Barry Robinson 1931 - 2023
By John Dickinson on 27th Feb 23
The one and only Barry Robinson – he will be missed
It is our sad duty to report that long-serving motorcycle photojournalist Barry Robinson (91) of Ilkley, Yorkshire, passed away on February 26, following a short illness.
Barry competed in trials and scrambles on Velocettes in the 1950s and ’60s and was pals with all the big Yorkshire names of the day including Peter Gaunt, Pete Edmondson, the Lampkins etc.
He also acted as a mechanic for International road race ace Robin Fitton around that time.
BR, an electrician by trade, began his journalistic career sending in local Yorkshire reports to Motorcycle News before becoming one of the first regular TMX correspondents in 1977. He supplied TMX with Yorkshire reports, results, pictures and news stories throughout the publications life as well as frequently acting as photographer at many trials bike tests.
Having also supplied a host of local newspapers with Yorkshire motorcycle reports (he covered all aspects including road racing and grass track) and was active right up to his death – a total of 64 years of service to the sport. In a statement released by his daughters, Liz and Sarah, one of his last requests while in the hospital was, "Bring me a notebook and pen in case someone gets in touch with results."
Barry was always great company with a wealth of stories about the sport, its characters and about his working life. He spent many years working as an electrician on cross-Channel ferries and not many people know that he narrowly missed being on the ill-fated Herald of Free Enterprise ferry which capsized off Zeebrugge in March 1987 with the loss of 193 lives.
Barry was due to sail home on the ferry but was contacted at the last minute and told to wait until the next one where there was a maintenance job for him to tackle. He still has the cabin key from the Herald that had been allotted to him. There can't be a rider in Yorkshire that hasn't come across Barry. He was a great supporter of Youth and Women's trials and had a word of encouragement for them all.
RIP Barry, it was our pleasure to work with you.
More like this…
End of an era: TMX shuts shop after 45 years at the top
National World Publishing Limited has made the regrettable decision that the October 27 issue of Trials and Motocross News, aka TMX, will be the last edition to be printed and that the brand as a whole will cease to exist thereafter.