Barry Lake
#1
Posted 21 July 2012 - 05:47
Barry was also a motoring and motorsport writer of some repute, having edited Motor magazine for some time in the 1980s.
He's survived by two sons and a daughter.
He was something of a mentor to me (whether he realised it or not), as well as a friend. I've only just heard of this so it's yet to sink in.
Bruce Moxon
#3
Posted 21 July 2012 - 06:22
Condolences to all.
#4
Posted 21 July 2012 - 07:04
#5
Posted 21 July 2012 - 07:46
#6
Posted 21 July 2012 - 07:49
Sad news. I only knew Barry through TNF and some correspondence but he was always informed, positive and helpful. I believe he was also a dancer in his time.
Condolences to all.
Yes, he was a very good ballroom dancer, Roger. He was part of the closing ceremony for the Sydney Olympics. I'd forgotten that.
BM
#7
Posted 21 July 2012 - 08:41
Barry was a precious contributor to the Motorsport-Memorial.
#8
Posted 21 July 2012 - 09:26
#9
Posted 21 July 2012 - 12:09
Sad news, and my condolences to his family, and to those who counted him among their friends.
#10
Posted 21 July 2012 - 12:15
We've had our moments, but he has to be admired as a dedicated historian if nothing else. One wonders what will now happen to his massive collection of books, he's often mentioned them on TNF with regard to them filling every cavity in his home. Undoubtedly he's provided something for them in his will.
A few months ago he told Max Stahl to let me know he'd be happy to see me if I could visit him at the nursing home, but I haven't had a chance to get there. Max told me on Thursday that his time was running out fast, way to young at something in his late-ish sixties. Does anyone know more on that score?
#11
Posted 21 July 2012 - 13:33
he has to be admired as a dedicated historian
My condolences to Barry's family and friends.
Barry started a magazine called (from memory) Cars and Drivers Australia, in the mid 1970s, dedicated to Australian motor racing history. It was before its time in many ways, and I guess that is why it only lasted three issues, but it deserved much more. There has been nothing as good since.
I have heard that Barry was a great fan of Jack Brabham, and had quite a library of Brabham memorabilia and photographs. Does anyone know more about that?
Rob Saward
#12
Posted 21 July 2012 - 13:33
Barry Lake, born in Adelaide, South Australia, passed away in Sydney, Australia on 20th July 2012 – just one day short of his 70th birthday.
Barry’s death comes after a long two year battle with illness.
Barry first attended the Easter race meeting at Bathurst in 1951 and became an ardent follower of motor racing and speedway until his illness two years ago.
He raced billycarts from 1951 then bicycles from 1954 to 1959. His first official motor sport event was in 1960 in an Alvis Car Club night trial in a Morgan 4/4.
He raced open wheel racing cars from 1961 to 1968, firstly in a Cooper – Norton, then a Jolus and finally an Elfin Catalina. He drove and navigated in rallies from 1969 to 1994, competed in the 1977 London to Sydney Marathon (retired) and again in the 1993 event to be placed 2nd outright. Other major rallies included the 1979 Repco Round Australia Trial (3rd outright) in the Marlboro Holden Dealer Team entry with Rauno Aaltonen and Shekhar Mehta.
Barry was a freelance journalist since 1970, contributing to Australian Motoring News, Racing Car News, Chequered Flag , Auto Action , Sports Car World, Motor Racing Australia and Off Road Australia magazines. During this time he also contributed articles to Autosport Japan, Autocar & Motor, Racecar Engineering, Autocar India and Automobile Year.
He was Editor of Modern MOTOR magazine from 1981 to 1989.
He was the author of several books including “MG Cars in Australia” and “Half a Century of Speed” and had several more books in the pipeline. He was an ardent collector of books with a personal library of many thousands of titles.
Up until his illness prevented his participation, he was a regular contributor to The Nostalgia Forum.
He will be sadly missed
Rest in Peace
#13
Posted 21 July 2012 - 16:40
I drove around Wanneroo Track with him in a variety of cars on a Pirelli tire test session some years back.
He willed be missed
terry
#14
Posted 21 July 2012 - 17:04
#15
Posted 21 July 2012 - 17:15
He was amongst the first TNF members to support the Motorsport Memorial project, and became a very active contributor to it. We also exchanged messages about the most different and non-racing related subjects. Barry lived an active and colourful life, and his last years seemed to have been quite joyous. I had heard that he was ill, but I had no idea how serious it was. His passing comes as a surprise to me.
My thoughts are with his family and friends.
#16
Posted 21 July 2012 - 19:05
DCN
#17
Posted 21 July 2012 - 20:47
I was actually surprised Barry was near 70 - his enthusiasm and energy made him out to be a much younger fellow.
I'm extremely saddened by this - when I first came on TNF, Barry was one of the first, and most helpful people to me - his dedication to getting the right information was a great asset to the fledgling days of WATN. I always enjoyed his posts and had noticed he hadn't been on here for a while.
RIP Barry, you've earnt it. Like Doug says above, please pass my condolences on to all that loved him, if possible.
#18
Posted 21 July 2012 - 22:08
Thank you, Brian Lear and others, for the tributes
#19
Posted 22 July 2012 - 02:47
Barry was a great help to me when I was having trouble registering on TNF.
Sharing with Barry a passion for collecting motor sport books I was able to keep him informed about any new books published in New Zealand and to send him any that he wanted for his library.
I had always hoped that I would get to Sydney to meet Barry and browse through what must be one of the largest collections in this part of the world. Unfortunately that will now not happen.
R.I.P.
