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Robert 'Bob' Downer |
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Robert John (Bob) Downer passed away peacefully on Monday, December 31, after
a very hard fought battle. A wonderful, big-hearted and generous man he will be so sadly missed.
Heartfelt thanks to dedicated staff at the QE2 and Royal Free I.T.U. in their help with the battle. Tributes To Bob I'm gutted!! - Don Fowler 01Jan08 11:59 We have lost a wonderful friend. He will be greatly missed. Our thoughts are with his wife, Ruth and family - Dave Barber 01Jan08 17:44 I was very sorry to hear of Bob's passing, please pass my condolences to his family - Tony Tutton 01Jan08 18:12 BLOODY HELL!! I am lost for words.......... - Ian Adamson 01Jan08 18:27 Terrible news about Bob, I had only just learned of his death from one of his neighbours. He will be sorely missed and I join with you in sending my sincere condolences to Bob's family - Ron Baird 01Jan08 18:47 Oh my God - what devastating news - please convey my condolences to Ruth and her family - strange that we met up such a short time ago - I have many memories please give our love to the family - no words will convey the sadness that they must be feeling now. The next reunion will be very special - it will be time to reflect and enjoy Bob's input to the last show - forgive me I am so shocked - Christine and Billy McDonald 01Jan08 21:27 Re Bob. It is very sad news indeed. It was good that he managed to spend a last Christmastime at home with his family, but I guess New Year will always be painful for those left behind. - Geoff Rees 02Jan08 10:15 What sad news about Bob - Toni Boyce 02Jan08 11:14 Sorry to hear about Bob ...... A great loss. - Danny Bacon 02Jan08 14:31 I was really sorry to hear about Bob. He was a very nice man and clearly still enjoying his life and his music. He will be greatly missed. - Martyn Day 02Jan08 16:38 Sad news about Bob - Jab Als 02Jan08 20:02 I was very sorry and shocked to hear about Bob's death from my brother Mervyn. Until the Hop Reunion I had not had any contact with Bob since I was in the print business, when he worked for a local print company. He was always very professional in what he did, that was very clear last year when I became involved in the printing for the Hop Reunion. My thoughts are with his wife and family. - Tony Lammiman 02Jan08 21:34 Very sad news indeed – great guy to work with during the Hop reunion and great musician from what I heard during the reunion. - Rick Fears 02Jan08 22:21 Don Fowler emailed the news to me in Saigon. Really tragic. Bob's enthusiasm for life, a real doer, his contribution to the success of the Hop Reunion and the reforming of the Blue Notes group (thank goodness). To be struck down at a relatively young age, it is all so very sad. - Rob Saunders 02Jan08 22:47 Such a sad, sad loss. The Hop Reunion and Rob Saunders' party came at exactly the right time. Who could have imagined that Bob would be taken from us at the end of the year. It's just unbelievable - Dave Barber 02Jan08 23:15 I'm very sad to here the news about Bob, when I met him in the summer, it was the first time for 35 years since he was a helper at "The Ludwick Boys Club" which I was a member of in the early 70's. - Pete Saunders 03Jan08 08:39 I was very sad to learn of the death of Bob Downer. In the relatively short time that I knew him, I regarded him as a good friend, and admired his unbounded enthusiasm when involved in the creation of the Hop Reunion. It was clear to see Bob loved his guitars and music, and being with other musicians, and I for one will greatly miss him. Goodnight Bob, and God bless. - Chris Gillies 03Jan08 10:16 l am still after a few days in shock over Bob's death. l know you both knew Bob a lot better than l did, but he came over as such a good family man. my thoughts go to Ruth, Glen and family. At my party gig Bob could not have a drink because he was taking pain killers for his back, but said he enjoyed that night so much, especially playing for the first time a live gig with his son Glen on drums. Remember Ruth missed the Blues Notes at the Hop Reunion so she must have been very proud to see her boys playing together. A lasting memory. - Rob Saunders 03Jan08 12:20 I was shocked and saddened to hear the news that Bob has passed away. He will be sadly missed by many. On behalf of myself, Nikki and The Widgeripoo/Switchboard Team, I would like to pass on our condolences to Ruth and the family. Our thoughts are with you. - Pete Perry 03Jan08 14:16 We are very sad to hear the news of Bob's untimely death. We enjoyed meeting up with him at the hop reunion in June. Even though we had not seen him for 30+ years we would have known him as he had not changed a bit! Still enthusiastic and full of life, what a lovely memory to keep hold of. - Sue and Dave Young from Whitley Bay 03Jan08 16:00 What a great loss for me, for Bob's many friends and his family, Ruth, Glen, Matt and Joanne. He had a great drive for the 2007 reunion and made it a great success. Let's dedicate the next Reunion to Bob. We will miss him so much. He was truly a good lad - Trevor Lockwood 03Jan08 16:48 It is with great sadness, that I have to report of the death on New Year's Eve of an old school pal and fellow muso, Bob Downer. Bob and I were at school together at Applecroft Junior School and Heronswood Secondary Modern, he was just 6 weeks younger than me. We both got interested in electric guitars about the same time and started forming bands. After leaving Heronswood to go to The High School and subsequently moving away from WGC, I lost touch with Bob. Our paths crossed again in Dec 1980 when Bob was running The Ludwick Boys Club, a club where we both spent many evenings watching bands in the late sixties. Bob booked TFM, my band of the time, to play at the club and although TFM stood