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Great story! Thank you for sharing. Jim Henningsen=20
> On Feb 11, 2023, at 12:18 PM, John Macartney <johnbmacartney@gmx.com> wrot=
e:
>=20
> =EF=BB=BFHi, Don,
>=20
> I met Sir John on many occasions, though only as a child. When Dad left St=
andard (temporarily in 1945 on health grounds - he had seven duodenal ulcers=
) Black was a regular visitor at our home, usually on his way home. He arriv=
ed in late 1944 just after my birth and said =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99ve come to s=
ee the son and heir. I hope I=E2=80=99m not too late?=E2=80=9D to which my m=
other replied, =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m sorry Sir John, but you=E2=80=99re too l=
ate. He was put to bed an hour ago and cannot be disturbed=E2=80=9D.
> As Ma said on several occasions in later years, =E2=80=9Cthat was the only=
time I ever refused him and he was as meek and apologetic as a lamb.=E2=80=9D=
> But he came on many other occasions as I grew older and I remember him as k=
ind, generous and very interested in my progress at school - about which the=
less said the better.
> John Black has not enjoyed a favourable press, mainly from Graham Robson, w=
ho never knew him AFAIK, and who has most unjustly portrayed Black as an ogr=
e and =E2=80=9Ca man with a Stalinist management style=E2=80=9D. When I work=
ed at Standard Triumph in the 60s, many of my colleagues at all levels were l=
ongstanding supporters and advocates of their former boss and wouldn=E2=80=99=
t hear anything to his discredit. Yes, he had mood swings, yes he could be a=
n absolute s**t if the mood took him and he certainly didn=E2=80=99t suffer f=
ools. But he was fair, kind and took a detailed interest in every employee, m=
ost of whom he knew by name and he also knew a great deal about them. This i=
s largely because he made a point of going anywhere in the plant on a daily b=
asis quite alone and talked to everyone he met. Additionally, on Mondays he m=
ade a point of welcoming new intake at their workstation. On Fridays, he vis=
ited every employee who was leaving, wished them good luck and if they had p=
erformed their jobs well, he assured them another job at Standard would be f=
ound if their new job didn=E2=80=99t work out.
> It was those little things - and so many more about the man - that endeare=
d him to so many on aspects of an amazing man who Graham Robson has grossly a=
nd unjustly misrepresented on many times in print.
> I well remember Blacks memorial service in Coventry Cathedral in Jan 1965.=
More than sixty years later, that service is still a landmark event in the b=
uilding history because the number of attendees vastly exceeded those who we=
re there when members of our Royal Family were present. They crammed more th=
an 5000 Standard Triumph employees and retirees in the building and there we=
re another 2000 odd outside sheltering from a blizzard. People don=E2=80=99t=
turn out in those numbers in bad weather and the cold because they=E2=80=99=
ve nothing better to do. They were there because a certain man had helped th=
em enjoy a better life or had done something for them as individuals that th=
ey never forgot. That=E2=80=99s some epitaph!
> As an aside, I do a range of talks in the UK on a number of different auto=
motive subjects and automotive people for clubs and societies and on the peo=
ple side, it=E2=80=99s about 50/50 in the popularity stakes between William M=
orris (Lord Nuffield, another amazing man and philanthropist) and Sir John B=
lack. I look forward to the day when the scales tip 60/40 in favour of Sir J=
ohn.
>=20
> Cheers, Jonmac
>=20
>=20
>=20
> Sent from a piece of electronic papyrus I found in King Tut=E2=80=99s tomb=
>=20
>> On 11 Feb 2023, at 12:23, Don Hiscock <don.hiscock@gmail.com> wrote:
>>=20
>> Jonmac, did you ever have a chance to be in a room or at some event with S=
ir John? Seems like with your and especially your father's long association=
with S-T that might have happened at some time. There can't be many in thi=
s group who could say that...
