6 replies to this topic

[Doug Nye]

Some here will recall the extraordinary red-cassocked clergyman who served for many years as Goodwood's chaplain, offering the circuit blessing at the beginning of each Revival Meeting and conducting a morning service in the paddock Memorial garden on the Sunday.  He was Canon Lionel Webber - who sadly passed away, aged 85, on April 13.

 

Lionel was a lifelong motor racing enthusiast.  He would confess that during his several years as a monk he would sit behind a pillar in the monastery chapel, reading 'Motor Sport' when he was meant to be meditating on perhaps higher matters. He became chaplain to the BRDC and proved immensely popular amongst the membership until relations became strained when he very naively sought ambitious funding to build a millennium belltower at his Basildon church. His years as a monk had hardly trained him in the ways of high finance, and while his belltower got built on time - and was dedicated in person by HM The Queen - he got into a terrible money muddle and the Club relationship evaporated - though many members and old friends steadfastly stood by him.

 

Goodwood remained a long-term supporter and his brand of engaging, entertaining, man-in-the-street devotion struck a memorable chord with many. He had been appointed one of the Queen's Chaplains - we were never sure whether it was because or in spite of his, ahem, unconventional religious approach...  

 

Anyone present at his broadcast start-line blessing for the inaugural Goodwood Revival Meeting might recall his opening lines: "Ladies and gentlemen, God isn't in heaven right now.  Instead, on this gloriously sunny Autumn day, he's right here with us at Goodwood.

 

"Or, if he isn't, he's crackers!".  

 

Lionel was a tower of strength through dark times, and bright times.  He was a truly extraordinary character - a hugely knowledgeable life-long racing enthusiast - and, as a truly capable clergyman should, he touched and enhanced many lives.  Sincere condolences to his (long suffering) widow Jean, and to their daughter Anne and her husband Mike...and to everyone else who knew him.

 

On his 70th birthday (below) our 'turbulent priest' really thought he had already gone to heaven...  God bless mate.

 

DCN

 

Edited by Doug Nye, 23 April 2021 - 09:16.

[D-Type]

RIP

[Roryswood]

A character R.I.P.

[cpbell]

Sad to hear of his passing, but he has joined illustrious company at the great heavenly circuit.

[Doug Nye]

At Lionel's funeral in rural Essex this morning, he was carried from the church - his coffin cloaked in the RNLI ensign - to the ear-splitting sound of the BRM V16 at full chat.  

 

When he officiated at former BRM chief engineer Tony Rudd's funeral at Wymondham Abbey in 2003 the same tribute was paid to the departed.  On that occasion Lionel was initially disappointed by the modest volume applied to the sound system. He turned to the operator and commanded, "Go ON!  Give it some wellie!" - then reached over, and wound up the volume himself - whereupon dust began showering down from the rafters in the ancient nave, and Tony himself would have loved it.

 

From first start-up, in the little church of St Lawrence Newland this morning, Lionel's family and friends really did give that same V16 sound track some wellie.  A wonderfully fitting farewell...

 

DCN

[sstiel]

Oh brilliant. During one blessing at the Goodwood Revival he poignantly mentioned his strained relationship with his father after he came back from the Second World War. Sincere condolences to all concerned.  

Edited by sstiel, 24 April 2021 - 17:40.

[Alan Cox]

Only just caught up with this very sad news as I rarely tune in to TNF these days. I remember the good Canon very well and he was a lot of fun, and he officiated doing winners' interviews with the VSCC for a time, from which you would glean that he was a true enthusiast at heart. The smile on his face when he demonstrated the 250F (in Doug's photo) at VSCC Donington 'See Red' in 2005 was a joy to see. He was a great lost to the motor sport world when he became embroiled in the financial hoo-ha over payments to the bell-tower contractors.