[TR] Missing Randall Young in more ways than one

[John Macartney]

I too greatly miss Randall’s fascinating and proven techniques on old Triumph ownership and maintenance. Very few people who populate the email lists run by Mark realise there are about five remaining former Standard Triumph employees who are merely “watchers” on the lists and never make contributions of their own because their memories of how and why things were done the way they were when the cars were new, are now seriously jaded with the passage of time. I have no hesitation including myself in that group for the simple fact that my own memory is seriously letting me down. It will continue to do so through the onset of vascular dementia.

However, Randall amazed all of us with his expansive knowledge of techniques and options of safe and reliable shortcuts to keep the cars running and as “Coventrians” we thought we should accord him some form of honourable title that had a particular Standard Triumph flavour. 

Together and as a group of Old F****s, it fell to me to inform him his new and very unofficial title which was The Marquess of Ivy Cottage. He accepted and sent us (through me) a most modest and touching letter of thanks. 

Now, many if not all of you, will have no idea of the origin or import of the ‘title’ so I’ll explain. When the Standard Motor Company moved to its site at Canley, a Coventry suburb, the only building which could house the myriad non production issues was a former three storey house that was covered in Virginia Creeper that everyone mistakenly called ivy. 

For a few years, Ivy Cottage was the only place in the company where one was likely to find answers to all sorts of questions. Even in my day in the 1960s, if you asked a colleague a question he or she couldn’t answer, the reply was usually on the lines of “that’s a rum one, our kid. Best go to Ivy Cottage for yer answer.” 

Of course, by that time, Ivy Cottage had gone through many different admin functions but ‘best go to Ivy Cottage’ was the lingua Franca within the company to get your issue sorted out somewhere else. 

So you see, Randall’s endless responses to what must have seemed to him to be tedious and repetitive in the extreme, were dealt with in the best company tradition and with appropriate nomenclature.

I know without any doubt that Randall *was* that essential backup that so many listers sought and there’s no doubt in my mind that our decision as former employees to bestow that title on him, was entirely just and in no way misplaced. 

I miss his contributions already even though I’ve been Triumph and fFerguson tractor-less for nearly two decades. I’ll give google images a thorough caning for an image of Ivy Cottage so all of you can see where the Marquess had his official company seat. When I find what I want, I’ll post the link for you to do a click through and see for yourselves.

Jonmac

At the Battle of Waterloo, 1815:
Lord Uxbridge:  “By God, Sir - I’ve lost my leg”
Duke of Wellington: “By God, Sir - so you have!”


> On 12 Aug 2020, at 14:57, andrew uprichard <auprichard at uprichard.net> wrote:
> 
> Every morning I browse various TR websites and chat pages.  One trend I have noticed is various individuals who like to show how much they supposedly know by demeaning or ridiculing those of us who maybe don’t know everything there is to know.  Goodness knows how many dumb questions I have asked over the years.
>  
> It made me think (again) about Randall.  If anyone had the credentials to be arrogant or condescending, he did.  He knew more about these cars than most of us collectively ever will.  Yet he was always kind and sincere.  Some of you may remember the individual a few years ago who was trying to restore a TR3 and asked the most fundamental of questions:  Randall was consistently patient and helpful while I am sure some of us rolled our eyes.
>  
> Maybe people are trying to assume Randall’s mantle as the TR guru.  Well, it isn’t going to happen, people.
>  
> Please let me be clear – this list has always seemed to me a friendly and intimate place (with just a few exceptions).  I have seen less traffic recently and I sincerely hope it continues for as long as we work on our beloved cars.  Mark does a great job and if I haven’t thanked him enough, I apologize.  Mark – remind us again how to contribute.
>  
> Andrew Uprichard
> Jackson, Michigan
> ** triumphs at autox.team.net **
> 
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs  http://www.team.net/archive
> 
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/john.macartney@ukpips.org.uk
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://autox.team.net/pipermail/triumphs/attachments/20200812/fa3f0667/attachment.htm>