7 replies to this topic

[Alan Cox]

I'm very sorry to convey the news that Frazer Nash guru, author and long-term editor of the VSCC Bulletin, David Thirlby, died today after an illness that had hospitalised him for the past month. He was a great, and entertaining, friend of mine for many years and he was kind enough to invite me to serve on the Bulletin board with him and David Venables about twenty years ago for a very enjoyable period. He could, at times, be awkward and difficult, and there were people he was quite pleased to have alienated but, on the whole, if you knew his quirks and foibles and were able to cope with them, he was a good friend. His wit and wisdom, and his unstinting, virtually lifelong support of the Chain Gang marque, will be greatly missed.

 

My condolences to his daughters Dorinda and Lucille, and his long-time companion Dilys.

 

When I have further information regarding funeral arrangements, I will post them here.

[Sharman]

Sad to hear it, he was a long time friend and a very good companion, when he and Norman Barber were on form there were many wonderful stories. Condolences to Dorinda,Lucille and Dilys

[Doug Nye]

May I add my condolences too - I will always remember David for his breezy personality and deep, deep affection for and understanding of Frazer Nash and everything connected with the name and marque.

DCN

[Allan Lupton]

In 1995 we invited David (as VSCC Editor) to come to the event at Stanford Hall where the Lea-Francis O.C. was celebrating the centenary of the Lea-Francis company. He duly wrote it up in the Autumn Bulletin, suitably illustrated with photos by Mark Ballard.

As one Editor to another and seeking to humour a 'Nash man, I was able to point out that we even had a couple of chain-driven Lea-Francis vehicles present and prevailed on him to have a go on mine - a bicycle! He did and I have a photo somewhere, but couldn't post it here.

[fbarrett]

Rest in peace, David, my friend. In the mid-1970s I became fascinated by the Frazer Nash Continentals, which were built using a Porsche 356 coupe body. Somehow, though living in Colorado, I contacted David, who worked for Dunlop at the time. When he visited Gates Rubber in Denver on a business trip, we spent a delightful evening together, and he enlightened me about the last Frazer Nashes ever made. This year Richard Procter and his son brought a great pre-war Frazer Nash on the Colorado Grand, and at last I got to experience the "chain drive" thing. It was wonderful, and I thought of David at the time. I should have written to him...

 

Frank

Edited by fbarrett, 18 November 2014 - 02:05.

[Alan Cox]

For information, David's funeral will be at Vale Royal Crematorium, Shurlach Lane, Davenham, Northwich CW9 8RP on Friday 28th November at 2pm.

[David Birchall]

May I add my condolences to family and friends.  I have most of his books and frequently return to them.

[Alan Cox]

The great and the good from David's many spheres of interest turned out in large numbers for his funeral yesterday. It was standing room only at the crematorium as his coffin, preceded by a New Orleans-style parade band, was driven to the door on the back of his beloved Frazer Nash, which he had owned since 1954, and which now is cared for by his elder daughter, Dorinda.

A long line-up of 'Nashes paid homage to their registrar, editor of the 'Chain-Gang Gazette' and leading historian of the marque, while many other friends from the fields of vintage cars, cycles and motor cycles, aviation, engineering, industrial heritage, Wodehouse, art, beer and wine, and those he used to refer to affectionately as "PR pooftahs", gathered to salute a life lived to the full.