John Birkett RIP - Page 3 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

dodgy-dxer · 25th May 2022, 6:55 am

Thread herw been going a while

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=191231

PaulM · 25th May 2022, 7:52 am

Ah, I didn't look in 'Member Introductions and News' - didn't expect him to be a member (was he?).

The search box didn't show anything recent under his name.

Sadly, it still doesn't alter the news . . .

P.

locknut · 25th May 2022, 8:37 am

Sad News.

It was a bit of a trek from my home where I lived as a child, but always an entertaining day out. I live a lot nearer now, but sadly haven't visited for years. John was certainly a character, and how he remembered where everything was at his age... I used to be good at that when I was a lot younger, but my brain is turning to putty now.

Goodbye John.

Station X · 25th May 2022, 9:22 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by 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

Threads merged.

Aub · 25th May 2022, 10:30 am

Thanks for posting that PaulM. Very interesting to read about his life.

Aub

telstar · 25th May 2022, 3:10 pm

I am saddened to hear about John's passing. Another figure in radios gone. I have seen him at the events at the N.E.C, and have been to his shop a few years ago. He was very helpful indeed.
Mike

Michael Maurice · 29th May 2022, 8:25 am

I'm also saddened to hear of Johns passing, I visited his shop on a couple of occasions. He was a true gentleman and he will be missed.

RIP Jon

IanG3XYV · 29th May 2022, 2:53 pm

I would occasionally call in at Lincoln on journeys from the north. It must have been around 2000 that I was staggered to see on display and for sale in the window, a fairly large piece of communication equipment for which I had been part of the design team in the 1970s. I passed on this news to a couple of friends who had been on the team and one of them went to Lincoln and bought a set for himself!

Techman · 30th May 2022, 1:56 pm

A sad day and the end of an era in one way, but in another - you never know, let's hope. Everything went off well and fortunately the rain kept off for the short wait outside. It was quite well attended.

bc312 · 31st May 2022, 10:15 am

A lovely tribute - thanks for posting.

Mike

kalee20 · 31st May 2022, 4:41 pm

Thank you from me too!

robinshack · 31st May 2022, 6:44 pm

Thanks for posting this. He certainly influenced my radio/ electronic interests and hobbies.
Rob

mickm3for · 10th Oct 2022, 6:00 pm

Hi the shop is still open and they have a stand at Newark Hamfest that is good news Mick

Cruisin Marine · 12th Oct 2022, 5:41 pm

Quote:

Hi the shop is still open and they have a stand at Newark Hamfest that is good news Mick

That is such wonderful news, we have lost far too many classic component and gear shops, long may it continue!

terrybull · 1st Dec 2022, 2:35 pm

I had occasion to visit Lincoln yesterday so went to see what was happening to this place. I found someone there and although the shop was shut I got their attention and thought I’d update here what I gleaned.
Johns daughter is hoping to keep the shop going but currently works full time and there is probate to sort out.
At the present time time the shop is shut but will be open as and when it is able to but there are no fixed opening times or days. Not sure if anyone has a contact number but that’s the situation currently.

Aub · 1st Dec 2022, 3:30 pm

Thanks for that Terry.

Aub

60 oldjohn · 1st Dec 2022, 8:06 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrybull

Not sure if anyone has a contact number but that’s the situation currently.

I was trying to contact the shop using the number on the net over a few days at different times without success.

John.

locknut · 1st Dec 2022, 11:22 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrybull

I had occasion to visit Lincoln yesterday so went to see what was happening to this place. I found someone there and although the shop was shut I got their attention and thought I’d update here what I gleaned.
Johns daughter is hoping to keep the shop going but currently works full time and there is probate to sort out.
At the present time time the shop is shut but will be open as and when it is able to but there are no fixed opening times or days. Not sure if anyone has a contact number but that’s the situation currently.

Thanks for the update, nice to hear that there's some hope that the shop could reopen, fingers crossed.

That said, I guess we'll have to appreciate that John's daughter will have her own life, this can be a time consuming process and there are some potentially difficult decisions to be made. We'll have to see what happens.

Radio Wrangler · 2nd Dec 2022, 3:30 am

George Dobbs, from that area himself, told me that John owned a number of shops up that street, not just the pair of opposite ones he sold electronics from. Sorting things out might be more involved than you'd expect.

David

Techman · 2nd Dec 2022, 11:35 am

I remember some long while ago John telling me that the business rates for the main shop alone were around £150 a week and that some weeks he only just managed to break even, so it was the rental on the other shops latterly that financed the electronics one for most of the time. However, that wasn't the case back in the old days when the line of people waiting to be served came out of the door and half way down the street and you had to join the end of that line and wait your turn, hoping it wouldn't start raining!

The other thing that you have to realise is that there's not just the 'one' daughter.

