Barry May - Elegant in everything he did

My dear friend Barry was an elegant man, not just the snappy dressing but in all he did: his reporting, his leadership, his consideration for others, his many commitments.

He was a man of many parts - lover of music of all kinds, from Neil Young to the Foo Fighters, Debussy and the Rolling Stones for whom he wrote the first public review at the age of 19, in 1963.

His favourite poem was Edward Thomas’s Adlestrop.

His love of sailing was foremost in the years when he and Dolly had a home in the Riviera, and Barry was at the helm of his classic French wooden barque.

When Barry retired in 2000, he got Reuters to pay for two cookery courses in the foodie temples of Rick Stein and Pru Leith, but to my knowledge only put his learning to use some 20 or so years later with a cottage pie ( it was very nice too). 

For many years, in retirement, Barry and I went one or twice a year to Lords for cricket test matches. I will always remember our two outings last year when Barry arrived on crutches. On leaving, he said in his customary way: "That was another grand day out". ■