Robin Rew

[John Turner]

I've today just learnt of the recent death of Robin, who was a good friend of mine many years ago when we were both actively involved in the Reliant Sabre & Scimitar Owners Club of which he was one of the founders. He was a great encouragement to this relative youngster trying to campaign my old 'flailing arm' Sabre 6 GT in sprints and hill climbs and offered loads of technical advice over the years. He was a very effective racer of HWD the ex works Sabre built for Le Mans (it didn't get an entry, but was later hill climbed by the late Bobby Parkes) in historic racing. He also later turbo charged a number of Scimitar Coupes and AC 3000MEs. Remember Rewster Turbos? Of course many will better remember him for his involvement with Morgan 3 wheelers and although I had lost touch with him many years ago I did bump into him again a few years ago at a VSCC meeting at Cadwell, supporting his son who was racing one. We at least were able briefly to reminisce about those old Sabre days which are now almost 40 years ago.

RIP Robin

[John Turner]

I was also reminded recently that Robin was a very good motor racing photographer before he became more actively involved in car preparation and racing.

[Alfie72]

Working on the basis of "Better late than never" I would like to share a little history of Robin and also ask a question.

When I sold my train set (I was about 16, wanted my first motor bike and had a huge row with my Dad over this!), I sold it to Robin! I had first met him through the slot car racing club at Greens Norton, where another motor racing man, Robin Baxter also "played".

As a result of meeting these people I started going up to Silverstone, first spectating, and then marshalling. Until I was 18 they would not let me trackside, but when I was, I found myself frequently bumping into Robin going about his weekend work.

So to my question - does anyone have any idea what happened to his photography archive? It must be huge and such a resource.

[John Turner]

Good question - to which, sadly, I have no reply at the moment. Will ask around.

[Salsin]

In the years either side of 1970, I bumped into Robin Rew quite a few times when we were both photographing - mainly at Curborough I seem to recall!
I was there photographing and writing reports for Autosport, MN or The Birmingham Post.
On one occasion, in a break in the action, I asked Robin about his archive. My memory may have faded a bit in the 50 years since but I do distinctly remember that his reply was along the lines of "Archive? I have no archive. I take pictures to sell now. If they don't sell they are of no use to me." (And by implication got scrapped on an annual basis.)
I have another vague recollection of hearing that when he gave up, any remaining went on a big bonfire.
I would love to be proved wrong because, as you say, they would be a fantastic archive of club motor sport back then.
Although I did get paid (a small amount!) by the journals mentioned above, I did it more as a way of earning a few pounds from a hobby - but I do still have my archive from those years, all catalogued and indexed!

Mike Dodman

[Salsin]

One further thought - if an archive did exist, I'm pretty certain that Ted Walker (Ferret Photographics) would have been first in the queue to buy it.
Mike Dodman

[rbs]

Robins son, Alistair, may be able to help. alistair competes in a Morgan 3 weeler on the hills and in races and works at Red Bull so he is "interested" any may even own the said archive.