Page 37 - BBHAC Winter 2017-18 Gazette

Obituary 37 37

Peter James George Baigent

1926 – 2017
memories of working with Peter He was a trustee of the Jack
Ian Mackley, a club member on producing the Gazette Sims Memorial Discretionary
now living in New Zealand Trust, a trust established follow-
writes: During his time as Editor of the ing the untimely death of PP
BH Gazette in the late-1960s”, Jack Sims, a generous benefactor
I have prepared this around my when the publication was very of BH, whilst on holiday trek-
more detailed knowledge of Pe- much more basic than it is now, king in Nepal.
ter’s activities in the period 1961 I was his Assistant Editor. We
to 1971 when I was an active used to gather articles, some He was often to be seen as a
member of Blackheath Harriers typed and some handwritten, timekeeper at track events, and
and living in the UK, and more and they used to be prepared for some years he had a manage-
particularly when I worked by the publishers (the Bromley ment role in Norman Park Track
closely with him on the Gazette Management Ltd.
between 1966 and 1971. After & Kentish Times) as “galley Professionally, Peter was a
we left for New Zealand in 1971 proofs”. Peter and I used to
we kept in touch regularly, main- stick these galley proofs onto mechanical engineer and spent
most of his working life with
ly through Christmas messages sheets of paper to make up the civil service. I was a civil
and the occasional trip home to pages and then take them to the engineer so we had things in
the UK when we visited him at publishers for final preparation common there. For some of
his home in Sevenoaks. and printing. Photos were few this time, he was working at the
because of the processes needed Ministry of Defence research
to go through to get them in a centre at Fort Halstead near
Peter Baigent joined Blackheath printable form. We used to meet
Harriers in November 1946. As Sevenoaks. He related on one
an active athlete he was a “good at Peter’s house, usually on a occasion that his advice was
club level” sprinter and was a Sunday afternoon to prepare sought on an aspect of the
member of the club track team the Gazette content. We used design of the TSR2 supersonic
until the mid-1960s when he to spend the first few hours fighter/bomber that was even-
tually scrapped before it even
retired from competition. He chatting and putting the World flew, after millions of pounds
did return to the track on one to rights (Peter was never lack- had been spent on its develop-
notable subsequent occasion ing for conversation!!) and then ment. He also visited the missile
when, in his Presidential year, he get down to work late at night testing range at Woomera in
anchored the BH team to victo- and work through until 2 or 3 Australia.
ry in a 50 x 1 mile relay. Having o’clock in the morning!!
retired from competition, Peter Peter was a kindly man and
then embarked on 50 years of Peter was elected a Vice Presi- a “true club man”, always
dedication to the management dent in 1966 and elevated to the prepared to give his time and
of club affairs and the affairs Presidency in 1971. During his expertise in support of BH and
of the wider local athletics year in office Peter took a keen its members. He was married
community. interest in the management of three times, and was twice a

In 1966, he was appointed As- club properties which resulted widower. He is succeeded by
his third wife, Joyce. He had no
sistant Editor of the BH Gazette in him being appointed a Direc- children..He was an ardent and
to its then editor John Lissiman, tor of BHHQ Ltd in 1971, and faithful supporter of everything
and a year later he became he succeeded PP Laurie Ham- to do with the Club, and his
Editor, a position he held until mill as Chairman in 1988. He involvement will, I am sure, be
1971. In this capacity he was remained a Director of BHHQ missed.
himself assisted by myself for Ltd until he retired from the
several years and I have distinct position in 2010. Ian Mackley