31 replies to this topic

[fuzzi]

Tony Pritchard died on Sunday evening 20 October, following a road traffic accident on Wednesday. A standard moron drove out of a side turning into his path.

 

He had been joking and complaining about being in hospital on the Sunday afternoon, but took a turn for the worst and died later.

 

He was working on a Jaguar D-Type history, and his Ford Grand Prix book was at proof stage. Sadly we will not see his C-Type book, nor the other books he was planning.

 

My thoughts are with his widow Jill and his other friends.

[Michael Ferner]

So sad to read that!

[D-Type]

One of my favourite books is The Motor Racing Merchants, a collection of pieces on various topics published in 1976

RIP

Edited by D-Type, 22 October 2013 - 21:23.

[Kingsleyrob]

That's sad news.  I recall reading Ford versus Ferrari as a youngster, and seeing his name often over the years mooching around the motoring book stalls, and indeed on my own bookshelves. 

 

What a tragic way to go. I've been trying to find a little bit more about him but with not much success.  I wonder how old he was.

 

I've just ordered his British Family Cars of the 50s and 60s.  Another opportunity to wallow in nostalgia, thanks Anthony for putting all your knowledge into print. 

 

RIP

Edited by Kingsleyrob, 22 October 2013 - 19:02.

[raceannouncer2003]

Very sorry to hear this.  I never met him, but he was certainly a prolific author of invaluable books.  Some are listed here:
 

http://www.amazon.co...rd/e/B001HPDR1Q

 

I have "The Racing Sports Car".  I found it in the library of a school I was working at...the librarian said I could have it !

 

Edit - I just had another look at the Amazon pages on Anthony Pritchard.  It says my book, "The Racing Sports Car" was worth $2,420.43 when new...wow ! 

 

Vince H.

Edited by raceannouncer2003, 22 October 2013 - 18:35.

[Mistron]

Specialist British sports / racing cars of the '50s & '60s is a firm favourite of mine, a book I keep going back to, and in fact just the other night I was re-reading my copy.

 

Such a shame.

 

Al

[arttidesco]

Sad news, a couple of Mr Pritchard's books are by far and away the most thumbed on my shelf. Condolences to his friends and family RIP.

[David Birchall]

Specialist British sports / racing cars of the '50s & '60s is a firm favourite of mine, a book I keep going back to, and in fact just the other night I was re-reading my copy.

 

Such a shame.

 

Al

That is one of my books I frequently return to.  I also enjoy his book on the GTO and others.

Very sad to hear and my condolences to his family.

[pilota]

I'll miss Tony as I liked him a lot. He was knowledgable, enthusiastic and not afraid to say what he thought. RIP Tony, and condolences to his family.
Nathan

[Lotus11Register]

So many words read over the decades, I felt as if I knew him.  He was a trusted source.

[helioseism]

Very sorry to hear this. He produced so many excellent reference sources. He will be sorely missed. Sympathy to his family.

[proviz]

I was going to post this earlier in the book thread, but maybe it's best said here as a tribute.

I hesitated for a long time to buy the latest edition of "Ford vs. Ferrari", because I already had the 1984 one. When it finally did arrive, I immediately went through both tomes for a thorough comparison to find that more than 90 % of the text was completely rewritten!

It would have been so easy to just cash in with a new layout and more photos, but the man certainly did it properly.

Big respect!

[Roy C]

Very sad news.    His books are a valued resource on my bookshelf.

 

RIP

Edited by Roy C, 23 October 2013 - 06:48.

[Eric Dunsdon]

I am saddened to hear this. I have too many of Mr Pritchards books to mention, and I have always found them to be entertaining and informitive. I was looking forward to his new '250F InCamera' book due soon.

I believe that he lived in Hertfordshire at one time and used to cycle from his home to Silverstone via the A5 during the 1950's just as my pal and I used to do. We may well have passed each other on the road. A true enthusiast who will be remembered for his contributions to the sport.

[Alan Baker]

I was going to post this earlier in the book thread, but maybe it's best said here as a tribute.

I hesitated for a long time to buy the latest edition of "Ford vs. Ferrari", because I already had the 1984 one. When it finally did arrive, I immediately went through both tomes for a thorough comparison to find that more than 90 % of the text was completely rewritten!

