Barry Mason died on Friday whilst on holiday; the Evening Standard reports that he was swimming in the sea off Rodiles, in northern Spain, when he is thought to have suffered a heart-attack.
Barry could often be found at the back of SELFS meetings in the last few years, listening in with his fierce curiosity and passion. I think he was drawn to us because we met in his beloved Southwark and often covered the strange side of one of his passions: London. Barry also put his energy into Southwark Cyclists, Bermondsey and Rotherhithe Green Enthusiasts, was on the board of the Southwark Mysteries and, after leaving Southwark Council, poured part of his endless enthusiasm into managing Surrey Docks Farm and making it a successful community space.
He was mainly famous to us for organising inspired ways of exploring the world by bicycle including the annual Christmas bike ride to two-wheeled ghost tours and much more. His premature death at 60 leaves an enormous gap in Southwark and London life and the sadness that there is one less person out there that really cares about the important things.
We were lucky enough to have Barry ride in and see us regularly and share his ideas and actions with us. Our thoughts and sympathies are with those who were closest to him.
One of my own favourite memories of Barry was him announcing a bike-ride and picnic he had organised in 2008 to celebrate the 100 anniversary / birthday of the Rotherhithe tunnel. This, for me, covered a lot of what Barry was about: history, architecture, celebration and just getting out there and doing something. It also paid attention to a part of our city that is usually over-looked ands ignored.
In memory of Barry I shall look at, think about and celebrate a forgotten piece of London. I’m sure Barry would want everyone to remember him by doing their own unique thing too.
I shall give him the last word as he sums himself up on the London Festival of Architecture website:
I’m Coordinator of wonderful Southwark Cyclists, Chair of lovely BARGEs (Bermondsey and Rotherhithe Green Enthusiasts), on the Board of Southwark Mysteries, live by South Dock in Rotherhithe with goldfinches on the feeders outside my bedroom window and gorgeous great crested grebes nesting on the dock outside my living room window.
And every night in my tiny spare bedroom my bright red bike sleeps dreaming of tomorrow and me. Drifting round London together. Smiling.
