News
1950 – 2023
It is with great sadness that we have to announce that John Newman passed away on Thursday 2nd November 2023 after a short illness.
For those of you that did not know John, he and Mike Abbott will probably be best remembered as the flag marshalling team at Silverstone. Those were the days when we could always have at least two marshals on a flag post!
Sadly our records do not show when John joined BMMC (formerly BMRMC) but judging by his membership number it was prior to 1984. John could not sit and do nothing, so it was not long before he got more involved. In 1992 he was listed as Assistant Training Officer on the South Midlands committee. John produced and kept up to date an online set of flag training notes; probably the first online training module.
Mike first met John when he was the BRDC Chief Pits marshal and John was considered a highly rated member of the pits team. When the RAC de Belgique invited Mike to take a team of Pit Marshals to help out at the Spa 24 hours John was a key member. When Mike retired as BRDC Chief Pits John taught him how to flag. Eventually advancing years forced Mike to give up flagging and the team dissolved.
That does not mean John abandoned marshalling. John continued as a Post Chief and in 2002 qualified as an Examining Post Chief (Race on Track Assessor). Eventually John also retired from marshalling on the bank and started to qualify as a Steward and very recently he was seen stewarding from his wheel chair.
John always gave BMMC his full support. He and Cath could always be found at our Noggin & Natters and annual dinners. He enjoyed a pint, and a good chat about motorsport. He was a larger than life character who will be sorely missed.
John’s funeral will be held on Tuesday 28th November at 3.15pm at Northampton Crematorium (NN4 0JF).
Cath, Sarah Middleton and Sam Newman welcome you to join them at Peggotty’s Lounge, Fosters Booth (NN12 8LB) to reminisce and remember him.
The family request no flowers please but donations to Macmillan in his memory would be gratefully accepted: https://tributefunds.macmillan.org.uk/In-Memory/John-Newman
RIP John