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Bryan "The Führer" Phillips and Friend celebrating the VOC's acquisition of a rare Model PS |
Word reaches us that Bryan Phillips, the longtime President of the Vincent H.R.D. Owners Club, has been trying to find out who told us that he had described the John Lumley Affair as the most damaging scandal to hit the VOC for over fifty years. A number of members have been buttonholed by Phillips, including friends of mine. Given that Phillips made this statement at several different section meetings around the country, his search for the mole is unlikely to succeed. While I protect my sources, of course, I think I can help The Führer, as he is popularly known amongst members, by telling him that he is in fact looking for several moles. I should also point out to him that his attempts to deny making this statement are overshadowed by the fact that (a) lots of people heard him say it in several different locations and (b) at least two sets of minutes from local section meetings record the fact.
For some historical information about Bryan Phillips, readers might care to consult Bruce Main-Smith's comments. Mr Phillips was also informed of the situation regarding John Lumley's motorcycle collection within a day or two of the attempt by one of the recipients to trade the prewar Vincent H.R.D. Comet he received "out of the blue" less than two days after John Lumley's funeral. And then there is Mr Phillips' gift on behalf of Honorary Member and TT veteran Nigel Seymour-Smith to the Vincent H.R.D Owners Club of the extremely rare prewar Vincent H.R.D. Model PS, despite being fully aware of the machine's true provenance.
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VOC AGM: will Charlie Cannon get a fair hearing? |
Mr Phillips is due to preside over the appeal at the VOC's 2011 AGM by Lumley Affair whistleblower Charlie Cannon against his expulsion for bringing the VOC into disrepute by exposing the disreputable conduct of senior VOC officials and leading members in connection with the taking away and dispersal of valuable assets from the late John Lumley's estate.
Meanwhile, despite the efforts of the VOC management to give the opposite impression, HM Revenue & Customs continue their investigations and have stated that they considering the imposition of penalties - for attempted tax evasion - upon the recipients of all these alleged "gifts" they received.
