Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick Aug 2014

Subject: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: Betsy
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 06:17 AM

Johnny Taylor just rang me to say Tinker Dick has passed away.
Lovely bloke , didn't take himself TOO seriously and didn't expect others to do so either.
Always a friendly word for everyone and he always remembered the name of many who cared to call him Tinker or Dick.
A real character who loved performing for people without pushing the bounds of singing or musicianship, but nevertheless a well-loved character who would always raise a smile whenever he performed.
The perfect antidote to boring ,sanitised over-rehearsed singing and playing .

RIP Dick - a good lad indeed.

Subject: RE: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: JHW
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 01:38 PM

Oh Dear sorry to hear

Subject: RE: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: GUEST,Sean Cooney
Date: 19 Aug 14 - 04:09 PM

Very sorry to hear this sad news. Had a couple of great nights with him and he was so wonderfully entertaining and a great character and gentleman

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: Betsy
Date: 20 Aug 14 - 06:51 PM

Refresh please - lots of people at Festivals and not viewing their P.C.'s.
Many thanks .

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: fantum
Date: 20 Aug 14 - 06:51 PM

A lovely man and a great character. I never quite knew what he was going to sing, never quite knew the version of the song he was singing and never knew when it would end. But at the end of his performance you always knew he had been there, it was like being plugged into the mains for 5 minutes. I will miss the lad

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: GUEST,Mark Gregory
Date: 21 Aug 14 - 03:51 AM

This is such sad news. I remember him turning up at my house unannounced in the 80's to introduce himself to me and tell me all about the Musicians Collective, when I was running me fanzine. Just knocked on the door bustled in and asked me to get the kettle on! Used to call me 'Big G' and our kid... 'Big Buzz'!

Legend nights at the Zetland and Philmores ensued, used to go down Saltburn on his bike in any weather to put them gigs on. One night at the Zetland, there was about 2 foot of snow, and he still biked it down to put the gig on for about 10 people who managed to turn up!

RIP Dick, you will be sorely missed. But I'm sure you'll be treat in 'em to a few tunes up there!

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: Betsy
Date: 23 Aug 14 - 04:22 AM

JT tells me the arrangements for Dick are: - Friday 29th August 2014 11 am at Kirkleatham Crematorium. John stresses this is only verbal information so I will confirm in due course.
Regards
Betsy

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: GUEST,Iain G
Date: 23 Aug 14 - 05:04 AM

RIP Tinker Dick

remembered with affection.

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: GUEST,pottsy
Date: 23 Aug 14 - 10:41 AM

Sorry to hear the news. once went with dick and andy morley on holiday to Paris, Amsterdam, etc and had a great time. He had manya great night including supporting Chris Rea at Teesside Polytechnic.
he is missed already
Gwyn

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 24 Aug 14 - 08:20 AM

It would be nice to be able to add Tinker Dick to the "In Memoriam" Roll of honour, but so far there is not enough information on him for folks who didn't know him! Can anyone supply the necessary details of his "proper" name, where he lived and what he did that makes him so well remembered?

Thanks,

Peter

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: Betsy
Date: 24 Aug 14 - 10:25 AM

Hiya Pete,
I'm 66 years old and I've known him since we were late teenagers.
Johnny Taylor tells me his given name was Richard Rycroft. I've only ever known him as Tinker Dick - never needed anything else - and it seemed a jolly nickname to which he was well suited . I've said pretty much all that I can in my opening "piece" above.
He was never going to set the world alight with the brilliance of his performance with either guitar or singing - but he was just great to bump-into at musical gatherings and his performances were always memorable for a mixture of humour , self effacement and a great presence and wry , tongue in cheek understanding of the joy and nuances of live performance.
A really warm and pleasant bloke as you would ever wish to meet.

RIP Dick

Betsy

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: Waddon Pete
Date: 24 Aug 14 - 12:44 PM

Thank you Betsy. He sounds like the sort of chap we could do with more of! I have now added him to the "In Memoriam" thread.

RIP Dick

Peter

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: maeve
Date: 24 Aug 14 - 02:30 PM

Betsy, I found these clips- is this the same gentleman?
Tinker Dick. Guantanamera

Tinker Dick + Joan Ivison. Abraham

Tinker Dick. Mellow Yellow

If not- I'll ask a moderator to remove my post.

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: GUEST,Guest Betsy
Date: 24 Aug 14 - 03:35 PM

Hiya Maeve,
Don't trouble the moderator - that's Dick - I hope my description(s) matched the type of performances that you highlighted with your Blue clickys. A real one-off performer.
Thanks again Maeve.

Cheers Betsy

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: GUEST,Guest Betsy
Date: 25 Aug 14 - 07:23 AM

(My apologies for mis-spelling Dick's Surname)
From the local paper......
RYCRAFT Richard
(Tinker, Dick) Peacefully in hospital on August 18, after a long illness, Richard aged 68 years of Guisborough. Sadly missed by brother Anthony, niece Samantha and many friends. Funeral service to take place on Friday, August 29 at 11.00a.m.in Kirkleatham Crematorium Chapel. Would all wishing to attend, please meet at the Crematorium. Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to benefit the Haematology Department at James Cook University Hospital.

