I received the following e-mail from Chris Keevil this morning. Bev had been ill recently and his wife Angela posted M 137 for us. Since then I have tried to contact Bev to see if he was OK. I called the last two mornings as e-mails were not being responded to - got voicemail. Bev was member number 4 of the VMR and a driving force behind Pre-War Prescott, where a suitable way of remembering him will definitely be organized. A very great loss to the movement.
"I had a telephone call this morning from Geoff Radford, telling me that sadly, Bev Hicks passed away last night.
Bev was a "Gent" in the true sense of the word - always considerate, polite, and keen to hear one's news on M.G., Morris or general vintage car matters. Consequently, he had many friends within our movement.
For the past five years, he had been the main driving force and Newsletter editor of The Morris Specials Group. Over the years he had built two or three Morris Oxford specials, and competed with gusto in his Morris Oxford trials car. Latterly, he made good use of his Morris Isis saloon - indeed, it was displayed on the Society's stand at the VSCC 75th Jubilee at Great Malvern in 2010, and this after being put to full use taking part in the celebration week's touring events.
There was never any doubt that Bev extracted the maximum pleasure from his vintage motoring.
I will write to you again, when the funeral arrangements are known.
Sincerely,
Chris Keevill."
Bev Hicks
Moderators: Ian Grace, Will Grace
Re: Bev Hicks
He had a "wandering hiatus hernia" and had just been in for an operation - came out of hospital yesterday, then last night, collapsed and died at home.
Re: Bev Hicks
This from Chris Dunster:
"Bev was the sort of fellow who was expected to outlive all of us. I never did get to speak to him following your note on the McEvoy. I am so glad the I got to know him again, mainly through the VMR. Last year, he took me for my first ever drive up the Prescott hill. It is surprising, considering that I first went there in 1963. I have walked up the hill but never before been up in a vehicle. Bev said that I might drive this year."
"Bev was the sort of fellow who was expected to outlive all of us. I never did get to speak to him following your note on the McEvoy. I am so glad the I got to know him again, mainly through the VMR. Last year, he took me for my first ever drive up the Prescott hill. It is surprising, considering that I first went there in 1963. I have walked up the hill but never before been up in a vehicle. Bev said that I might drive this year."
Re: Bev Hicks
This from Ken Martin:
"Ian
Thanks for bringing this extremely sad news. I had heard from Frank Ashley just before opening my emails. I first met Bev in 1964 and he was just the same last year when we had a Morris 8 Tourer Club reunion dinner. He seemed in fine fettle then. He was a super man full of fun and enthusiasm and was of course one of the two founders of the M8TC. He will be very much missed by the MG and Morris fraternity.
Regards
Ken"
"Ian
Thanks for bringing this extremely sad news. I had heard from Frank Ashley just before opening my emails. I first met Bev in 1964 and he was just the same last year when we had a Morris 8 Tourer Club reunion dinner. He seemed in fine fettle then. He was a super man full of fun and enthusiasm and was of course one of the two founders of the M8TC. He will be very much missed by the MG and Morris fraternity.
Regards
Ken"
Re: Bev Hicks
This from Phil Jennings:
"Dear Ian ,
You are probably aware that Bev died suddenly this last Wednesday; needless to say it has come as a great shock to many not least to myself and Gwen. He was of the old school of Britishness, integrity and straight down the middle, one cannot speak too highly of him; we were great friends and he will be missed."
I should have the full funeral details later today which I will post on the home page. The funeral will be on Monday 23rd at 1.00pm, hoping to gather some cars together at The Tram 12.00 noon. Bill Styles is organising this.
"Dear Ian ,
You are probably aware that Bev died suddenly this last Wednesday; needless to say it has come as a great shock to many not least to myself and Gwen. He was of the old school of Britishness, integrity and straight down the middle, one cannot speak too highly of him; we were great friends and he will be missed."
I should have the full funeral details later today which I will post on the home page. The funeral will be on Monday 23rd at 1.00pm, hoping to gather some cars together at The Tram 12.00 noon. Bill Styles is organising this.
Re: Bev Hicks
I have been asked to write Bev's obituary for the Bullnose Morris Club. So this morning I set a search going for 'Hicks' on my hard drive. I found this from our Update number 24, April 2005.
"Talking of specials, Bev Hicks and David Bick have recently inaugurated a Morris Specials Group and would be interested to hear from anyone with such a car – Minor or otherwise. We are hosting their first ever meet at our Summer Rally at Prescott, and a quite catholic collection of modified Morris machinery is anticipated. Bev can be contacted on 01544/327338 and David is on 01531/820650."
