Tony was a lifelong hero of mine, and leaves an empty place in my heart alongside that for my father who passed away just three weeks before him. Tony played a pivotal role in my life, and one for which I will be forever grateful - in 1989, he recruited me as Clubs Editor on Classic Cars magazine, and a couple of years later he promoted me to be his Deputy Editor.
It was a huge honour to work under Tony - he was the best boss one could wish for - unfailingly considerate, hugely helpful and above all, incredibly inspiring. I have so many memories, all of them happy, many funny and some barely repeatable!
I thoroughly enjoyed my interview with him for the job - especially when he gave me as a subbing test a passage by a writer I knew. I commented that I had no idea this chap's writing needed so much work: "Oh God, do you know him?" asked Tony - "Please don't tell him I gave you his work as a test" "Of course not, Tony - as long as you give me the job!" I joked. He roared with laughter - and did give me the job...
He introduced me to historic rallying too, which has been a huge part of my life - I co-drove for him on several stage rallies in his Mk2 Ford Zephyr and will always remember his incredible skill at the wheel. I remember tearing through a Welsh forest stage at 100mph downhill on gravel, with a sheer drop to my left and cliff to the right, thinking with anyone else at the wheel I would have been terrified but with Tony it was exhilarating.
We did the Longleat Stages in streaming wet conditions with all types of animal poo on the narrow tarmac roads - everyone else was spinning off, Tony had the extra problem of the gearlever jumping out of second, so was sawing at the huge wheel with his right hand, while holding the column gearlever in second with his left which was also flicking the dash-mounted overdrive switch in and out as required - and at the same time giving me advice on how to set the car up for cattle grids etc. Incredibly focused, he would concentrate in silence for the last few minutes before every stage start. I treasure the glass Longleat lion we won above any awards I've won for my own driving...
Tony supported me to the hilt when we launched the annual Club Awards at the NEC classic car show and when our bosses on Classic Cars failed to give the magazine the support it needed to keep market leadership, he gave them such a hard time that they moved him on. I did my best for six months before a new Editor was appointed but the magazine would never regain the authority it had under his leadership.
He kept us going through the move into central London with IPC and when they placed us on the 24th floor of King's Reach Tower, he insisted that the Motor archive, which he had saved and which was so valuable to us, must be in our offices, not in the basement as they wanted. Hugely heavy, being almost all glass plate negatives, special racking had to be built against the central core of the tower to avoid the weight affecting the tower's balance...
Tony had a tremendous sense of humour and tremendous determination - and a special knack for getting things done the right way. He will be deeply missed.
Tony was a lifelong hero of mine, and leaves an empty place in my heart alongside that for my father who passed away just three weeks before him. Tony played a pivotal role in my life, and one for which I will be forever grateful - in 1989, he recruited me as Clubs Editor on Classic Cars magazine, and a couple of years later he promoted me to be his Deputy Editor.
It was a huge honour to work under Tony - he was the best boss one could wish for - unfailingly considerate, hugely helpful and above all, incredibly inspiring. I have so many memories, all of them happy, many funny and some barely repeatable!
I thoroughly enjoyed my interview with him for the job - especially when he gave me as a subbing test a passage by a writer I knew. I commented that I had no idea this chap's writing needed so much work: "Oh God, do you know him?" asked Tony - "Please don't tell him I gave you his work as a test" "Of course not, Tony - as long as you give me the job!" I joked. He roared with laughter - and did give me the job...
He introduced me to historic rallying too, which has been a huge part of my life - I co-drove for him on several stage rallies in his Mk2 Ford Zephyr and will always remember his incredible skill at the wheel. I remember tearing through a Welsh forest stage at 100mph downhill on gravel, with a sheer drop to my left and cliff to the right, thinking with anyone else at the wheel I would have been terrified but with Tony it was exhilarating.
We did the Longleat Stages in streaming wet conditions with all types of animal poo on the narrow tarmac roads - everyone else was spinning off, Tony had the extra problem of the gearlever jumping out of second, so was sawing at the huge wheel with his right hand, while holding the column gearlever in second with his left which was also flicking the dash-mounted overdrive switch in and out as required - and at the same time giving me advice on how to set the car up for cattle grids etc. Incredibly focused, he would concentrate in silence for the last few minutes before every stage start. I treasure the glass Longleat lion we won above any awards I've won for my own driving...
Tony supported me to the hilt when we launched the annual Club Awards at the NEC classic car show and when our bosses on Classic Cars failed to give the magazine the support it needed to keep market leadership, he gave them such a hard time that they moved him on. I did my best for six months before a new Editor was appointed but the magazine would never regain the authority it had under his leadership.
He kept us going through the move into central London with IPC and when they placed us on the 24th floor of King's Reach Tower, he insisted that the Motor archive, which he had saved and which was so valuable to us, must be in our offices, not in the basement as they wanted. Hugely heavy, being almost all glass plate negatives, special racking had to be built against the central core of the tower to avoid the weight affecting the tower's balance...
Tony had a tremendous sense of humour and tremendous determination - and a special knack for getting things done the right way. He will be deeply missed.