25th May 2022, 6:55 am	#41
dodgy-dxer Heptode Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Newmarket, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 547	Re: John Birkett RIP Thread herw been going a while https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=191231

25th May 2022, 7:52 am	#42
PaulM Hexode Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Near Lincoln, UK. Posts: 418	Re: John Birkett RIP Ah, I didn't look in 'Member Introductions and News' - didn't expect him to be a member (was he?). The search box didn't show anything recent under his name. Sadly, it still doesn't alter the news . . . P.

25th May 2022, 8:37 am	#43
locknut Pentode Join Date: Mar 2022 Location: Retford, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 113	Re: John Birkett RIP Sad News. It was a bit of a trek from my home where I lived as a child, but always an entertaining day out. I live a lot nearer now, but sadly haven't visited for years. John was certainly a character, and how he remembered where everything was at his age... I used to be good at that when I was a lot younger, but my brain is turning to putty now. Goodbye John. __________________ Paul

25th May 2022, 10:30 am	#45
Aub Octode Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Nuneaton, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 1,765	Re: John Birkett RIP Thanks for posting that PaulM. Very interesting to read about his life. Aub __________________ Ignorance of The Law is No Excuse - but I didn't know that!

25th May 2022, 3:10 pm	#46
telstar Octode Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 1,463	Re: John Birkett RIP I am saddened to hear about John's passing. Another figure in radios gone. I have seen him at the events at the N.E.C, and have been to his shop a few years ago. He was very helpful indeed. Mike

29th May 2022, 8:25 am	#47
Michael Maurice Moderator Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Wembley, Middlesex Posts: 6,924	Re: John Birkett RIP I'm also saddened to hear of Johns passing, I visited his shop on a couple of occasions. He was a true gentleman and he will be missed. RIP Jon __________________ Forum Moderator http://www.michaelmauricerepairs.co.uk/

29th May 2022, 2:53 pm	#48
IanG3XYV Pentode Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Bedford, Bedfordshire, UK. Posts: 157	Re: John Birkett RIP I would occasionally call in at Lincoln on journeys from the north. It must have been around 2000 that I was staggered to see on display and for sale in the window, a fairly large piece of communication equipment for which I had been part of the design team in the 1970s. I passed on this news to a couple of friends who had been on the team and one of them went to Lincoln and bought a set for himself!

30th May 2022, 1:56 pm	#49
Techman Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 4,547	Re: John Birkett RIP A sad day and the end of an era in one way, but in another - you never know, let's hope. Everything went off well and fortunately the rain kept off for the short wait outside. It was quite well attended. Attached Thumbnails

31st May 2022, 10:15 am	#50
bc312 Pentode Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Longfield, Kent, UK. Posts: 217	Re: John Birkett RIP A lovely tribute - thanks for posting. Mike __________________ Leave me alone - I know what I'm doing. BVWS member, EUG Radio Bygones/Radiophile

31st May 2022, 4:41 pm	#51
kalee20 Dekatron Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lynton, N. Devon, UK. Posts: 6,470	Re: John Birkett RIP Thank you from me too!

31st May 2022, 6:44 pm	#52
robinshack Nonode Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Spalding, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 2,224	Re: John Birkett RIP Thanks for posting this. He certainly influenced my radio/ electronic interests and hobbies. Rob __________________ I am also interested in and collect 00 model railway. My avatar is Bruiser, he has cauliflower ears!

10th Oct 2022, 6:00 pm	#53
mickm3for Heptode Join Date: May 2015 Location: Chatham, Kent, UK. Posts: 788	J Birkett Hi the shop is still open and they have a stand at Newark Hamfest that is good news Mick

1st Dec 2022, 2:35 pm	#55
terrybull Octode Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Southwell, Nottinghamshire, UK. Posts: 1,672	John Birkett‘s Lincoln I had occasion to visit Lincoln yesterday so went to see what was happening to this place. I found someone there and although the shop was shut I got their attention and thought I’d update here what I gleaned. Johns daughter is hoping to keep the shop going but currently works full time and there is probate to sort out. At the present time time the shop is shut but will be open as and when it is able to but there are no fixed opening times or days. Not sure if anyone has a contact number but that’s the situation currently.

1st Dec 2022, 3:30 pm	#56
Aub Octode Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Nuneaton, Warwickshire, UK. Posts: 1,765	Re: John Birkett‘s Lincoln Thanks for that Terry. Aub __________________ Ignorance of The Law is No Excuse - but I didn't know that!

2nd Dec 2022, 3:30 am	#59
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 20,905	Re: John Birkett RIP George Dobbs, from that area himself, told me that John owned a number of shops up that street, not just the pair of opposite ones he sold electronics from. Sorting things out might be more involved than you'd expect. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

2nd Dec 2022, 11:35 am	#60
Techman Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Lincolnshire, UK. Posts: 4,547	Re: John Birkett RIP I remember some long while ago John telling me that the business rates for the main shop alone were around £150 a week and that some weeks he only just managed to break even, so it was the rental on the other shops latterly that financed the electronics one for most of the time. However, that wasn't the case back in the old days when the line of people waiting to be served came out of the door and half way down the street and you had to join the end of that line and wait your turn, hoping it wouldn't start raining! The other thing that you have to realise is that there's not just the 'one' daughter.