John Birkett RIP

[CambridgeWorks]

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

[GrimJosef]

This is sad news. I bought a WS19 from his shop in Lincoln when I was a teenager. Forty-odd years later I bought his CT-160 from his stall at the NVCF (as was).

I'm not sure they make them like John any more.

Graeme

[beamcurrent]

Indeed very sad news, I have known John for the best part of 60 years.

I was a regular visitor to his shops in "Steep Hill" Lincoln, when I lived in Gainsborough. A treasure trove of units parts, valves, radios, surplus equipment.

He was a real gentleman and will be sorely missed.

Brian Summers.

[Radio Wrangler]

A true gentleman with a nice, hearty laugh. It's over 20 years since I last saw him.

He advertised some RAY-3 mixers many years ago, asking a lower price than MD108/SBL1 types. I rang him to point out that these were rather expensive very high intercept point ones. He said that the market wanted MD108s or SBL1 basic +7dBm LO types and would pay less for anything else, besides, he said he was still making profit on them. I never managed to talk him into a fair price. I bought a few, and appeased my conscience that he was making a profit he felt was satisfactory even knowing the true worth of the things.

An utterly genuine chap.

David

[turretslug]

Oh, that is sad, we have lost a true pillar of the vintage electronics scene. I was always amazed at the eclectic range of useful parts his business had to offer over decades.

RIP

Colin

[kalee20]

Wow! I didn't know he was that old...

I last visited his shop in 2016. What a super place!

[Techman]

I was told at the Thorpe Camp radio rally the day after it happened - a very sad day indeed and the end of an era.

As far as I know and been told - funeral on the 30th, 1.10pm at Lincoln Crematorium.

[radiograham]

Sorry to hear this, a well known name in the radio fraternity. I never made it to his shop but seem to remember he had one in Blackpool unless i am mixing him up someone else. Graham.

[Kentode]

Here's a few pictures for anyone who never made it to Lincoln. John was usually to be found sitting in a comfy old armchair, holding court inside the front of the main shop.

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" .

The passing of a legend in our hobby, RIP John.

[Mooly]

Originally Posted by radiograham

Sorry to hear this,a well known name in the radio fraternity.I never made it to his shop but seem to remember he had one in blackpool unless i am mixing him up someone else. Graham.

You might be thinking of 'Stuarts Radio' in Blackpool which I think is still trading but is a former shadow of how it used to be.

[dsergeant]

Sad to hear the news, guess all good things have to come to an end. Never been inside but did window gaze many years ago while getting my breath back after climbing Steep Hill. RIP John.

[M0AFJ, Tim]

What a shame, good innings though. Use his services many times when building things…Birketts’ specials

[Mike Phelan]

Very sad. I've been there a couple of times; a wonderful place.

[Andrew2]

Aw. I never met the gentleman but over the years I've sent for lots of stuff from him. He seemed to have (or could get) virtually anything. RIP a true radio man.

[eddie_ce]

Very sad news. His shop represented a true time capsule. Wonderful place to rummage around. When I last spoke to John a few years ago, he was worried that he would find no one to carry on his emporium. Is it still open?

[Techman]

Originally Posted by eddie_ce

Is it still open?

No, not when I was last up there, which was a couple of weeks before hearing the bad news. I think I mentioned it in a thread at the time that all the opening times had been removed from the door.

It must be at least eight or more years ago I was sitting on a bench just a bit further up the hill from the shop one sunny lunch time with John, and I said to him that if he sold up he could retire to the country and live a life of luxury and peace. He said that the only time he'd be leaving the shop would be when they carried him out in a box - his exact words!

[Lloyd 1985]

That’s very sad news, I only visited his shop last November, I didn’t see him in there that day. Wish I’d visited more often!

Regards
Lloyd

[G6ONEDave]

Not been to the shop in many years but have always kept him in mind when looking for that elusive part. Very sad news indeed.

Dave

[Radio Wrangler]

John was doing exactly what he wanted to do. There was no need for him to retire, no benefit in moving to the country. He was happy. Just so long as he had a steady flow of visitors to the shop to keep him entertained.

George Dobbs was from Lincoln, recruited into amateur radio and taught Morse by Peter G3PDL. Peter and George were old friends of John's (Peter taught Physics at Caistor Grammar)

Peter and George told me that John didn't just own his two shops, facing each other across the narrow part of The Strait, but he also owned several other shops which he let out. I got the impression it was very much his street!

John has had a good long innings. He's brought a lot of joy to many, and enjoyed it all himself too. Wonderful.... Full of Wonder!

David

[Cruisin Marine]

So sorry to hear this. He was always upset he could never fly a plane again because his eyesight had deteriorated. Such a genuine and decent man, old school at its finest.
His word truly was his bond.
RIP John, you can't be replaced.

And PS: I still have small tubs of heatsink compound I bought from him, he almost gave them to me.