John Birkett RIP

[Richard_FM]

Sorry to hear the news.

I walked past the shop in October when I was in Lincoln, & had a look at the window display but didn't go inside.

[Diabolical Artificer]

Ahh, bummer, that is sad news, thanks Robin for the heads up. I haven't been to John's shop in a few years, helped him carry some stuff from #2 shop down to #1 shop last time, that bl**dy hill, I struggled, how he coped no idea. I told him he was famous online radio/TV forum's, a legend, he seemed quite surprised. I bought about 50m screened cable which I've now mislaid and some other bits and spent an hour talking whilst my daughter went for an audition at the Cathedral school. Interesting bloke, sad loss.

Andy.

[terrybull]

Very sorry to hear this. I knew John, not terribly well, through a mutual friend. I always got on well with him. Rest in peace.

[VT FUSE]

A truly sad day and of course my sympathies and wishes go to those who John has left behind, may happy memories come to partly assuage their sense of loss and sadness.
I met John a couple of times at rallies but would also ring him with requests, his adverts said "orders over £10 post free" I would estimate and send cost of post and still have some old receipts that thank me for the gesture.

A true Gentleman and great Human Soul, RIP John and may you always have "Blue Skies"

[Pamphonica]

The passing of a true gent - real old-school! I used to see him and buy bits from him at many rallies over the years. The last thing I got from him a few years ago was a clutch of dual-section caps (NOS). All proved great, of course. I wonder what will happen to the "treasure trove" in the Strait. Maybe one last wonderful open day to clear it out??
RIP John - you served us very well for so many years.

[Phil__G]

Sad news indeed. The last time I visited was maybe 15 years ago, I wanted some obscure part and John said "its probably in the loft, you'll have to go up there yourself, have a look around, I can't get up there any more" !!! How the rafters withstood the weight of gear up there was a miracle! RIP John.
Phil G4PHL

[alfatangowhisky]

Originally Posted by robinshack

I saw this online today, after being told of John's passing.

"John Birkett of Lincoln, long standing member of the Lincoln Masonic Lodge, passed away peacefully in the Lincoln County Hospital on the 30th April 2022 aged 93 years. A devoted husband to the late Joyce Birkett, loving Father to Judy and Jean and a special Grandad to Ethan and Oscar,"

Always a privilege to shake his hand, my final time was at Newark Hamfest in 2019.
RIP John.
Rob

Me also. I will utter a few special words when I fit one of the many surplus caps etc that I bought from him at that rally.

[G6Tanuki]

I wonder what will become of the contents of his shop(s)??

I really doubt that he was the kind of guy who would have had the contents nicely shelved and itemised via a set of ledgers or spreadsheets [You want an AUY10? they're in second level, row 6, shelf 22 of the attic, £2.25 plus VAT, 19-set Dogbone connectors? back of the corridor, turn left, somewhere on the third shelves up from the bottom] which makes valuing things problematic.

It would be kinda sad to see his shop-contents evicted into a bunch of WEEE-skips in order to make way for something horribly 21st-century like a vegan restaurant, a coffee-shop or a nail-bar.

[ex seismic]

Indeed, when I looked in the window a few years back there was a lot of treasure there, especially to those of the VMARS ilk.

[chriswood1900]

I am sorry to hear that, I visited only once in 2016 but it was an enjoyable experience meeting John, another well known character gone.

[Paul_RK]

A sad loss. Can't say I knew John, we lived in Lincoln for seven years in the '80s but my radio activity was at a low ebb through that time, just as it is again lately. I must have passed the shop most weeks and always gazed in the windows, which sometimes held surprises: I still recall a Transcriptors turntable appearing there once, the only time I've seen one of those in the flesh. A few forgotten component purchases were my only transactions aside from one day buying an SX28 Super Skyrider which has been with us ever since. I've often thought of revisiting the city, but haven't set foot there since we moved away in '88.

Paul

[Radio Wrangler]

Originally Posted by G6Tanuki

I wonder what will become of the contents of his shop(s)??

I really doubt that he was the kind of guy who would have had the contents nicely shelved and itemised via a set of ledgers or spreadsheets

He also had huge stocks of stuff behind his shops.

Ledgers? Nope, you're quite right on that score. But he kept it all in his head. Ask for something and you'd like as not get "I've got some of those round the back" He wouldn't disappear for long and return bearing the prize.

David

[Hybrid tellies]

Very sad news. I never met him but heard lots about him. Another sad loss for us all.

[Junk Box Nick]

Originally Posted by Kentode

If you stood away from the entrance you could observe the male of the species' with his nose pressed against the window, whilst the female could be seen to perform the well-known "eyerolling" .

Very sad news. I first encountered the Birkett stand at the Drayton Manor Rally. It would have been 1970. (That was when rallies were rallies!) I seem to remember Gestetner produced catalogues arriving from time to time.

In more recent years I visited the shop a couple of times when attending the Lincoln Christmas Market. Each time John was there in his armchair and we had a chat about old days. There was an Eddystone 640 (IIRC) chirping away in the background. It was a bit like walking into a timewarp.

The last time was in 2016 with SWMBO of the time. She did come in but quickly exited this peculiar place, the like of which she had never seen with its odd ‘old wireless’ smell, full of what she perhaps considered equally peculiar/nerdy blokes.

Sadly, I wasn’t allowed to stay long, but I think she decided we were relatively harmless, and we did indeed head off to a vegetarian café of which there are several in Lincoln. (I then got in trouble having a hot pork sandwich at the market!)

The shops are in a very good spot for tourists so they might have a more trendy future but OTOH there are (or at least were) a few other interesting establishments nearby selling second-hand books and the like.

RIP John

[Sinewave]

Sad news indeed. I was over in his shop in February, didn't see him at the time. Hopefully the shops will live on.

[Reelman]

A great loss, probably the last of his kind. Although I only visited the shop once, I will always remember him standing behind his stall at the National Hamfest with a paper bag ready in hand for the next customer.

Condolences to the family, RIP John.

Peter

[bc312]

Very sad news. The only time I visited his shop it was closed, but I spent a good time browsing through the window. He will be missed by many. RIP John.

Mike

[PaulM]

I couldn't find the sad news of the death of John Birkett anywhere else on here, so I'm posting it in this section. If it's a duplicate and/or it's in the wrong place, please amend.

The fullest obituary that I can find is here:

Lincoln short wave club: https://www.g5fz.co.uk/silent-key/john- ... 1928-2022/

A full life indeed, a loss to Lincoln and to the vintage electronics world.

He certainly helped in my early years. I well recall as a 10 year old peering up to his over-stocked shop counter to ask for resistors for my latest project

His shop in Lincoln is a landmark for many - not just locals.

Best regards,

Paul M

[Aub]

Thanks for posting this. Very interesting to read about his life.

Aub

[PaulM]

There's another obit on Hackaday

https://hackaday.com/2022/05/20/rip-...xtraordinaire/

Interesting to read some of the comments.

Paul M