LRC on the left, Yare RC on the right. L to R – Peter Hilditch, Doug Melvin, Graham Beech, John Pepys. On the right, Simon Crosse (almost hidden at the back), and second right, Nick Cooper, are also longstanding members of LRC.
An active member in the 1960s, Barry, who died on 22 May 2014, was one of those happy souls who contributed to the life of the Club in his own special way, albeit for a relatively short period. He joined the Club in 1961 from Auriol, becoming a Resident on the top floor, and was active and quite successful in 4s and 8s, being selected for a Wyfold IV in 1963 which got through one round. He tried his hand at sculling, winning Junior Sculls at City of Norwich Regatta and even completed the Boston Marathon course in a time of 4hrs 41m.
Barry was best remembered at London though for his spectacular moustache of florid proportions. An interior designer, he transformed his Resi room into a wondrous piece of modern living, but memorably also decorated the Long Room for a New Year’s Eve dinner and dance in the mid-60s in Chinese style with numerous hanging banners reputedly featuring laundry lists, and a galaxy of stars affixed to the ceiling, all hand-made.
Barry moved to East Anglia, working first for Fielden & Mawson (a firm of architects who through Simon Crosse had been involved in the major development of the Clubhouse in 1969-71), and then as Head of the Interior Design Department at Great Yarmouth College of Art. He married Marion in Norwich Cathedral, sans mouche, where LRC and Yare RC shared the honours as his guard of honour (see photo above). It was typical of Barry to organise a pair oars race round the island on which Norwich RC stands on the morning of his wedding, and then to present a prize to the winners at the wedding reception afterwards.
Barry was not only great fun but was kind enough to remember LRC in his will too, setting an example to others. A few years ago he decided he must have an LRC Henley blazer, so drove down to Clothiers in Cambridge to have one made and fitted. We send our belated condolences to Marion.