#21
Posted 22 July 2012 - 05:33
#22
Posted 22 July 2012 - 06:31
RIP
#23
Posted 22 July 2012 - 10:40
Barry was the first "virtual" person I ever met in real life when he came to Germany in - well, that must have been ten years ago by now. I'll never forget the day I had the privilege to accompany him, visiting the Trips museum in Horrem, and spending the rest of the day in conversation, not only about cars. He was the same wonderful, warm personality I expected to meet after having exchanged many emails, and many posts here on TNF. Truly, a remarkable man. Our contact waned over the last few years, and I regret having not put more effort in it - now, it's too late. I never even knew he was that seriously ill.
A very special person has left us, and we are the poorer for it.
#24
Posted 22 July 2012 - 11:14
#25
Posted 22 July 2012 - 16:11
#26
Posted 22 July 2012 - 22:23
#27
Posted 23 July 2012 - 01:26
First met Barry at Malalar '62 gold star, he was a volunteer pit crew and always liked to remind me, Thanks Barry your involvement in the sport made those old and great days even richerVery sorry to hear this sad news. RIP Barry.
#28
Posted 23 July 2012 - 06:58
#29
Posted 23 July 2012 - 08:03
Barry Lake's funeral is at 11am this Friday (July 27) at the South Chapel of Woronora Crematorium.
Bruce Moxon
#30
Posted 23 July 2012 - 08:51
It says a lot about Barry that you find his name amongst the contributors to so many motor racing history projects, including Motorsport Memorial and WATN mentioned above. I always found him to be very generous with his time and knowledge - a reminder to all of us to follow his example.
#31
Posted 23 July 2012 - 09:45
#32
Posted 23 July 2012 - 11:27
http://www.flickr.co...9492098/detail/
Edited by 275 GTB-4, 23 July 2012 - 11:30.
#33
Posted 23 July 2012 - 14:50
Neil
#34
Posted 26 July 2012 - 06:05
I exchanged several e-mails with Barry and he was always quite helpful. After he'd stopped posting to TNF for some time, I received an e-mail from Barry out of the blue where something I'd asked about earlier had occurred to him. At the time, he mentioned that he had stepped away from the racing and was simply enjoying the ballroom dancing.
#35
Posted 26 July 2012 - 11:06
It should never be underestimated how much of this joy and passion we have for ‘the old times’ was generated by motorsport journalist. In particular, prior to saturation TV coverage and now the internet, it was the wonderful reporting as much as our own attendance which created the excitement and interest. To Barry and those professional journalists here on TNF, and elsewhere, I will be forever grateful.
#36
Posted 26 July 2012 - 11:39
#37
Posted 26 July 2012 - 12:45
#38
Posted 26 July 2012 - 12:47
Max still has his treasured Volvo!
#39
Posted 27 July 2012 - 07:07
Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Edited by eldougo, 27 July 2012 - 07:15.
Advertisement
#40
Posted 27 July 2012 - 17:03
Having been introduced to motor racing in New Zealand, I had to rely for many years on Australian magazines for news of events in both countries, and the respected name of Barry Lake was very familiar to me by the time I first met him in 1972, when we were both acting as co-drivers in NZ's first international rally. We kept up correspondence from then, less so perhaps after his dancing pursuits seemed to take priority over the past few years.
I can only echo the sentiments expressed by others - a knowledgeable enthusiast ever keen to help others with their researches, and always with a very careful eye for accuracy
My sympathies to those close to him
#42
Posted 20 June 2014 - 20:33
Just noted that there are 28 books from Barry Lake's library that currently are listed on Australian ebay. More about these books in discovered on ebay thread.
#43
Posted 20 June 2014 - 21:07
Some very nice books on there. I've coveted Cimarosti's History of the Swiss Grand Prix since DSJ mentioned it in a Continental Notes Article in, I think, 1975. Slightly shocked to see Barry Greens Longford book going for the equivalent of £76, enjoyable read but not sure it's worth quite that much
The one oddity that I don't think I'd have any interest in was The Official Formula One Annual 2001 Annual Edited by Nigel Mansell . Very out of place in the list
#44
Posted 21 June 2014 - 00:24
Fast forward to about 3-4 weeks ago and I noticed Barry Lake collection material appearing on eBay again - including those books in the link AAA-Eagle includes. But there was other eBay sellers also listing Barry's stuff. About 2 weeks ago I purchased a couple of items from a seller that had some other items listed as ex Barry's. After the arrival of my purchases I asked the seller were they from Barry Lake. Indeed they were.
What I ended up gleaning from the seller is that in a pretty well kept secret, an industrial auction house sold off 2500 lots of Barry's remaining collection. Everything was in plastic tubs and stacked in shelving making it difficult to view. So basically it was a bit of a punt on what the lots contained. There was online bidding too, but regardless of whether you won at the auction or online it had to be picked up on site. As is the usual case with this style of auction rarely is the true value realised. I made the crack that the only winner would have been the auction house. His response was basically "No, I think I was the winner." Because he will now possibly reach the items potential value.
Stephen
#45
Posted 22 June 2014 - 15:59
Very sad news. RIP
#46
Posted 24 June 2014 - 04:30
It is sad to realise it is two years since we lost Barry Lake.
With the loss of Barry and Graham Howard, Australia unfortunately lost its two most knowledgeable and authoritative sources of Australian motor sport history. Their knowledge and ability to communicate it are greatly missed.
It is unfortunate that there appears no one to take their places.
#47
Posted 24 June 2014 - 05:22
Don't despair, the knowledge has been passed on to others.