R e gi s t e r s
Cologne, had been appointed SZ Registrar in January and he was asking for help to produce a newsletter by the end of the year. “It is not too much work,” he wrote. So I volunteered. Now, let me tell you, Jürgen is a brilliant motivator who likes to make things happen. And he has a great sense of humour. Next thing I knew, that simple emailed newsletter was being transformed into a seventy six page printed magazine packed with information on every aspect of SZ ownership. We are going to produce “the Best Magazine in the World about the Best Cars in the World,” he proclaimed. And that bit about “not too much work”? That was just one of Jürgen’s little jokes. But he concluded his piece in The Bulletin by saying: “And don’t forget. This is all about enthusiasm and having fun.” Well, nobody has more enthusiasm than Jürgen and producing The Spirit has turned out to be a lot of fun. Fortunately I wasn’t on my own in all this. Before buying the Bentley I spent countless hours late into the night scrolling through the pages of www.rrsilverspirit.com and digesting the indispensible facts and figures compiled by Marinus Rijkers from The Netherlands, little suspecting I would soon be working with him and in almost daily contact. Marinus, who has an incredible knowledge of all things Rolls-Royce and Bentley and has written a number of books and articles, had already come on board to look after the membership data for the SZ Register. He has a full time job at a bank in addition to running three websites and writing for magazines, so “I will not be able to contribute in a big way to the magazine,” he explained. Well, nineteen pages of The Spirit including a feature on stretch limos resulting from days of research at The Hunt House and packed with previously unpublished information are entirely his own work. The RREC is a truly international club and it was incredible, the way stories came flooding in from all around the world as news of the Register spread. One of the first was from Ralph Bünger – a German with homes in France and Portugal – who wrote about bringing his beautiful Corniche convertible up to concours
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O bituaries
SZ Register: The Spirit contains twenty one stories by twelve contributors from nine countries filling its seventy six pages
standard. Ralph is no newcomer to prizes, and took the Class 11 trophy with his exquisite Silver Dawn at the 2014 Annual Rally but he is also very modest and an absolute gentleman. SZ Register technical consultant Daniel Diewerge from Luxembourg tells the story of how he transformed his Bentley Eight from a basket case into the Douglas Wood Trophy winner for best personal restoration at this year’s Rally; and Andy Hurfurt e xplains how he masterminded a gathering of bespoke SZs for Hooperfest at Rockingham Castle all the way from his base in Japan. Add Belgian Emmanuel de Menten’s 32 year old Rolls-Royce with barely 15,000 miles on the clock; a photo story of Silver Spirits suffering from too much sun and sand in the Riyadh desert; and leading motoring journalist Martin Puthz’s driving impressions of a Continental T and you can see the magazine has something for every owner or enthusiast of 1980s and 1990s RollsRoyces and Bentleys. In total, The Spirit contains twenty one separate features from twelve international contributors representing nine different countries. An incredible seventy six different models qualify for SZ status and the magazine provides production data for every one of them. So, if, for example, you have ever wondered how many Bentley Brooklands R LWBs were built and when – you’ll find the answer in The Spirit. There
were twelve of them, by the way, and they were all built in model year 1998. Now the first issue is finished, we are already looking forward to the next edition. I am assured by youknow-who that it won’t be too much work. And being part of a team separated by around 700km and three countries makes the job even more fun. We are looking forward to meeting as many SZ Register members as possible at the RREC International Weekend from 23 to 25 May at Hythe. Come along and tell us about your cars and why you love SZs so much – and perhaps we may even talk you into providing a few words for the next edition. RICHARD CHARNLEY If you joined the SZ Register on or before 1 October 2014 you will receive a free printed seventy six page Collectors’ Edition of The Spirit as a Register benefit and all other RREC members can download a PDF of the magazine by clicking the link on www. rrec.org.uk. Additional printed copies are available from the Club Shop with every penny received going towards an even bigger issue next year. To join the SZ Register please fill in and return the form on the RREC website or contact juergenbuech@ aol.com or info@rrsilverspirit.com. It’s the most affordable thing you will ever do with your Rolls-Royce or Bentley – SZ Register membership is free! JÜRGEN BÜCH, Registrar
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Basil Lockwood-Goose
John Cowley
