship-spotting Dad took a lot of car and tractor photos, and probably even more of sunsets. He could also tell you almost all of the 80 varieties of British potatoes. And if you happen to be in the kitchen at home admiring the glorious evening view - you will spot the Stena Line ferry heading to Harwich at 6:04, which is your cue to pour Mum a glass of red wine. What we hope is abundantly clear from this tribute, is that Nicky & I are very proud of Dad. There is going to be a big big gap. Nobody to ask if Sunday’s Grand prix is worth watching, and way less tractor and sunset photos. His six grandchildren truly loved Gumpa; his endless stories, the trips to motor races, and the bad jokes. But be assured - he was so proud of you and loved you all too. Once a racer,.....always a racer. MESSAGE TO RICHARD FROM PENNY Well Richard, I really do feel that Christopher and Nicky’s tribute probably says everything about our life as a family, and life without you is going to be very difficult to come to terms with for us all. I honestly never expected to be in this situation, as you always said that you were definitely “going for a 100”! And my response was “That will test the children!” Today shows that we just never know how life will work out. Among the many lovely words of condolence, we received an email saying, “we would like to pay tribute to Richard’s extraordinary life”. This made me stop and reflect on our 65 years together and I must agree it has indeed been a very extraordinary life. Maybe I should have seen the early warning signs that this was not going to be a conventional marriage! We had only been engaged a few months when you calmly announced that you were going to Rome for three months to test and race a new car, leaving me to sort out the plans for our December wedding, and we even had to delay our honeymoon because you were racing at Brands Hatch on Boxing Day! Yes, for sure we did have our ups and downs, but we also had many happy, sad and exciting times together. Richard you always saw a very positive side to life and your love for challenges and anything on two or four wheels never faded. Having all six grandchildren from destinations across the UK and Spain being able to visit you at home in the last couple of weeks meant such a huge amount to both of us. Richard, no matter what life has thrown at us over the years we have had such wonderful support from Christopher and Nicky and I know that we could never have managed to keep you at home until the end of your life without their incredible love and understanding. My life without you Richard just seems impossible to imagine.   |
