bob northcott
One of Cornwall and Devon’s sporting legends, Bob Northcott, passed away at his Plymouth Higher Compton home, aged 58, on August 18th. He leaves a widow, Jenny and three children, Steve, John and Clare.
Bob’s funeral service was held at The Efford Crematorium, Plymouth on August 25th and attended by family and friends, including those drawn from a number of sporting fraternities.
He was was born in Liskeard in 1948 and was to become a sportsman from a sporting family - his brother, Bill, now Liskeard-based - having reached the semi finals of the All-England Junior Tennis Championships at Wimbledon.
Bob first worked as a travel agent in Cooks. He then became Manager at a local lighting shop and was employed by his Uncle and Brother, subsequently, before becoming a financial adviser, for some six years, before his passing.
Football, was also on the maestro’s itinerary, in his formative sporting days and he was once told what to do with his badminton rackets – thank goodness he didn’t take any notice of that advice!
In later years, he was also a keen golfer and became a member at the Witsands Golf Club.
Bob represented Cornwall at tennis and attended many “County Weeks” and then went on to play badminton seriously when he met Jenny, his future wife, at the age of sixteen - and it is understood that the first time he swung a badminton racket was at the Torpoint Club, in 1963.
Although he represented Cornwall, in Inter-County Championship (ICC) matches, he played most of his badminton in Devon, based at the Plymouth Whiteford Road and Victoria Clubs - winning thirty two Plymouth “Closed” doubles titles and, in the Duchy, he won twenty singles titles, no less - 18 of them consecutively and numerous other mixed and men’s doubles events.
Competitor at championships, back-to-back:
In the earlier days when it was permitted, he displayed immense stamina and dedication - often contesting the Devon Restricted/Closed tournament on the Saturday, followed by the Cornwall Restricted event on the following day, the Sunday.
And in Badminton “Open” Events, he was also seen to be successful - registering five and six championship successes in Somerset and Devon.
Scandanavian opponents run close:
Bob played in the famous Wembley All-England Badminton Championships - the 1st Round Proper of the Event which were classed, in those days, as the World Championships, unofficially - on three occasions.
His best result came in the mixed doubles, partnering Antoinette Richards, from Penzance, in a match that went to a third end decider, against a Scandanavian partnership who were seeded.
Indeed, in the Cornwall Annual “Closed” Championship Events he was a prolific winner with Antoinette – arguably Kernow’s greatest ever mixed lady – together with Tony Drew, from Helston, in the Men’s Doubles.
Owing to his prowess on his beloved badminton court, Bob, who dominated the local scene in Plymouth for many years, was invited to play in the Grandwood Trophy Tournament, an English singles event, on a number of occasions.
Later on in life, he went on to play in the veterans, playing for England Vets against Scotland and, with his Cornish partner Bob Bell (Redruth), he won men’s silver medal in the European Championships, held at Innsbruck, Austria.
Also, partnering Bob Bell, he won the English National tournament, shortly before being diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Wally Bickford, a Plymothian friend takes up the remarkable story:
The achievements of Plymouth’s most successful badminton player, Robert (Bob) Northcott are also remembered by his friend and playing compatriot, Wally Bickford, who runs the Victoria Club, Plymouth, today:
“Those who partnered Bob knew that nothing less than 100% effort and commitment was acceptable, and the opposition on the other side of the net knew that no quarter would be asked or given.
“In the Plymouth League, this single-minded approach, brought Bob, nine Men’s singles titles, eleven Mixed Doubles and twelve Men’s Doubles titles, no less, in a period spanning over thirty years.
“No player in the Plymouth Badminton League has come near to such an impressive record that will probably never be surpassed.”
“The years that his name did not appear on the trophies were probably because the local League pointed out there may be a bigger challenge in a tournament up the country.
Mr. Bickford continued: “Not content with being a big fish in a small pond, Bob represented home county of Cornwall, at senior level, on around two hundred and fifty occasions and was equally successful and, in the late 1990s, he joined Devon, his wife Jenny’s county to play ICC Veterans matches.
“Bob’s court demeanour was thought, by some, to be too intense, but those who knew him well knew that his total commitment and, being his own biggest critic, was the fuel that drove his passion to produce his best, be it a Club evening game or a big occasion match.
“Off court, Bob was good company to travel to matches with, or just to talk with, on a Club night, between games.
“Bob shared his knowledge and vast experience with younger players and many who are now playing at a good level owe some of their success to attempting to emulate the deception and precision of Bob’s game.”
John Tresidder, the writer comments: “I was lucky to play Bob, in a mixed doubles, competitively, on one occasion and have to report that I came a poor second. However, my claim to fame, was in flick-serving, him, successfully, winning a point – one of only a few, I might add!
“Bob was ranked in England’s top 32 for singles and his effortless movement around his beloved court, allied to his deception, had to be seen to be believed.”
Mr. David Burgess, Barnstaple and Mrs. Jenny Marchant, Liskeard, the Devon County and Cornwall County Badminton Chairmen, on behalf of their fraternities, wish to convey their deepest condolences to Jenny and family.
At the Cornwall Restricted Championships, 2006/2007, at St. Austell’s Polkyth Leisure Centre on 1st October, Mrs. Marchant lead a minute’s silence for Bob.
My thanks to Jenny & Family, Wally and Antoinette, in respect of their assistance in my writing up Bob’s obituary - for the Devon & Cornwall Badminton Websites, together with the Badminton Magazine - scheduled for the December, 2006 issue – John T.
John Tresidder
Cornwall County, CYB & Duchy “Open”
Badminton Press/PR Officer.