Roy Bowman

2024 started badly for us in the BMMC Northern Ireland Region. Our treasurer and president Roy Bowman passed away suddenly on New Year’s Day. Roy’s contribution to the club was invaluable and his death has shocked us all. He was a founder member of the BMRMC NI section of the Midland Region back in 1979. We eventually became a Region of our own in December 1992.

I first came into contact with Roy more than 40 years ago when I joined the club in 1981. He was a joy to marshal with. Over the years Roy served in all the leading committee rolls. He became our newsletter editor in 1996 and continued until his untimely passing. The legendary monthly magazine was quite unique and appreciated by not only our region but also nationally and beyond. I was happy to contribute a rally news section for many years.

Roy also organised a Fantasy GP each season which proved very popular. He ran various club events such as a Christmas Quiz which was challenging but great fun. As social secretary he organised our annual dinner dance or “booze-up” as Roy referred to it!

Although he was in his element marshalling at Kirkistown Race Meetings (which he very rarely missed) Roy also enjoyed marshalling at sprints, hill climbs and rallies. He really enjoyed the Circuit of Ireland Retro events which sadly now seem to have been confined to the history books.

Roy Bowman had an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things motorsport and would pass this on to younger marshals when he could. He didn’t suffered fools gladly and always spoke his mind even if some people didn’t agree with his opinion. A perfect gentleman, Roy will be sadly missed by everyone who had the privilege to know him. To his wife Norma, daughter Ceri and the rest of the family circle we extended our sympathies and condolences at this sad time.

PS: I would like to add the following article from the Northern Ireland Region Magazine first published in January 2009.

THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT WAS…1965 (by Roy Bowman)

Every so often I sort through my old papers (pretending to the wife that I am having a clear out!) and having to sort things recently after my (sorry the club’s) computer went bang I found some records of my first years of motoring in 1965. I had charged found on L plates during 1964 with a Cooper-engined Mini Van, all the time trying to get running a 1931 Austin 7 Special lying in a mate’s garden in Whiteabbey. The deal was I could have it for a tenner if I could get it to run. It never did run until somebody with more money than me found a replacement head and crankshaft. However in February I took my test and without L plates took to the road. My boss in the Belfast City Hall bought the first Renault 16TS to go on sale in Northern Ireland and I got to drive it, streets ahead of most cars on the road then! Did you know Z Cars started that year, the big film was The Sound of Music and Ferry Cross the Mersey was the biggest hit of the year. Oh, and my third party insurance went down from 13 quid to 9 once I passed my test!

Robert Coursey
Chair NI Region BMMC