Robinson’s Rocks

MORE THAN JOURNALISM

Words: Trials Guru – Barry Robinson

Images: Barry Robinson – John Hulme – Barry Watson

We are fortunate to be permitted to have a selection of photographs taken over the years by Barry Robinson of Ilkely, West Yorkshire who has been active since 1957.

BR - BW photo — **Barry Robinson in 2018 at the White Rose Trial captured by Barry Watson doing what he does best, taking photos at trial events no matter the weather.**

Born in 1931, Robinson has taken photographs for a plethora of national and the motorcycling press streching over six decades. He is a member of the National Union of Journalists as a freelance photographer and writer.

BR Velo1960-1 — Barry Robinson: “This Doug Todd picture was taken in 1960 and the blonde boy on the right is Malcolm Charles Rathmell, now aged sixty, or more. The other is brother Gerald and Eric is ensuring I tie the Velocette on correctly. The haircut, by the way is courtesy, of a ex-Royal Air Force barber who never forgot his basic training. The Velo is a 250 MOV with a spring frame built by Eric Rathmell. The engine kept dropping an exhaust valve, probably due to being over revved”.

He reported for many of the off-road press including Motor Cycle News and Trials and Motocross News. He has been press officer to many clubs and associations and has also been a national clerk of the course for events.

Few appreciate that he was also a keen off-road competitor and an expert class trials rider himself.

1973 - timperley cup trial - F. Munoz - HM Lmpkin - MC Rathmell — **1973 – Timperley Cup Trial: Fernando ‘Randy’ Munoz (Spain); Martin Lampkin and Malcolm Rathmell – Photo copyright: Barry Robinson**

Like many of his contemporaries, Barry started off with glass negatives, then progressing on to 35mm roll film which required developing and processing.

…

41spanish rider xavier puig on his kit campeon bultaco along way from home in the allen jeffries — **Barry Robinson records Spanish Bultaco rider Xavier Puig on his model 80 ‘Kit Campeon’ Bultaco Sherpa competing in the Allan Jefferies Trial in 1972**

…

barry robinson - triumph cub — **Barry Robinson on his Triumph Cub with factory cam inside! – Taken at Southowram Quarry**

Please be respectful of Barry Robinson’s intellectual property, all the images are his property, so please do not share individual images on social media or other internet websites. We have gone to a lot of trouble to be granted permission directly from Mr. Robinson’s to display his work on Trials Guru website.

Riders featured:

John Hemingway; Dave Thorpe; Gabino Renales; Richard Sunter; Malcolm Rathmell; Martin Lampkin; Rob Shepherd; Nick Jefferies; Jim Sandiford; Barry Watson; Ron Suttill; Chris Griffin; John Lampkin; Iwan Roberts; John Shirt Jnr; Rob Edwards; Michael Brown; Yrjo Vesterinen; Dougie Lampkin; Graham Tales; Mick Andrews; Peter Gaunt; Tony Scarlett; Joe Buckworth; Xavier Puig.

…

Red Rose Trial 1981 — **Rob Shepherd on the Yamaha Majesty in 1981 at the Red Rose Trial after he quit Honda for the last time – Photo copyright: Barry Robinson**

…

rob shepherd 340 appleyard bultaco in one of his last outings at the 1982 wetherby bottle trial — After riding at world level for the mighty Honda Racing Corporation, Yorkshireman Rob Shepherd rode the Yamaha Majesty and thereafter this 340cc Appleyard Bultaco seen here at the 1982 Wetherby ‘Bottle Trial’ – Photo copyright: Barry Robinson

…

Barry Robinson: “I trained to be a journalist for two years and was up to speed in shorthand and typing plus well into the French language.

My mother made me to train as an electrician. I became an appliance engineer for the electricity board then did a refrigeration course at Frigidaire in London. After that I started and ran an electrical business in Ilkley for ten years with seven electricians. I am related to James Noble on my wife’s side and his grandfather was my apprentice. I had two years of hospital red tape, then joined Dawson MMP in London as a catering equipment engineer. I have worked in universities, hospitals, prisons, secret defence establishments above and underground and every Townsend Thoreson and P and O Ferry sailing out of the UK.

I started with The Motor Cycle, then Motor Cycling, then Motor Cycle News. In amongst all that I took over the Daily Telegraph when Ralph Venables was ill and eventually wrote his obituary. Ralph put my name forward as his successor, an honour indeed. I wrote for ‘Californian Biker’ for Lynden Luhman whom I met when the Wetherby club ran the Pateley Bridge world trial.”

2008 (1) - John Hulme Photo — **Barry Robinson explains a point to the camera of John Hulme in 2008 – Photo: John Hulme/Trials Media**

“Thanks purely to Colin Appleyard, Dunlop came on board and also the SSDT thanks to Dunlop’s Press Officer Christine Arundel who was brilliant and trusted me enough to run the SSDT Press Office for three years. I was a Centre trials expert on a home-built RAC Villiers competing against the likes of Bill Wilkinson, Artie Ratcliffe, Stan Holmes. Tom Ellis, Geoff Broadbent and Blackie Holden”

Northern Experts 1972 — **Captured at the Northern Experts in 1972, Martin Lampkin, Malcolm Rathmell and Jim Sandiford – Photo: Barry Robinson**

“I did some scrambling on a 250 Velocette built by Eric Rathmell and passenger on grass with Roy Cunliffe and won the Yorkshire and Lancashire grass track championships. I took over as Clerk of Course for the Ilkley Grand National after being assistant to Eric Rathmell for twenty years. Marjory and Eric were my our best friends. Hence the close ties with Rhoda and Malcolm.”

…