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Ned SparrowOctober 2003 - Ned Sparrow remembered by many in comments from the forum |
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Most of you will not remember Ned (David Sparrow) those who do will remember his ability, fuelled by a few pints, to have most of the bar in tears of laughter with his anecdotes and stories. He had been ill for a while and he was not enjoying his life as I know he could. He will be cremated in Truro, and there will be a memorial service near Guidford. Stuart Gurney  Click for the story behind the picture, and a chance to add your own comments. Ned will find Tom Lance has settled in wherever old Merlin sailors go - he's been there for just a few weeks Alan Chaplain Thanks for that Al - perhaps one day we can start a new fleet with Jack Holt, Beecher Moore etc - The sun will always shine and a good breeze, but not sure how we can all win all of the races! Stuart Gurney I first got to know Ned in the 60s when I was at Arun and he was at Bognor (if I recall he had Merlin called "Old and Filthy" or some such). I met him again many years later at the champs at Abersoch where it was alleged he was the beachmaster and he hadn't changed a bit. I found myself in the same hotel as Ned, Gurn, AJ, and John Harris among others. The championships were memorable for no wind, Gurn climbing in through my upstairs window at some unearthly hour (what an athlete) and John Harris threatening to punch the landlord for locking him out. But the highlight of the week was coming back to the hotel late at night to find Ned in the dining room alone with the landlord's wife telling her all about his first experience of oral sex. What a man!! JC Your reply to me made Heaven seem just like Shoreham - a lot of religious people are going to be very disappointed!! Alan Chaplain Sad news about Ned, He was a top man by anybody's standards. I remember - just, when he tried out the new transom flaps at Plymouth in 196????. There was a lot of controversy in the class about these new fangled gadgets that were going to transform the class and outdate all the old boats. Ned was, I think, on the committee and had volunteered to try them out. We had an awsomely windy champs that year, only two races sailed if I remember right. On one day when racing had been cancelled Ned went out into Plymouth Sound and duly capsized in front of the crowd. Then,lo and behold,he righted the boat and bore away. She rose like a submarine surfacing. It was blowing a gale but the flaps got passed unanimously at the AGM. Thanks Ned, one of the many helpful things you did for our class. Hope to see you at Shoreham. Patrick Blake I had fogotten that one! Just one of the hundreds of stories that surrounded the man. I think with that story Ned always finished by saying "you couldn't get to sleep that night due to the sounds of padsaws on transoms." Stuart Gurney When Ned was beachmaster at those infamous 1991 Abersoch Champs (the Gurn used my shoulders to climb on when attempting to ravage JC!!) I had to leave on the Friday to head to the Lake District to fulfill my duties as best man. A pal of mine kindly volunteered to tow the boat home that Friday. Good old Ned spotted that I had not 'tallied off' and chucked my tally into the bucket. Those who were there will remember that the last race finish was chaos as the wind swung and allowed the tail enders a spinnaker run up the last beat leading to a mass finish. In the ensuing melee I was duly awarded a 43rd place, which considering I was in Cumbria ,the boat in Warwickshire remains one of my better Champs results!! A great character - happy memories Peter Scott It was not to ravege JC - If you remember Scotty the door lock did not work properly - indeed at all - which is why we found John Harris sitting on the door step. When we arrived at the hotel Ned decided to go out and peg out the slots on the beach early, 6 am ish I seem to remember. Never found ot why Ned wanted to do this so early. So we arrive at the front door and cant get the door to unlock - no woories we'll go out throught the kitchen - also locked firmly. We could not get out - and the guvnor lived in an out building at the back - Ned said only one thing to do - picked up the phone and called the operator, and asked them to call back - About ten minutes later a digruntled hotelier arrived to let us out. Good job there wasnt a fire during the week! When pegging out the boats there was a topper in the way - where do I put the stake -"straight through the plate case please" was our beachmasters reply. Stuart Gurney Ned was cremated yesterday morning and a small group including his family and local friends were there. The Merlin Rocket Class was represented by Tony Lane, Stu Nixon, Karey Lescure (nee Atkinson - remember Paddy A, Karey's brother)It was just about