1928-2024
Sybil Riches died on 29 January; she was 96 years old. Sybil, the mother of Larry Riches, was a co-director of Lintek (Motorcycle Accessories Ltd), founded in 1974 by Larry and later sold in 1987 to Banro Industries.
Larry Riches writes: Sybil was born in Colchester in 1928 and, following several moves with her parents moved to Lincoln in 1939, where her father was responsible for building airfields during WW2. She met Bob her future husband, at the Saracens Head in High Street, Lincoln on a blind date. The Saracens Head is now an Ann Summers shop! They married in 1946 and in 1947 I arrived.
Mum worked as a secretary for several companies in Lincoln and then, following an NHS re-organisation (where she worked), she decided to retire, and as I had just started Lintek she said she would do two days a week to help with the paperwork. We all know where that went – she was soon clocking up 50/60 hours a week and became known in the motorcycle trade as Larry’s “Right Hand Mam”. She ran the invoicing and administration department like a Trojan and knew almost every customer by their Christian name. Beware anyone who account was overdue! The reps would ask for a cheque and if the customer didn’t cough up, they would be told: “if you don’t pay, Sybil will be calling you. It’s your choice!” This usually elicited a cheque!
Her character has been described as formidable, a force of nature. She became a legend amongst the many friends the family made in the trade. Sybil was also a legend with the computer support staff as she regularly wore out the enter key on her keypad!
During her retirement she kept in contact with friends in the trade through Christmas cards and telephone calls and was always talking about her “Lintek years and the friends she made” She passed away peacefully at 96 in her sleep with family and Dave “Diddy” and Barbara Dalton at her side.
All Saints Church, West Ashley, Lincs was packed with more than 200 well-wishers at her funeral on the 19 February.