As promised last month, there is an extended obituary to Brix in this month's edition of PH & C magazine. Click on July 2013 and scroll down to page 27... http://www.phcmag.co.uk/current-issue/current-issue.php
Great character - imaginative, opinionated, clever guy, highly motivated in whatever he did. Thanks for putting this up, Sooper
Thanks Sooper, I've been waiting for this; young Deon can write a bit can't he? Until I went around there a few weeks ago I had no idea about his art. Pat first showed me a folder of some of his work and then some large drawings and paintings he had done. As with everything else he did, it was staggeringly good. This was after they had revealed he was an accomplished musician as well! We only really saw one facet of the man, he was equally brilliant in every arena he graced.
Wow!! What a read!! Thanks sooper. David was truly a King among men. Roller................any chance you could get Pat and Deon to bring some of his art work etc with them in September?
I think it may be too precious to them to bring along mate. There is a painting David did from a photo of Patty and her mum, that must have far too much sentimental value to risk. I hope to go around again, I'll ask if I can take some photos and post them up.
What a fantastic, moving tribute that was. I miss the man i saw as a mentor very much and always will. Shame i'm not able to listen to any more of his lessons 'cos i'm certain he had a lot more to teach me R.I.P mate
These are the words (written by Deon, Brixton's son) from the main article. There are also a number of pictures and comments by other significant people in his trade, if anyone wants a series of pdfs, please pm me your email address and I'll send them through (unless someone else can post them up here) David, or dad to me, was an extremely complex man who chose to lead a very simple, non-materialistic life. He had an array of talents but numerous contradictions too. Dad’s approach would invariably create detractors and at times stiff opposition. He challenged others to better themselves, as he did himself, to have the strength and courage to question what seemed to be the ‘natural’ order of things, even if it meant often standing in isolation. I was privileged to learn from the man, both personally and professionally. Dad was raised happily by foster parents until the age of five, receiving all the goodies a young ‘un should. Problems kicked in when his biological mother collected him from Somerset, where he was living. He sadly recollected that he saw his happy Somerset life drifting into a distant haze out of the back window of a car en route to London. Once here, he ended up in a children’s home, where he met his sister (a second sister tracked the siblings down later in life). The two of them were eventually taken from the children’s home by their Swiss immigrant mother where they formed a home in Kilburn. Dad’s mother did three jobs to ensure that he and his sister ate well and had what was required. He also enjoyed luxuries, including trips to Switzerland, and had stylish suits tailored by one of his two favourite uncles over there, as not befitting of a run of the mill working-class boy that he was. He survived homelessness twice, once by leaving home at 16 and again at 20 with my mum in tow. Despite these pressures, he successfully represented his borough at football and further developed his natural potential for drawing, painting and writing. Some of his art has been used for causes that he was committed to helping, such as the homeless charity, Shelter. His days of hardship perpetually fired his quest for success. Dad left school at 16 with one O-level and did a range of manual jobs, including working on building sites. And at 20, he went to college where he met my mum Pat who was equally driven for success. Selflessly, with no parental support from either side, he insisted that mum attend her course at the University of London. Despite having a dream to be a journalist, he saw that mum being a black woman in the late 70s, career choices would be more available to him. And, seeing the cost of living with no backing at the time, dad proceeded with two jobs to see this through! Mum later repaid this kindness by funding dad’s graphic design diploma which he successfully completed. Dad worked for the Civil Service where his ‘bolshiness’ shone through and saw him pinning disciplinary letters for lateness up on the canteen notice board in sheer defiance at ‘their stupid rules’. This ran in parallel to him assisting the foundation of the Anti-Nazi League and marching with mum alongside figures such as Peter Hain in the Anti-Apartheid movement. He went on to work for Lambeth Council’s Homeless Families Unit and was a committed and skilled shop steward for Lambeth NALGO. His mantra was that he wanted to house as many homeless people as quickly as possible before he was given the sack for his unorthodox, radical opinions. His life was never dull, living with mum on Cowley Estate, Brixton. The mixed race couple encountered a host of s**t initially, from black and white alike. As with everything they did, they gave as good as they got. This included taking a political stance against heavy duty policing of the Brixton community during the 1981 riots; they succeeded in so doing whilst winning people over regardless of class or colour. Born on my dad’s 28th birthday, I would be both his pride and punishment for the 30 years that followed. Disillusioned by uncaring bureaucracy and overlooked for promotion, he left Lambeth Council. As with everything, ‘playing the game’ was NEVER my dad! He went on to become a minicab driver; and loved it - the freedom of the car, representing the freedom of his spirit. Driving though, was not enough. It didn’t satisfy his desire to make things happen. So as day rolls to night, he went from driving to controlling; controlling to management, eventually resulting in him becoming a shareholder in a small Brixton-based private hire operation. Unfortunately, this didn’t work out as planned. Difficulties faced in life together with the lack of childhood bonds resulted in him sadly leaving home when I was seven years old. He regularly stated, upon reflection, that he would have liked to have done things slightly differently, as my mum was left ‘holding the baby’. By this time, dad made it clear to me that he fancied taking life at a slower pace and in 2006, during several phone calls between the two of us, I requested that he stand up as he had always done and give it one last shot with me. My plan entailed him moving back with mum with a view to cost sharing and with his health declining, ensuring that there was full-time support for one another. Both mum and dad reluctantly agreed to the plan as despite their long journey together, mutual love and respect, they had grown used to their independence. For once they listened to me and followed my instructions. I’m still gobsmacked now! Following this, supported by myself and a number of better spirited private hire operators ( particularly PaGE Transport and The Keen Group), Dad started the Red Route campaign for private hire drivers. We were successful and its completion led to the printing of the private hire roundel, the blue and white badge found on licensed private hire vehicles spanning London, which dad also had a hand in designing. The campaign’s success culminated in him successfully negotiating the position of general manager at The Keen Group. Dad's need for quality, standards and efficiency found him working tirelessly despite instructions from me, mum, colleagues and even the MD. But would he listen? No! Typically he just carried on with mum beside him all the way, regardless. You know what they say, behind every good man... She was the battery that kept him going strong throughout. Keeping the mood light and the humour flowing, even when the end was nigh! Our household believed in teamwork at all times! This work continued until early Wednesday 15th May '13 when dad got his calling. For once, he had no choice; no option out. He couldn't say no or take the back exit. He was at last as he wished - free as a bird!
Thanks for resourcing and putting the link to this tribute up sooper. David was truly a remarkable man of which we only got to see one aspect of. I feel blessed that I was one of the fortunate one's that had the privilege of meeting him. RIP David.
Lovely report from Deon, he obviously has inherited many of Brixton's abilities and skills. he is a testament to what Dave was. I feel privileged to have met him, I wish it had been more. I do hope we get to meet Pat and Deon in September RIP Dave, you are truly missed
We have all been lucky to have shared ideas and opinions with David, a man whose sincerity and human nature shone through everything he did. Thoughts and prayers to Deon and Pat.
Really interesting and nice man and I was so pleased I went to meet up with the lads on here, hope to do so again
