Sad loss of Dave Parkinson
Five pals together: Colin Benson, Angus Jenkinson, Harold Whiteway, Phil Parkinson and Dave Parkinson
It is with sadness that we have to report that lifetime Westmorland Club member Dave Parkinson passed away on Tuesday, April 21 following an extended stay in hospital suffering from Pulmonary Fibrosis. He was 82 and leaves his wife of 58 years, Beryl and extended family of two sons and many grandchildren.
Dave started riding in trials in 1965 following the purchase of a Triumph Cub from his grandfather’s motorcycle shop in Kendal which was later replaced with a second, similar machine which is still within the family, having been through the ownership of Mike Barnes and Norman Barrow and “rescued” from the Coniston area and was the Cub that Phil Parkinson rode, and sadly crashed in the Pre 65 Scottish of a couple years ago.
A truck mechanic by trade, Dave joined the fire service in 1975 and had been a Westmorland Club member ever since he first discovered the sport of trials and became a committee member in 1982, until last year when he decided that 44 years working behind the scenes for the club was enough.
One of David’s proudest moments was being one of the driving forces behind the classic trials and scramble scene within the club, in particular when the Westmorland Club ran the Nostalgia Trial at Middleton the year the club attracted the well known Spanish stars which included the late Manuel Soler, Frenchman Charles Coutard and triple World Champion Yrjo Vesterinen.
A regular observer at Westmorland events, the Scott Trial was a great favourite for him at which he observed for 10 years together with son Phil, the horrendous weather hit trial of 2024 being his last.
Dave’s passing is certainly a sad loss to the sport in Cumbria and beyond and condolences go to his family from all who knew him, particularly Westmorland members for whom he loyally served for so many years.
The funeral service will be at Beetham Crematorium on Friday, May 8 at 2pm.