As has been mentioned above, Alan was indeed a member of the shanty crew "Sharp As Razors" along with myself, Clive Brooks and Vaughan Hully. Before that he was a member of "The Shellback Chorus" and "Sharp As Razors" very much came out of the ending of this. He had been living with ill health for some time and the news of his death was not unexpected, but it was not his way to stop living his life as much as he could to the full.
I'd not been aware of this thread until another friend informed me of it yesterday since I don't often get to mudcat, otherwise I would have confirmed this news a lot sooner.
He will be missed.