Ed Bassford - Lord Bracknell

[Bozza]

I met Ed twice. This thread bought tears to my eyes the awful C word is very close to me. Wierdly I had just put all my spare change into a Macmillan fund box before I opened this thread

Not long after I joined NSC I had been in Brighton for 3 years this was back in C2003. IIRC correctly it was pride weekend and I lived on Preston Park and wanted to find a country pub to escape the mayhem. So LB pops up and told me about a rambler bus which started at I cant remember where - Cuckmere I think which passed about 17 pubs and did an hourly loop. So it was intended for country walkers but myself and friends turned up got on the bus and a guy dropped us off at all the best ones picking us up hourly and telling us about the best ales. What a day it was all these people on the bus on and off and going for their walk lol and us lot using the drivers advice for whats the next best pub
There was a sign above the drivers seat saying Ed Bassford. I said do you know someone called Mr Bracknell and he laughed at me and said are you from NSC Thats me

He was so friendly and tolerant with us even let us have a game of cricket on his mini bus Top man in so many ways NSC will never be able to replace Ed. Best of love to Roz and family who I never had the pleasure to meet x. Matt

And here it is > https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?30367-OT-getting-out-of-Brighton

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Can't remember the circumstances now, but at some point in the dark and distant NSC past Ed became the first and last recipient of an honorary NSC knighthood.

So became Sir Lord Bracknell

 

[maffew]

And here it is > https://nortr3nixy.nimpr.uk/showthread.php?30367-OT-getting-out-of-Brighton

Thanks [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] dunno how you found that so quickly! What a great day he gave us, we clearly werent up for a ramble/country walk! I really do wish his family well. RIP and so sorry he didnt get to see us in the prem

 

[Bozza]

Thanks [MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] dunno how you found that so quickly! What a great day he gave us, we clearly werent up for a ramble/country walk! I really do wish his family well. RIP and so sorry he didnt get to see us in the prem

Google was my friend: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=s...i58j69i59l3.2448j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

(Which is where you'll see Ed getting the very same bus service mentioned on a thread about Somali pirates. Classic NSC, that!)

 

[The Large One]

Talking of buses - anyone think it would be a good idea to apply to have Ed's name on the front of a Brighton & Hove Bus?

 

[maffew]

Talking of buses - anyone think it would be a good idea to apply to have Ed's name on the front of a Brighton & Hove Bus?

I'd name a bloody stand after him!

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Talking of buses - anyone think it would be a good idea to apply to have Ed's name on the front of a Brighton & Hove Bus?

Absolutely!

 

[Peter Grummit]

Talking of buses - anyone think it would be a good idea to apply to have Ed's name on the front of a Brighton & Hove Bus?

That is a bloody good idea. The stalwarts at B+H buses will remember Ed well, and I'm sure be amenable to the idea.

I knew Ed for 25 years, since he was a client of mine in the public transport planning world. We had the job of evaluating tender bids for those extra services that ESCC procured. This was a complex multi-million £ problem, since there were many conditional bids dependent on the combination of services tendered. I had a team up half the night working out the combinations and came to the meeting the next day with Ed with a recommendation as to the best value-for-money bid. Needless to say, he had done all the calculations himself as a back-up. I was relieved that we had come to the same answer(!) Ed was rarely wrong on such matters, and even if he was he took some convincing so.

I also remember fondly his appearances at Lewes bonfire. We had an office opposite the Law Courts, a perfect spot for a party overlooking the parade. He led a Morris dancing side in the procession and when he appeared beneath our window, an offer of a beer was gladly accepted. He managed to catch the tinnie hurled, and proceeded to open and drink it without breaking step from the Morris jig in progress.

More recently, Ed would always stop for a chat at Albion games and made a point of buying his TSLR and encouraging others to do so. He was a total one-off, a proper character who did as much as anyone to further the cause. I last chatted to him and Roz at the Build a Bonfire gig at the Komedia, and whilst he looked frail I thought he ws doing ok. He will be very sadly missed by me and clearly many, many others.

Cheers to you Ed, RIP.

PG

 

[rippleman]

So sad to learn of m'Lord's passing.

RIP Ed. A true Albion legend.

 

[The Oldman]

Just seen this comment from Dan Bassford on twitter


"Thank you. The NSC memorial thread is humbling, especially the kind words from those who never met him. He'd find it ridiculous, of course."

That last sentence sums Ed up perfectly

 

[Fourteenth Eye]

Ed was a sage, a wit,a raconteur and someone whom I am honoured to be able to call my friend

 

[Gazwag]

Such a shame he never got to see the team run out for the first match in the premier league - but he was able to see us get there which, I think in a lot of peoples eyes, is just as good knowing we are there.

I only met him once, at the Lewes game which NSC sponsored,probably in my top five most extraordinary games ever which finished 5-4 to Lewes. I can really only echo what everybody else is saying in this thread.

RIP

 

[half time scores]

Even though I never met him, I feel that I would have liked him tremendously.

I will miss Sir Lord Bracknell, NSC will not be the same.

 

[happypig]

Didn't know Ed but seems like he was a decent bloke. R.I.P.

 

[Norman Potting]

Just to bring a little touch of levity to this sombre yet heartwarming thread. From whence did the Lord Bracknell username emanate? Those of us of a certain age who did "O" Level English

 

[Norman Potting]

Just to bring a little touch of levity to this sombre yet heartwarming thread. From whence did the Lord Bracknell username emanate? Those of us of a certain age who did "O" Level English in the '70's will I am sure recall of from whence "Lady Bracknell" emanates, is that the source?

And I am pleased to note that someone has already thought of the bus naming honour, I was about to post on that subject when I returned from French theme park visiting this evening!

 

[The Large One]

Just to bring a little touch of levity to this sombre yet heartwarming thread. From whence did the Lord Bracknell username emanate? Those of us of a certain age who did "O" Level English in the '70's will I am sure recall of from whence "Lady Bracknell" emanates, is that the source?

Yup. He's an unseen, though oft referred-to character in 'The Importance of Being Earnest' by Oscar Wilde.

It's a comedy of social classes, hence the reference in Ed's 'location' to 104 Upper Grosvenor Street, Mayfair.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Just to bring a little touch of levity to this sombre yet heartwarming thread. From whence did the Lord Bracknell username emanate? Those of us of a certain age who did "O" Level English in the '70's will I am sure recall of from whence "Lady Bracknell" emanates, is that the source?

And I am pleased to note that someone has already thought of the bus naming honour, I was about to post on that subject when I returned from French theme park visiting this evening!

Yes, indeed Lord Bracknell took his name from Roz, who was Lady Bracknell in the play.

A handbag?

 

[honey boy zimba]

RIP Lord B A nice man

 

[portslade seagull]

Will miss his input on this board