Both Bev and David have now moved on, and we are the poorer for their loss. I will work to assemble as many Morris Specials as possible at Prescott in their memory - six years on.
"Talking of specials, Bev Hicks and David Bick have recently inaugurated a Morris Specials Group and would be interested to hear from anyone with such a car – Minor or otherwise. We are hosting their first ever meet at our Summer Rally at Prescott, and a quite catholic collection of modified Morris machinery is anticipated. Bev can be contacted on 01544/327338 and David is on 01531/820650."
Both Bev and David have now moved on, and we are the poorer for their loss. I will work to assemble as many Morris Specials as possible at Prescott in their memory - six years on.
Re: Bev Hicks
From Ian Makins, editor of the Bullnose Morris Clubs magazine:
"Dear Ian,
The loss of Bev is a great loss to us, I have known him for a very long time I just wish I had known him better, he recently promised me a drive in his Oxford special with T2 gearbox, I plan to fit either a car or commercial box to my Oxford YF 466.
I would like to use your version of an obituary if you do not mind, the deadline for the next magazine is the end of the month or thereabouts.
Robin said great things about the Vintage Minor Magazine, any chance of a copy sometime, if you have a spare, I will reciprocate if you do not get the BNMC ones.
The funeral is on Monday 23rd at Eardisley. All things being equal I will attend in our Cowley. I have spoken to Gordon Sharpe and he will try and come in the ex. Bev Bullnose.
Regards,
Ian"
"Dear Ian,
The loss of Bev is a great loss to us, I have known him for a very long time I just wish I had known him better, he recently promised me a drive in his Oxford special with T2 gearbox, I plan to fit either a car or commercial box to my Oxford YF 466.
I would like to use your version of an obituary if you do not mind, the deadline for the next magazine is the end of the month or thereabouts.
Robin said great things about the Vintage Minor Magazine, any chance of a copy sometime, if you have a spare, I will reciprocate if you do not get the BNMC ones.
The funeral is on Monday 23rd at Eardisley. All things being equal I will attend in our Cowley. I have spoken to Gordon Sharpe and he will try and come in the ex. Bev Bullnose.
Regards,
Ian"
Re: Bev Hicks
A service in Bev's memory will be held on Monday, 23rd May at 1.00pm, at Eardisley Church (Herefordshire). Those who attend are welcome to go afterwards to Eardisley village hall, where tea & sandwiches will be served.
The church is on the main road, which is narrow, but opens out at the Hereford end of the village, where parking is suggested. The village hall is opposite the village shop, on the main road.
There will be a private Crematorium Service later in the day, for family members only.
No flowers please, but any donations to Help For Heroes or British Legion.
Many friends are planning to bring their Morrises and MGs. I just spoke to Angela, Bev's wife and passed on best wishes on behalf of the VMR. She tells me that Eardisely is likely to be brought to a standstill if all those who have said they are coming in their vintage cars do so - and Bev would have liked that. There will be a new award at Prescott in Bev's name, and I have invited Angela to present it. It was a previously undetected heart condition that took him.
The church is on the main road, which is narrow, but opens out at the Hereford end of the village, where parking is suggested. The village hall is opposite the village shop, on the main road.
There will be a private Crematorium Service later in the day, for family members only.
No flowers please, but any donations to Help For Heroes or British Legion.
Many friends are planning to bring their Morrises and MGs. I just spoke to Angela, Bev's wife and passed on best wishes on behalf of the VMR. She tells me that Eardisely is likely to be brought to a standstill if all those who have said they are coming in their vintage cars do so - and Bev would have liked that. There will be a new award at Prescott in Bev's name, and I have invited Angela to present it. It was a previously undetected heart condition that took him.
Re: Bev Hicks
In order to help prevent the collapse of the Morris Specials Group, a temporary web page has been set up at http://www.vintageminor.co.uk/MSG to circulate news, ideas and inputs from Group members.
The members of the Group are being contacted and invited to a special meeting which we will host in the lunch hour at our Summer Rally so that the way ahead for the Group can be established. The MSG's first ever gathering was at VMR Prescott in 2005, so this seems appropriate.
The members of the Group are being contacted and invited to a special meeting which we will host in the lunch hour at our Summer Rally so that the way ahead for the Group can be established. The MSG's first ever gathering was at VMR Prescott in 2005, so this seems appropriate.