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Currie was described in 1967 by his editor as "A prolific writer on all subjects". Writing in Currie's obituary, one former-collaborator remembered that many described him as "The
Walking Encyclopaedia of Motor Cycling History", whilst his former understudy and editor-designate John Pearson described
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Specialising in the traditional history of motorcycle manufacturing, road-testing and technical articles, Currie established a strong rapport with the various manufacturers, often enjoying their trust in new developments which he kept confidential until the companies issued press releases. In 1965
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Before his retirement planned for early 1988, he suffered from an illness involving incapacitation due to kidney problems. No longer able to type or write, he continued to edit using dictation – sometimes from his hospital bed – with assistance from his sister Daphne. Assistant-editor John
Pearson
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magazine, and in 1955 a vacancy occurred when a regular staff-writer moved to a four-wheel magazine. Currie was offered the vacancy, initially at head office in London, progressing in 1956 to
Midland Editor based at Birmingham, the area where his family resided, in a city central to a region where
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During the middle and later parts of his career Currie converted his vast experience of
British manufacturers and period motorcycles into authorship of books, mostly in his own right but occasionally in collaboration with others.
47:(26 April 1918 in Woolwich, England – 25 July 1988 in Birmingham, England) was an English motorcycling writer and road tester, who later became a magazine editor and book author. Mainly known for his UK journalism work with
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restorations, held
Question-and-Answer sessions at classic bike shows and never tired of riding the many machines features in the magazine. Although most of his life was dedicated to motorcycles, he was also interested in
201:, but did not want to leave the London area and return to Birmingham where he was born, despite a generous offer of salary from then-Editor Harry Louis, a decision Main-Smith later regretted, and the job went to Currie.
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Bob Currie, our
Midland Editor, is now comfortably ensconced in this new office block, Lynton House, Walsall Road, Birmingham. It houses all the staff of the International Publishing Corporation who work in the
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In the 1970s, after a 10-year demise of
British motorcycle manufacturing, Currie showed an increasing interest in the vintage and classic era, establishing a regular feature in
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staff he suggested a collaboration, to enable mutually-better reported coverage of the racing events. Currie had previously submitted occasional articles to
87:, their sister Daphne was born and Captain Currie died. Life for his widow with three children was difficult, and young Bob was sent to live with an aunt in
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many
British motorcycle manufacturers, metal-industries and component-producers were located. When writing his serialised memoirs of 1969, former
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was then known) named 'Past Times'. Motor Cycle had merged with Motor
Cycling in 1967, so their combined archives were available to Currie.
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209:, where his desk was part of the parent-publisher's suite in a modern office tower block, Currie was the last journalist on the staff of
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his death as "this country has lost its leading writer, historian and authority on veteran, vintage and classic
British motorcycles".
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59:, he retired in early 1988 suffering from an ongoing illness, after a full-time writing career starting in 1955, and later died of
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archives, with Currie retained as editor based in Birmingham but with an assistant editor now at the Peterborough base of EMAP.
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After the end of hostilities, Currie returned to work for Heenan & Froude, also becoming involved with the
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journalist Bruce Main-Smith stated he was offered the position of Midland Editor with then-rival publication
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and also a keen local motorcycle-club enthusiast who gave slide shows and talks. As Vice-President of the
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53:, a UK weekly motorcycle magazine-turned-newspaper, then from 1981 as Editor of a new monthly magazine
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With his younger brother, Ken, Currie spent his first few years with their father, an officer in the
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continued to produce the magazine in close-collaboration. Later in the same year Currie died of
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Publisher IPC decided the time was right to establish in 1981 a completely new magazine,
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Meet our team. "Trials rider for some years then became Midland Centre rally champion"
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Meet our team. "Before joining Motor Cycle was an assistant editor of the TT Special"
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This article is about the motorcyclist. For the Scottish footballer, see
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As a motorcycle enthusiast and seasonal reporter he travelled to the
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editor Mick Woollett as Editor-in-Chief. In 1983, IPC sold
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Meet our team. "Keeps up with the news from the factories"
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when he first started to ride motorcycles. He joined the
249:, reminiscent of their early historic publication named
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461:. Bob Currie and Harry Louis, 1978, Patrick Stephens,
536:, September 1988, pp.8, 10-13. Accessed 30 March 2016
552:Meet our team. "A prolific writer on all subjects"
205:Currie moved to an office suite at Lynton House,
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403:Great British Motorcycles of the 1950s and 1960s
600:Motorcycling Moments, Part three: The Staff Job
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586:28 October 1965, p.620. Accessed 30 March 2016
151:-type publication mailed to members of the UK
377:Classic British Motorcycles - The Final Years
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530:Bob Currie Tribute by John Pearson, Editor,
290:, harmonica and sang. He was an experienced
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213:to have a company motorcycle – he chose a
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366:. 1981, Littlehampton Book Services,
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451:. Bob Currie and Jeff Smith, 1967,
123:) where he maintained and repaired
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706:Royal Army Ordnance Corps soldiers
338:The Glory of the Manx TT 1907-1975
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711:20th-century English male writers
459:The Story of Triumph Motor Cycles
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286:A bachelor, Currie played the
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93:Worcester Royal Grammar School
25:Robert Currie (disambiguation)
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634:On the Four Winds by 'Nitor'.
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131:, progressing to the rank of
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390:Classic British Motor Cycles
139:Post-war work and journalism
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696:English non-fiction writers
174:. When staying in the same
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392:. 1993, Chancellor Press,
364:Motor Cycling in the 1930s
221:Magazine editing and books
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598:, June 1969, pp.231-233.
498:England and Wales records
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147:magazine, an occasional,
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641:" Accessed 30 March 2016
620:. Accessed 30 March 2016
602:, Accessed 30 March 2016
572:. Accessed 30 March 2016
554:. Accessed 30 March 2016
486:England and Wales births
296:Vintage Motor Cycle Club
23:. For other people, see
655:3 August 1967, p.1050.
616:3 August 1967, p.1050.
568:3 August 1967, p.1050.
550:3 August 1967, p.1050.
533:The Classic Motor Cycle
500:Retrieved 30 March 2016
488:Retrieved 30 March 2016
351:Hamlyn Publishing Group
269:The Classic Motor Cycle
246:The Classic Motor Cycle
56:The Classic Motor Cycle
21:Bob Currie (footballer)
379:. 1984, Temple Press,
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157:breakdown organisation
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449:The Art of Moto-Cross
332:Selected bibliography
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686:Motorcycling writers
632:, 25 November 1965.
342:New English Library
300:concours d'elegance
97:Heenan & Froude
45:Robert Frank Currie
265:Motor Cycle Weekly
234:Motor Cycle Weekly
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215:Triumph Bonneville
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443:Co-authored works
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547:Motor Cycle
305:steam power
277:Motor Cycle
238:Motor Cycle
211:Motor Cycle
186:Motor Cycle
181:Motor Cycle
172:Isle of Man
50:Motor Cycle
670:Categories
473:References
298:he judged
207:Birmingham
161:TT Special
149:newsletter
71:Early life
40:motorcycle
636:p.759. "
288:banjolele
115:, in the
107:, before
101:Worcester
349:. 1981,
340:. 1976,
405:. 2014
178:as the
81:Martley
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319:Finale
261:Surrey
257:Sutton
89:Dundee
639:area.
125:tanks
463:ISBN
433:ISBN
420:ISBN
407:ISBN
394:ISBN
381:ISBN
368:ISBN
355:ISBN
307:and
279:and
273:EMAP
236:(as
121:REME
117:RAOC
271:to
99:in
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145:AA
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
