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| Bristol News & Other Bristol Discussion About the company, clubs, car owners, and Bristol discussion not specific to the 6,8 or 10 cyl cars. |
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07-03-11, 10:06 PM
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Lou is right, it was the dies that were nicked. They are very big and very heavy and the metal is quite valuable. They had been stored out in the yard for a long time, years in fact after they were brought back from the company that actually pressed the panels in batches. The thieves never entered the factory itself.
They were taken at a point where a lot of metal was going missing (the manholes from an entire area were stolen one night about this time) because metal prices had shot up. It is quite usual for dies to be stored like this. I know one pressing company that currently has about 20m worth of dies stored out the front of their factory, probably best not to name them on the internet. I should imagine that if Christopher Balfour 'clammed up' it was probably more that he was speechless, and didn't think it worth continuing a scurrilous conversation. Christopher would be much too polite to do anything other than ignore a comment like that. You have to ask yourself who would a) know some thieves b) tell them to steal the items and c) not expect to be blackmailed for ever and a day for doing so afterwards. It is an interesting conspiracy theory but I think that is all it is. I have been around the factory as has another of the BOC HT trustees and I can tell you that everything that should be there is, and there are no dies anywhere in the building or yard so that rather questions the 'recovered' theory which isn't one I had heard until I saw it here. Regards Paul 
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08-03-11, 03:10 AM
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It does almost sound like (a suggestion that) Mr Crook had something to do with the theft.
That post should be edited by the poster. Mr Tony Crook was, is and always will be a true, oldfashioned Gentleman!
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08-03-11, 04:23 AM
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 I must have missed something Quote:
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08-03-11, 09:22 AM
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I think you could easily get Kevin's points up to 10 or more, but overall I think we should be grateful he kept things going for so long ?
I must admit that I am fascinated by the unknown history of TAD Crook and would love to see a detailed Biography of his life. I know he was born in Manchester and his parents were coal merchants, but where did all the money come from to start racing and eventually own a prestige car manufacturer ? There seems to be very little information out there about family, siblings , where he met his wife and how he became sole agent for BCL. Maybe he made all his money from scrap metal heists, but somehow , I doubt it :-) Last edited by GREG; 08-03-11 at 10:03 AM. Reason: fekin bad spillng agayn ! disslexya
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08-03-11, 03:21 PM
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But it worked?
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Other than once negotiating the purchase of a used Bristol, I only ever had social conversations with TAD Crook and have to say that on every occasion one would have described his manner as gentlemanly — in fact, I recall my wife expressing the opinion that he was far too much of a gentleman to be a car-salesman! Considering quite how long so many of the BCL staff worked there (and well beyond normal retirement in some cases), clearly not everyone would agree with Kevin's point about working for him being unrewarding! Quote:
George
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08-03-11, 08:37 PM
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Tony Crook was born in Chorlton cum Hardy, South Manchester. His money came from the family coal mines, hence being able to purchase Alfa 2900 whilst still in the army.Quite a roughtable chap I'd say, certainly in his early life, but an eccentric gentleman running an eccentric car firm, with all it's fowballs. Shame he was bought out in hindsight.
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08-03-11, 10:11 PM
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On the other hand, by selling he was able to get out with his sale proceeds, and no longer had the worries of keeping things going.
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08-03-11, 03:18 PM
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The boys at the Chiswick workshop seemed to have liked and respected him. Maybe I am wrong. Maybe he was/is a bad, bad man. But he kept Bristol alive for decades.....
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09-03-11, 11:41 AM
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I don't think he is a bad man and I didn't say he was, as you full well know. However, I have heard from numerous people over the years who have been on the receiving end of his vitriol. He had quite a reputation for it on some circles. Setright resigned as the BOC Bulletin editor because of him! As for keeping BCL going, I think it's wonderful that he did, a great achievement, but he didn't do it for us, he did it for him.
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09-03-11, 12:46 PM
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[quote= Setright resigned as the BOC Bulletin editor because of him![/QUOTE]
That's not what he said ! He wrote that he was resigning because he didn't feel he could keep impartiality and integrity whilst serving the club and being a motoring writer. And someone had suggested that he was on the BCL payroll. I have also heard he was a nasty piece of work at times but lets not make things up !
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09-03-11, 01:33 PM
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Where did he write what you said?
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11-03-11, 09:08 PM
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12-03-11, 03:16 AM
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"what any schoolboy knows may not always be the whole truth" 
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12-03-11, 05:17 AM
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I wrote that ! after reading some of the previous posts. Glad you liked it Or did I ... This old schoolboy is prepared to change his opinion based on new information. I now know the world is round and that if you stand all the Chinese men on top of each other , they won't reach the Moon. In fact most of them would probably die ! I don't remember any lessons in hear say at School, apart from the Bible ! I do remember saying I accept your version of events because blind faith tells me you are honest and trustworthy ( Gentleman ) However, bullying is banned at school in the modern world , so stop it ! Last edited by GREG; 12-03-11 at 06:01 AM. Reason: Laughs !
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