Basil Goose was born in Derbyshire on the 19 January 1929. Some four years later the family moved near to Felixstowe where Basil was bought up in the freedom of the countryside, was educated at Woodbridge School and learned to take responsibility for his own actions. In 1946 he became a student at the de Havilland Aeronautical Technical School. Shortly afterwards he was the victim of a traffic accident which nearly cost him his leg and, after hospitalization, he completed the course successfully by hobbling two miles to and from work in winter on crutches and with one leg in plaster. When a vacancy occurred in the Dunlop Company he, and a number of equally qualified compatriots, applied. He got the job because of the courage and single minded dedication he had shown in completing the course despite limited mobility. When he joined Dunlop it was, in his own words, “...the start of a journey that was to take me to over 80 different countries and to meet many of the cleverest and most interesting people who ever lived. It was to take me on over 100 Atlantic crossings, over 200 channel crossings and 6 circumnavigations of the world.” In the middle of 1950 he met a charming young lady called Joan Lockwood. She was the last of the line and the name would die when she did. When it became apparent that marriage was in the air, Joan’s father asked Basil to keep the name alive and thus they were married as Mr and Mrs Lockwood-Goose in 1954. In 1988 he retired from Dunlop and he and Joan moved to Wigtownshire. During his “retirement” he built two two-seater aeroplanes, a Denny Kitfox and a Europa Aviation Europa. Sadly he could not fly them solo as a freak accident in the garden had robbed him of his sight in the right eye. Basil was a very professional engineer with a profound knowledge of the materials he worked with. He was an expert on the Rolls-Royce and Bentley cars and, of the many examples of the marque that passed through his hands, the one that gave him the most pleasure was his last: a 1939 Thrupp & Maberly Wraith saloon which was totally original. Basil was a chartered engineer, a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society and a trustee of the International Airworthiness Authority. He joined the Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club on 30 January 1990 and was a much respected member of Scottish Section where he will be greatly missed by his many friends. He died on the 1 September after a long battle with cancer and is survived by two sons and five grandchildren. R O B E R T B O L TO N - K I N G
John Cowley died aged 86 on 31 August 2104. He spent all his life in Stony Stratford, as had his father and grandfather, so he was very much a part of the local community. John’s grandfather had established a building and undertaking business, and John inherited this at the age of 16, due to the early death of this father. John became friendly with the late Peter Baines, and in 1973 Peter persuaded him to join the RREC. During the next 5 years John and Peter toured the country in search of a suitable car for John. In 1978 they came upon OV20, a yellow and black 20/25 limousine GOS27 which was to be a very familiar sight at RREC events for the next 30 years. This was the first of five Rolls-Royce cars that John owned, including his much-loved Silver Wraith WZB54 in which he and Wendy enjoyed many overseas tours. When the semi-derelict Hunt House was acquired in 1977, Peter Baines asked John to carry out the renovation. We all owe a lot to John for the high standard of work, and for the sound advice that he gave. John and Wendy lived opposite the Cock Hotel in Stony Stratford, where many members stayed during the early seminar weekends. When the bar closed at 23:00hrs, the Cowley residence was open-house to all members, who were often there well into the small hours. John will be sadly missed, not only by his many friends in the Club, but by the Stony Stratford neighbourhood generally. We offer most sincere sympathy to Wendy, their two sons Simon and Piers, and their daughter Jenny. P hilip H all
DEREK JOSEPH HARTLEY-BROWN 1 August 1927 – 23 May 2014 50 year member. I am sorry to report that our Wessex Section friend and long-time member, Derek, passed away following a long
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I was first introduced to John when I was a young teenager as my father was in contact with him at that time. I did not see him again until I became a member of the Club and we then met John and Wendy on many rallies. John and Wendy were always the life and soul of the party. As well as being much involved in The Hunt House, John was instrumental in the rebuilding of Stony Stratford church after a devastating fire. He also assisted his father in the building of Bletchley Park during the war. In his later years, John suffered ill heath which he bore with fortitude. Wendy was always at his side. R o dn e y G unn
illness. His funeral took place at All Saints Church, Branksome Park, Poole on Tuesday 10 June 2014. Derek’s support and sense of humour will be missed by all within the section. Our heartfelt condolences go to Valerie and the family. R ichard S t apl e
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