right, and although I am not a religious man - I think that Ned would have found appreciated the hymns and the backround music (Rod Stuart's "Sailing") Well done Sarah, Pete and Andy. We went to the Red Lion in Mawnan Smith - Neds choice to see out his last years (he didn't actually live in the Red Lion) only to find that we were too early and had to hang about outside for a while. The remembrance service and celebration of Neds life is on 3rd November (monday) at St John the Evangelist Church Churt in Surrey, and afterwards for a Sparrow type celebration at the Pride of the Valley PH. Not sure of the time but I will put it on the web page link below as well as insruction of how to get there. Stuart Gurney My main memory is at my first ever Salcombe week where he rescued me from student poverty (sleeping on the verge) and put me up for free in his house for the week. All I had to do was pour the Champagne at his parties. He also taught me how to pour a real G&T. Thanks Ned.... Paul Gilbert I'm in a state of shock, I thought your man Ned was immortal. One of the nicest guys you could meet in a long day's march, a gent on and off the water, Ned brought joy and mirth to anyone who came into contact with him. He was the most amazing raconteur - I remember sitting in the bar at Abersoch during the aforesaid champs. My man Bloodaxe and I were somewhat pissed off as we'd totalled Batty bat on Big Wind Day and couldn't yot. Gloom was dispelled as Ned, in full flow, unravelled the tortuous and hilarious toings and froings of one "Frampon" and a certain Exmouth barmaid who had arrived in N Wales presumably intent on reprising a Tongs success! I'm sure you'll recall that epsiode Gurn! The following year Bloodaxe and I arrived sans boat at Whitstable to be greeted by Ned's "I heard your newie isn't ready. Don't worry, I've borrowed a boat for you" Thoughts of an armchair ride in an NSM evaporated as Ned guided us to a leaky bucket of a Hexagon, minus kicker and one or two other bits. Great to hear that Stu and Karey were there at the funeral. Ned came up to Bolton for our open the year it snowed in May and I think after that the club always had a special place in his heart. Won't make the memorial I'm afraid owing to the intervening Irish sea and work pressures but I'll be thinking of you all - and Ned. Sadly missed. Scoop My story about dear old Ned goes back to the Gorlestone 1961 Championships. A few of us were staying with Ned in a local hotel, which had about 50 steep steps leading up to the front door. One night a group of us which included Derek King, Tony Davis ,George Slack,myself and Ned,arrived back late at the hotel after many beers.Ned stated that he was in no fit state to climb the steps and challenged any one of us that they could not carry his 17 stone up the steps.A couple of us made feeble attempts, then Colin Stokes, not the largest of men, grabbed Ned and slung him over his shoulder in a "firemans lift" and proceeded up the steps to the hotel front door. Later Ned presented Colin with an engraved tankard in recognition of this impressive effort. John Harris Picking up email in an internet bar in Austria on holiday I picked up this thread and entered a state of shock. Like others I thought Ned was immortal. So sad. Condolences to all who knew him better than I. Mike Fitzpatrick Well, how sad was the news today when Peter Frampton called and passed on the news about my good, old mate Ned Sparrow. Ned has been a mate for 50 years in fact only in August he sent me a book "The Oxford Dictionary of Rhyming Slang" as I was falling behind with my lessons on the "back slang" used by Ned for years (dlo woc, dratsab and the famous pu rekannips which would ring out in the early days sailing MR's at Bognor Regis SC). He was a true friend to fly from England to Sydney for a mate's wedding. Ned did this for Jill & I (he even fell into Sydney Harbour that night) and I know he did the same for Peter & Paula Frampton. The stories of the early MR championships & open meetings such as Torquay and Whitstable are endless. I get a teary eye just typing this knowing Ned is no longer with us. Wish I could be with you all on the 3rd to send off our mate Neddy Sparrow. I will open a cold beer that day as a toast for my old mate Neddy Down Under here in Sydney. Derek King I only heard recently that Ned has left us. Sad but just to read his name brings back some great memories. He was a good friend to many and a lifelong supporter of the M/R class. Ned did sail as well and during my active time in the class I think his best sailing performance was probably in 1963 at Whitstable when he led a championship race for at least the first lap in his Adur 7 no. 1631. My nephew Andrew won the Cookham open meeting this year in the same boat exactly 40 years later! Robert Harris Photo of Whitstable in 1959, including Ned |