for The Flying Mallards, Bob put his own definition of the name when he saw the band. More recently, Bob and I re-established contact at The Hop Re-union meetings and Bob became one of the driving forces behind the whole event with all his usual enthusiasm. This culminated in Bob reforming his original band, The Blue Notes after 40 years, to appear on the stage of The Hop. There is another Hop concert planned for June 28th this year and Bob's involvement will be sadly missed so let's hope we can make a concert in Bob's memory. - Ian Adamson 03Jan08 I am now onboard my ship, sailing in force 8 gale on the north sea as it happens.... I see from your mail Glen has been in touch, and the tributes still coming in. I feel with the short sharp "I'm gutted" head of the tributes I ought to add something now as I start to come to terms with it. Bob and I go back to 1955 so lots of childhood memories growing up together. We lived right next door to each other in Howlands. In 1962 I left school and got my first electric guitar, a Futurama 2. Bob came to take a look and I showed him the intro to The Young Ones. The next day he left with his mum/dad and brother Brian for a 2 week caravan holiday. On Bob's return he came to see me and played the intro I taught him. He didn't own a guitar, he told me he visualised the playing every night while going to sleep, so by the time he got back he had mastered it. I think he impressed his dad, as soon after he had his own guitar. We spent many times listening to Radio Luxemburg and basically learning anything. Shadows and instrumentals, but it wasn't long before the Beatles came along and Bob was the first one I remember to have a Beatle haircut. The rest of us got there eventually when the Blue Notes formed ......... Meeting up with Bob in 2007 for the reunion was such a delight. It had been over 35 years since we had seen each other. It was Bob who instigated getting me out of hiding and to reform Blue Notes. The Hop reunion was such a memorable time with Bob bringing the old gang back together. Later in the year we reformed again for Rob Saunders 60th in Lemsford, another brilliant time plus Bob's lad Glen sitting in on drums. A proud moment I'm sure. Maybe if I hadn't shown Bob that Young Ones intro none of what I have just said would have happened... who knows... who knows anything. Who would have known that within a few months we would loose Bob. He leaves so many memories for me that will stay forever. A tragic loss to family and friends. My sincere condolences... - Don Fowler 04Jan08 00:51 Very sad to hear about Bob Downer. I first knew him ages ago, but did not see him again for years until the Hop Reunion. I’m glad I had the chance to work with him on the Reunion and I’m glad he had the chance to get back on stage again and play. He will be missed. - Steve Townsend. 04Jan08 20:21 We were shocked and saddened to hear of the loss of Bob and we send our condolences to his family and friends. The Hop reunion gave us all the opportunity to meet up with past friends and aquaintances and it is at times like this that we are grateful for all the hard work which was done to organise this. I only live 20 miles away but would probably never met up with all these people from my past. - Merv and Sue Lammiman 11Jan08 21:51 Thanks for the email and your summary of the day. So now it's final. Such a great loss. I think with such a turn out of people and the tributes, Bob would have left his mark. He certainly has with me. I just worked out that Bob would have been 6yrs,and me 8yrs when we first met so we do go back a long way. June 1955. I think we spent that summer playing on the building sites. I remember from The Commons on down Howlands as fields. Nostalgia ah!! What would we think of if nostalgia didn't exist!! So the end of another day. Been in port (Esbjerg, Denmark). Start the week tomorrow night and so it goes. Up and down back and forth. Night crossing so don't see much, bit dark out there... well I'm off to my hammock, so until the next time.... Blind Pugh. - Don Fowler 15Jan08 01:12 I first met Bob at Attimore School possibly in 1964. He was head of the school dining table that I had been assigned to. Bob invited me to attend his band, Blue Notes', evening rehearsal in the former wooden Catholic church hall that stood on the corner of Hollybush Lane and Woodhall Lane. One of the songs that was rehearsed that evening was "Money (That's What I Want)". They were good, playing the latest songs of the time. (A few years later I joined a local band and eventually become a professional musician.) Not long afterwards, my brother, Peter, and I were invited to spend a day with Bob and his younger brother Brian at their 79 Howlands home. This became a regular event where we listened to pirate radio station 'Radio London', talked together, played games and watched "Thunderbirds" on the family TV set, in black and white (colour TV was many years away). While we played the charming and hospitable Mr. or Mrs. Downer made us lads pancakes that were enjoyed with sugar and lemon juice. Such happy memories. Who would have thought back then that 40 years later the 'Blue Notes' would reform and I would sing harmony with them. Thank you Bob for the invite to share so much time with you and your family in the 60's, and for all your hard work in relation to The Hop Reunion. You are greatly missed. - Dave Barber 15Jan08 12:35 |
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 Bob Downer, far left with the BlueNotes in 1964. Photo restoration by Brian Downer Jan08 Ruth and family would like to express their sincere thanks to the many people who attended and comforted us at Bob's funeral. Thank you too for the lovely cards, tributes, flowers and donations, to Kim Noakes for the service, plus June and colleagues at Austin's. |
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