Kym Bonython best known to Rowley Park Speedway fans as the 'Boss' has died at 90y/o. He was a man whose family was establishment making some of his exploits a bit more unusual.
Kym who had a very wide range of interests from art gallery owner and promoter, Jazz promoter and the Boss and promoter of Rowley Pk for at least 20 years.
As an art promoter he was responsible for promoting a lot of up and coming now major artists.
As a jazz promoter he brought in Duke Ellington,Count Bassey, Dave Brubeck and many other top acts.
And as a speedway promoter he brought in a lot of class competitors in both bikes and cars. The very succesful English solo test tours in the 60s and early 70s were largely arranged by him. And with cars so many top midget competitors from the US, NZ and the rest of Australia. Names like Bob Tattersal, Marshall Sargent, Larry Rice, Mel Kenyon, Garry Patterson , Barry Butterworth and so many more. And locals like Goerge Tattnel, Garry Rush, Steve Brazier and so many more. In hindsight he was a promoter unrivalled. These days there is noone even remotely like him as a promoter. He had a repoire with the Rowley crowds and we were often referrd to as 'the bloody pieeaters' he had a few hassles with Tatnell too, who buried his trade mark chequrered flag hat in the track on a couple of occasions and once presented him with a [Midford] convicts jacket.
He was a fierce competitor in midgets and had some horrific crashes. And did himself no good with a couple of them.
He also raced hydroplanes at North Arm, and had some crashes in them too.
He was one of the main instigators of getting the Grand Prix to Adelaide and was a member of the GP board for sometime.
He was a decorated wartime fighter pilot and I believe was shot down in them.
In the 84 Ash Wednesday bushfires he lost his and his wifes Julie's Mt Lofty home and a lot of very valuable art as well as his personal jazz collection. And his Moto Guzzi motorcycle. From memory the burnt out shell still remains.
The last time I saw him a couple of years ago he was not looking well but had still driven up from Adelaide to Murray Bridge for a speedway meeting. Though he had quit riding his bikes.
The Boss had died. Kym Bonython RIP
Started by
Lee Nicolle
, Mar 19 2011 10:28
3 replies to this topic
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#2
MatthewMagilton
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Posted 19 March 2011 - 11:47
I enjoyed reading his autobiography years ago "Ladies Legs and Lemonade". It has a nice photo of him as a boy with an Aspinall bodied MG J2 driven by Warren Bonython on Sellicks Beach if I recall. Sorry to hear of his passing.
Matthew.
Matthew.
#3
Graham Gauld
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Posted 19 March 2011 - 12:23
Very sad news. A real character who carried his years very well and could be very amusing when recounting his early mad life.
#4
Doug Nye
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Posted 19 March 2011 - 15:08
Very sorry to hear this news. Kim was a truly amazing character brimming with stories from his colourful past. Jack Brabham recalled him as a very straight speedway promoter who always paid up. That in itself seems to have been rare. His story of the speedway rider who had recovered from unfortunate injury only to be sympathetically nicknamed 'No Nuts' by his rivals was particularly memorable. RIP - Kim Bonython brought a great deal of interest and pleasure to many, many people. One of my sincere regrets is of mispelling his name, and failing to pick it up on proof... Sorry Kim. Doh - Lee has just pointed out to me that it should be 'Kym', not 'Kim'.
DCN
DCN
Edited by Doug Nye, 20 March 2011 - 11:48.
