Barry Jones

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We have received the following email from Caroline Oldham, Barry's daughter with news about her father.  She has asked us to post this for her. We are sure that many Twelve sailors who new Barry will be thinking of the family at this sad time.


It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our father, passionate N12 sailor Barry Jones, on March 30th.


Dad built his first National 12 No:1314 whilst at Newcastle University, launching it at Tynemouth Sailing Club in 1955 where he became part of the strong local fleet with the likes of Robin Stevenson and Hedley Robinson. Crewed by his wife Angela in the early days; followed by his children Martin, Caroline and Kate as they grew up; he introduced them to sailing and the delights and challenges of racing at Tynemouth or in the river Tyne at Ryton in the winter.  As a father he engendered a passion for sailing which lives on today with his children and grandchildren.


Dad became Chairman of the association in the late 70's taking over from his friend Brian Miatt, it was a particularly vibrant time for the National 12's who according to his Chairman's introduction to the 1978 Nat12 newsletter "displayed three new designs at the dinghy exhibition and were seeing 50-60 new boats per year". As a Naval Architect by training he has always wanted to design his own 12, his last boat " Micro Clipper" was his own design of which two were built by Dave Ovington.


A regular attendee at North Norfolk week and Burton weeks, in his late 60's when crews became harder to find and following a move to Waldringfield he started sailing Lasers and on his 70th birthday competed in the Laser Master Worlds in Brazil, his first World championship.

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The photos are of Barry sailing his Cheshire Cat "Orlando", crewed by Gerard Waller in the Burton Cup at Tynemouth and sailing his China Doll "Palomino" at Ryton in the winter series with son Martin.