It would have been so easy to just cash in with a new layout and more photos, but the man certainly did it properly.

Big respect!

Sad news of Anthony Pritchard's death, many of his earlier efforts are well thumbed works of reference but the latest edition of "Ford vs Ferrari is not one of them. Sadly it is full of errors but this is not the time or place to list them.

[mfd]

I always appreciated the little nuggets & particularly recall the book covering the 68-71 WSPC having a reference - "the XX Porsche 917 didn't start as he couldn't agree on money with the organisers"

 

Wonderful prolific writer

Edited by mfd, 23 October 2013 - 16:12.

[smbrm]

We have lost a great one! RIP

[RTH]

Several of his books on my shelf - how tragic.

[Giraffe]

"Ford versus Ferrari" was my first serious motor racing book purchase back in 1968, and 35 shillings seemed like a great deal of money to me back then. It was Anthony's third title, the other two being "Formula One" and "Italian High Performance-Cars" (with Keith Davey) but was money well spent. RIP.

[Jack-the-Lad]

How very sad indeed.  His most recent Ferrari book arrived at my house the day before he died.

 

Sincere condolences to Mr. Pritchard's family.

[retriever]

Like Giraffe 'Ford versus Ferrari' was my first motorsports book, also purchased in 1968 subsequent to attending Le Mans in 1967. Unlike today there was not a great deal published back then so when it appeared I was delighted. Sadly I leant the book to a friend and never saw it again. I purchased Anthony Pritchard's rewrite when it was published IN 2011. I also have other titles by him in my bookcase.

 

A sad loss. My sincere condolences to his wife and family.

[proviz]

Sad news of Anthony Pritchard's death, many of his earlier efforts are well thumbed works of reference but the latest edition of "Ford vs Ferrari is not one of them. Sadly it is full of errors but this is not the time or place to list them.

 

I must admit I still have not actually read the latest edition, presuming that the story itself is pretty well known from various sources. But I'll still take my hat off to Pritchard's work ethic in doing a completely new script rather than patching up an old one.

[Tuboscocca]

My first 'Pritchard' (of many to follow) was 'Encyclopedia of Motor Racing'  in 1981 for 1.50 GBP from Connoisseurs Books....

 

 

Michael

[Paul Parker]

Very, very sad, my condolences to family and friends.

[retriever]

Sad news of Anthony Pritchard's death, many of his earlier efforts are well thumbed works of reference but the latest edition of "Ford vs Ferrari is not one of them. Sadly it is full of errors but this is not the time or place to list them.

 

In my humble opinion this is an inappropriate posting given the circumstances. Surely the book thread is the correct forum for a comment such as this - that is if it was needed to be made in the first instance, again given the circumstance.

[cpbell]

R.I.P.

[ReWind]

I've been trying to find a little bit more about him but with not much success.  I wonder how old he was.

 

I presume – and I emphasize that it is a presumption! – that he was Anthony Clive Pritchard from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, b. 17 December 1938.

Doesn’t any of his books give some personal background?

[D-Type]

The blurb in the Motor Racing Merchants (1976) says

Anthony Clive Pritchard was born in London in 1938.  He is a graduate of St Andrews University, Scotland, and is a solicitor by profession.  He has written over a dozen top selling books on many aspects of motor racing and has contributed to a large number of magazines and newspapers.  He is a keen enthusiast of the marque Porsche and drives his 911 to most of the major races.  He also produces and acts in amateur theatricals.  He has recently published The World Champions (Leslie Frewin) and has completed a history of the Messerschmitt aircraft company.

 

 

[klemcoll]

We knew Anthony quite well because he had somehow gotten hold of most of Nigel Snowdon's archive from his early years, after he had gone independent from David Phipps, and kindly sold it to us many years ago now. That in itself was quite an amusing story. Over the following years we supplied him with various images for his books, usually published by Haynes who have recently withdrawn from publishing general interest motoring/racing books. Tony was an icon and will be sorely missed.

[JacnGille]

Sad news.

[raceannouncer2003]

 

Vince H.

Edited by raceannouncer2003, 29 October 2013 - 05:49.

[NeilR]

very sad news.