>>=20
>>> On Sat, Feb 11, 2023 at 4:31 AM John Macartney <johnbmacartney@gmx.com> w=
rote:
>>> February 10th is the day. I no longer have a Standard or Triumph car to d=
rive, but I still celebrated the event. I drove my large convertible of Swed=
ish origin to his former home near where I live which for many years has bee=
n a *very* expensive hotel and restaurant. Mindful of our stringent UK laws r=
elating to DUI, I resisted the temptation for a pint of my favourite brew bu=
t enjoyed an excellent cup of freshly brewed coffee. Then I paid the check. =
Frightening! Nonetheless it was worth the trip. You can find out more about t=
he venue at www.mallory.co.uk
>>>=20
>>> Jonmac
>>>=20
>>> Sent from a piece of electronic papyrus I found in King Tut=E2=80=99s to=
mb
>>>=20
>>> > On 10 Feb 2023, at 19:00, triumphs-request@autox.team.net wrote:
>>> >=20
>>> > Send Triumphs mailing list submissions to
>>> > triumphs@autox.team.net
>>> >=20
>>> > To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
>>> > http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/triumphs
>>> > or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
>>> > triumphs-request@autox.team.net
>>> >=20
>>> > You can reach the person managing the list at
>>> > triumphs-owner@autox.team.net
>>> >=20
>>> > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
>>> > than "Re: Contents of Triumphs digest..."
>>> > Today's Topics:
>>> >=20
>>> > 1. Isn''t today JB's birthday (JOSEPH MATO)
>>> > 2. Re: Isn''t today JB's birthday (Rye Livingston)
>>> > <mime-attachment>
>>> > <mime-attachment>
>>> > _______________________________________________
>>> >=20
>>> > Triumphs mailing list
>>> > Triumphs@autox.team.net
>>> > http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/triumphs
>>>=20
>>> ** triumphs@autox.team.net **
>>>=20
>>> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
>>> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs http://www.team.net/arc=
hive
>>>=20
>>> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/don.h=
iscock@gmail.com
> ** triumphs@autox.team.net **
>=20
> Donate: http://www.team.net/donate.html
> Archive: http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs http://www.team.net/archi=
ve
>=20
> Unsubscribe/Manage: http://autox.team.net/mailman/options/triumphs/trguy75=
@gmail.com
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<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; charset=3D=
utf-8"></head><body dir=3D"auto"><div dir=3D"ltr"></div><div dir=3D"ltr">Gre=
at story! Thank you for sharing. Jim Henningsen </div><div dir=3D=
"ltr"><br><blockquote type=3D"cite">On Feb 11, 2023, at 12:18 PM, John Macar=
tney <johnbmacartney@gmx.com> wrote:<br><br></blockquote></div><blockq=
uote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr">=EF=BB=BF<meta http-equiv=3D"content-typ=
e" content=3D"text/html; charset=3Dutf-8">Hi, Don,<div><br></div><div>I met S=
ir John on many occasions, though only as a child. When Dad left Standard (t=
emporarily in 1945 on health grounds - he had seven duodenal ulcers) Black w=
as a regular visitor at our home, usually on his way home. He arrived in lat=
e 1944 just after my birth and said =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99ve come to see the so=
n and heir. I hope I=E2=80=99m not too late?=E2=80=9D to which my mother rep=
lied, =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m sorry Sir John, but you=E2=80=99re too late. He w=
as put to bed an hour ago and cannot be disturbed=E2=80=9D.</div><div>As Ma s=
aid on several occasions in later years, =E2=80=9Cthat was the only time I e=
ver refused him and he was as meek and apologetic as a lamb.=E2=80=9D</div><=
div>But he came on many other occasions as I grew older and I remember him a=
s kind, generous and very interested in my progress at school - about which t=
he less said the better.</div><div>John Black has not enjoyed a favourable p=
ress, mainly from Graham Robson, who never knew him AFAIK, and who has most u=
njustly portrayed Black as an ogre and =E2=80=9Ca man with a Stalinist manag=
ement style=E2=80=9D. When I worked at Standard Triumph in the 60s, many of m=
y colleagues at all levels were longstanding supporters and advocates of the=
ir former boss and wouldn=E2=80=99t hear anything to his discredit. Yes, he h=
ad mood swings, yes he could be an absolute s**t if the mood took him and he=
certainly didn=E2=80=99t suffer fools. But he was fair, kind and took a det=
ailed interest in every employee, most of whom he knew by name and he also k=
new a great deal about them. This is largely because he made a point of goin=
g anywhere in the plant on a daily basis quite alone and talked to everyone h=
e met. Additionally, on Mondays he made a point of welcoming new intake at t=
heir workstation. On Fridays, he visited every employee who was leaving, wis=
hed them good luck and if they had performed their jobs well, he assured the=
