RIP - Trevor Counsell (1947 - 2026)

Trevor with Barry Wenden and me - art students in Manchester around 1968.

Playing pirates on the Shropshire Union Canal where he lived on a narrowboat for many years.

His adopted duck Basil ith a reputation for attacking TV presenters made the local papers in Staffordshire.

Trevor more recently with his old car.

Remembering Barry

Dear old chum Barry Wenden shuffled off this mortal coil a year ago or so. Can't quite believe he is gone. We lost touch over the last few years - life getting in the way as it does. Here we are with another old chum Trevor out in the wilds of Cheshire (funny how things go round in a big circle?) back in 1968 0r '69 maybe - three hairy art students in the green sward. This colourised photo popped up recently on my FB page. Incredible String Beans or are we the Pixie Ruralists? Anyway, it seems a hell of a long time ago now looking back through green coloured glasses. Here's a nice email that Barry sent me before he got poorly remembering our lunchtime trips to Shude Hill book market in Manchester when we were spotty art students. Halycon days!......................."Many thanks for this - all wonderful stuff!! Just as I remember it. It was great to escape the art school (well the staff) and venture up at lunchtime - really enjoyed it. Bet we missed out on some rare first additions that all those book dealers were scavenging and rummaging for? We were looking for Rupert, Chicks Own, Rainbow and Toby Twirl!! Seem to recall a lorry turning up once and up-ending its content of books on the pavement. Did I also get my deck there - probably? We were like two peas in a pod but I only have a faint memory of timidly going back and complaining. Although for the life of me I can't think why? What on earth did I use for an amplifier? Did I plug the deck into my radio and run that off into some of my 1930's sun-ray speakers? That's a rhetorical question as I'm sure my memory is as fuzzy as yours? It'll all come back to me when I'm in my wheelchair. I seem to recall saving up (I think Mum helped) to buy a Prinz (rubbish) Amplifier from Dixons but I think that may well have been later, when I bought my Denon Speakers and made the plywood boxes for them - goodness they're still here beside me in this loft studio! The things we did!"......................