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: GUEST,Rick
Date: 25 Aug 14 - 12:11 PM

Memories of Tinker Dick. He was a jovial cheerful slightly shambolic character,,often clad in an old raincoat, looking a bit like a red or ginger haired version of Noddy Holder from Slade. One of those people who just turns up at places, so I can't really say when I first noticed him. Maybe at a folk club or a local pub-rock gig. His trade mark approach was a loud hearty salutation and a handshake,and slap on the back or embrace, as if he'd just found a long-lost relative -he was an emotional and emotive man and never hesitated to show it.   His finest hour to my mind, was as M.C.and floor singer for the Zetland rock nights at the Zetland Hotel Saltburn on Sunday nights, during the heyday of New-wave/punk rock music, when every landlord was signing up bands for the sake of a bigger take on the bar, or sometimes as they also enjoyed the music. In those days, (around 1977-1980-we were a bit behind London and the South), The Zetland had it's own railway platform and you could travel through from Teesside and back for the gigs. Dick sometimes brought his mates from South Bank, and I have one abiding image of him wandering around with two full pints in his hands, looking for a mate on which to bestow his gift of hospitality. I'd heard an apocryphal tale of him getting out his guitar and singing songs while he was meant to be working at I.C.I. and then remonstrating with the foreman for interrupting him.


The Zetland rock nights were incredibly good value as there were usually two bands and a raffle,maybe poetry, and possibly one of Dick's films on, all for 50 pence on the ball room door, an altogether luxuriant setting for those wonderfully proletarian and egalitarian celebrations of popular culture.I would cycle through usually, to meet old mates. I still have fond memories of Black Rose disappearing in an impenetrable fog when someone overcooked the dry ice machine, and one enthusiastic drummer bringing down bits of chandelier with his flying sticks routine. When I say Dick's films, I think we got something like a cine-8 in black and white aimed at an old sheet or a school-room projector screen, showing Dick's version of Tarka the Otter, (a bit of old fur tied to a string and towed through Saltburn Beck), and the life of Rudy Valentino, made with little plasticine people not unlike Morph from Vision On, doing naughty things inside a model tent on the beach. Dick had his own secret society called The Crabs, which the favoured few were allowed to join (I was a Crab reporter for a while, at least in name), and he regarded Crusty Back as a term of honour. I still have a local newspaper photo of him wearing a jester's hat at Skelton and Brotton carnival, which is how I think, he would like to be remembered.

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: GUEST,P.S. from Guest Rick.
Date: 25 Aug 14 - 03:15 PM

In my haste to submit some memories of Dick, I didn't really do him justice entirely, and recollect the man as much as the times. He was warm, friendly, eccentric, endearing, an indomitable character, and a star.Only Dick could have pinched some Chuck Berry duck-walk and turn it into the Crab walk while he played and sang! Well done Tinker Dick.

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: Betsy
Date: 25 Aug 14 - 07:05 PM

Loved both your Posts Rick.

Cheers Betsy

Subject: RE: Aug 2014 Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick
From: GUEST,Cliff Healey
Date: 29 Aug 14 - 05:08 AM

Nicest, warmest man I ever met. I'll miss you Dick R.I.P.

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick Aug 2014
From: GUEST,pottsy
Date: 17 Sep 14 - 11:48 AM

One of Dicks best Crab studios films was 'The Sweeny Comes to Saltburn' in which Dick played someone who had robbed the local garage. Andy Morley drove the getaway car and the car salesman at Watsons garage was pursuaded to let us film in there.

Dick also famously made a short film involving the miniture railway where he tied Steve Muirs sister to the rails and waited for the train to round the corner before dashing into shot to rescue her (he hadn't told the driver he was going to do this film)we all legged it with the irate driver shouting at us! Dick and his movie camera also had shots at concerts of early Chris Rea and David Coverdale before either were famous.
Film nights at Dicks house were always worth waiting for
goodnight Dick

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick Aug 2014
From: Northerner
Date: 29 Sep 14 - 10:23 AM

Dick was a real character; maybe not the best singer or musician but always a very entertaining performer. I remember his collection of wild and wonderful hats!! He was a great MC - I was always introduced as "the lovely Diane." He had the gift of bringing out the best in other performers. I knew him through the folk clubs in Guisborough and the Cutty Wren. When my sister passed away suddenly a few years ago it was Tinker Dick who comforted me at the folk club. I also used to chat to him on the Moorsbus - like me he used to use the bus service to get out on the North York Moors.   RIP Dick.   Diane Taylor

Subject: RE: Obit: Teesside - Tinker Dick Aug 2014
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Apr 15 - 02:08 PM

I've only just recently found out that Dick had passed away and feel like a part of my life has had a light dimmed. I knew Dick for many years, first getting to know him at the Zetland rock nights when I played with Legend and Transmission to name but two. I also had the pleasure, no, the honour of becoming one of Dicks "band" several times, the aptly named Down n outs. They were glorious times with a real character and a real gent. There are too many memories of those days but as years went by, like a lot of people around at that time, we lost touch. A few years ago I bumped into Dick in Middlesbrough. He was on his bike just looking round the shops and he hadn't changed one bit. It was like we were back in the old days. After a greeting that lasted for an eternity and continuous back slapping we tried to catch up on the old days. After that day, we would bump into each other more regularly and the times were spent reminiscing, laughing and talking music. Great times and memories, too many to list.

Dick, wherever you are, keep strumming, our loss is heavens gain. You are sorely missed. Sleep well. (until the next gig)       Joe and Mandy.