m another job at Standard would be found if their new job didn=E2=80=99t wor=
k out.</div><div>It was those little things - and so many more about the man=
- that endeared him to so many on aspects of an amazing man who Graham Robs=
on has grossly and unjustly misrepresented on many times in print.</div><div=
>I well remember Blacks memorial service in Coventry Cathedral in Jan 1965. M=
ore than sixty years later, that service is still a landmark event in the bu=
ilding history because the number of attendees vastly exceeded those who wer=
e there when members of our Royal Family were present. They crammed more tha=
n 5000 Standard Triumph employees and retirees in the building and there wer=
e another 2000 odd outside sheltering from a blizzard. People don=E2=80=99t t=
urn out in those numbers in bad weather and the cold because they=E2=80=99ve=
nothing better to do. They were there because a certain man had helped them=
enjoy a better life or had done something for them as individuals that they=
never forgot. That=E2=80=99s some epitaph!<br>As an aside, I do a range of t=
alks in the UK on a number of different automotive subjects and automotive p=
eople for clubs and societies and on the people side, it=E2=80=99s about 50/=
50 in the popularity stakes between William Morris (Lord Nuffield, another a=
mazing man and philanthropist) and Sir John Black. I look forward to the day=
when the scales tip 60/40 in favour of Sir John.</div><div><br></div><div>C=
heers, Jonmac<br><br><br><br><div id=3D"AppleMailSignature" dir=3D"ltr">Sent=
from a piece of electronic papyrus I found in King Tut=E2=80=99s tomb</div>=
<div dir=3D"ltr"><br>On 11 Feb 2023, at 12:23, Don Hiscock <<a href=3D"ma=
ilto:don.hiscock@gmail.com">don.hiscock@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><br></di=
v><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div class=3D"=
gmail_default" style=3D"font-size:small">Jonmac, did you ever have a chance t=
o be in a room or at some event with Sir John? Seems like with your an=
d especially your father's long association with S-T that might have happene=
d at some time. There can't be many in this group who could say that..=
.</div></div><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote"><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_=
attr">On Sat, Feb 11, 2023 at 4:31 AM John Macartney <<a href=3D"mailto:j=
ohnbmacartney@gmx.com">johnbmacartney@gmx.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><block=
quote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1p=
x solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">February 10th is the day. I no lo=
nger have a Standard or Triumph car to drive, but I still celebrated the eve=
nt. I drove my large convertible of Swedish origin to his former home near w=
here I live which for many years has been a *very* expensive hotel and resta=
urant. Mindful of our stringent UK laws relating to DUI, I resisted the temp=
tation for a pint of my favourite brew but enjoyed an excellent cup of fresh=
ly brewed coffee. Then I paid the check. Frightening! Nonetheless it was wor=
th the trip. You can find out more about the venue at <a href=3D"http://www.=
mallory.co.uk" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">www.mallory.co.uk</a><br=
>
<br>
Jonmac<br>
<br>
Sent from a piece of electronic papyrus I found in King Tut=E2=80=99s tomb<b=
r>
<br>
> On 10 Feb 2023, at 19:00, <a href=3D"mailto:triumphs-request@autox.team=
.net" target=3D"_blank">triumphs-request@autox.team.net</a> wrote:<br>
> <br>
> Send Triumphs mailing list submissions to<br>
> <a href=3D"mailto:triumphs@autox.team.net"; target=3D"_blan=
k">triumphs@autox.team.net</a><br>
> <br>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit<br>
> <a href=3D"http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/triumphs=
" rel=3D"noreferrer" target=3D"_blank">http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinf=
o/triumphs</a><br>
> or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to<br>
> <a href=3D"mailto:triumphs-request@autox.team.net"; target=3D=
"_blank">triumphs-request@autox.team.net</a><br>
> <br>
> You can reach the person managing the list at<br>
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"_blank">triumphs-owner@autox.team.net</a><br>
> <br>
> When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific<br>=
> than "Re: Contents of Triumphs digest..."<br>
> Today's Topics:<br>
> <br>
> 1. Isn''t today JB's birthday (JOSEPH MATO)<br>
> 2. Re: Isn''t today JB's birthday (Rye Livingston)<br>
> <mime-attachment><br>
> <mime-attachment><br>
> _______________________________________________<br>
> <br>
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Archive: <a href=3D"http://www.team.net/pipermail/triumphs"; rel=3D"noreferre=
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</blockquote></div>
</div></blockquote></div><span>** triumphs@autox.team.net **</span><br><span=
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