In the scale of things, I did not know Kevin for very long; nothing like long enough, certainly. We started from a shared interest in motor bikes, nostalgic on my part, current and practical on his. He would stop by to show me his beautifully restored machines, quietly proud of his ingenuity and workmanship, and rightly so. Even better, his skills were versatile, not limited to the mechanical. He created wonderful chocolate brownies. What more could one ask? Luckily, for our sense of balance, he relished our cheese scones.
He was on his own admission, a man who never refused a cup of tea and that was the gateway to conversations I always looked forward to, never knowing where they might lead, given all his interests and skills: model aircraft and their engines - this time tiny, temperamental, intricate things, compared with motor bikes; the Black Country outlook and dialect; the manipulation of e-bay (which to me was like a glimpse of another planet); arranging local motorbike trial competitions; Kevin was an astonishing man - more than a friend: a mate. Roy (and Margaret) Ford
Margaret and Roy
4th March 2022