In proposing Barry as a Life Member at this 2009 AGM Brian Fisher said “I have had the pleasure of knowing Barry for over half a century, 51 years in fact. He is one of that rare breed of men who have been both captain and a president of this wonderful club. He is in the same mould as Howard Selby, George Pollard, Sam Derry, George Jeffcott, John Barker and Ken Hunter. These are the only seven men in the 90 year history of this club who have led it on and off the field.

I have always regarded Barry as a talisman. As a farmer in conjunction with his brother Guy he has always set the pace and as a rugby player and a member of this club he has also set the pace. It’s time to gather hay when Barry is gathering hay, it’s time to reap the harvest when Barry is reaping the harvest. He has always been that sort of a man.

Likewise on the rugby field, although he suffered an injury to a knee very early in his career, when he was in fact still a student, he went on to become a very fine back row forward culminating in his captaincy of the club in the year 1963. There was just as much versatility in forwards play in those days as there is today with people having to adapt to availabilities and injuries. I remember one occasion which went down in the folk law of the club in the sixties when Barry was pressed into service as a hooker for the first XV against Coventry Extras.

In those days we regularly played sides like Northampton, Coventry and Leicester Tigers second XV’s, facing many an international player and this was one of those occasions. There was a legendary front row playing for Coventry in those days two of whom formed part of the England front row, Phil Judd and Bert Goodwin, the hooker. Bert Goodwin has been injured and he was given a run out in the second XV against Newark before going back into the Coventry and England sides. On that famous day Barry succeeded in taking a ball or two against the head against the England hooker.

I can tell you a few pints were downed over that for many a long night on the Holes AK bitter (I know you have never heard of it, just be happy you never had to drink it!)

I know that looking at people like Barry, Tom Grocock and me it is difficult to imagine we were ever young once, but rest assured gentlemen you didn’t invent it. As Barry and I served as tax commissioners, councillors, officers of this club and so on it is easy to forget that one day we were young in the fifties and sixties.

A few cameo memories: Barry and Tony Masding getting worked over for unwisely thinking they could do a runner from Charlie Chester’s Nightclub after a Varsity Match in London. Barry, Frank Latham and a gang of us fighting in the gutter in Leicester over a bag of chips after a Tigers night match at Welford Road.

Wild nights out in London after Twickenham visits when we would sometimes play a match in the London area in the morning and then go on to an international in the afternoon.

An all night party at Barry’s house when Barry’s mother and father unwisely went on holiday abroad the week of the club dinner resulting in an egg throwing competition as the dawn broke with eggs sailing 50 ft over the top of a mature oak tree and landing unbroken in the soft ground wet with the morning dew.

Many in the club will remember the literally hundreds of pre and post match parties we hosted together with our wives on the West Stand car park at Twickenham for neigh on 30 years. I could go on but it will only get worse including the time Barry ploughed up the fairway at Wentworth with his Volvo in the pouring rain at the end of the World Match play final.

Then, of course, the term Fishers Folly arose when the clubhouse was a pile of numbered pieces of wood resting rent free for a period of about a year in the stackyard at Barry’s home, Grange Farm, South Muskham.

There it lay all a warping pile of timber christened by club secretary Joe Howard and Johnnie Barker as Fishers Folly.

This pile of timber was eventually removed from Barry’s stackyard to form the core of our clubhouse. After finishing playing for the club, Barry with his farming expertise and equipment maintained the pitches for donkey’s years, again, of course, without charging the club a penny for his time, equipment or skill.

Subsequently Barry went on to become fixture secretary serving with distinction for many years.

Barry has suffered terribly with his health over the last 11 years and only recently lost his second leg. Throughout all these very, very trying times he has remained the man I have known for over a half a century supported by his wonderful wife Christine, never complaining, full of guts, mindful of the needs of others, full of humility, loving his family, loving rugby, loving this club.

I cannot think of a more worthy candidate to become an honorary life member.”

The above article was written as a testimonial to Barry by Brian Fisher for the annual meeting back in June 2009.