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A member over on 'Planet Diecast' has posted the sad news that Gary Hirst has passed away.

His website here...http://www.garyscars.co.uk/ was a very good reference site for the circa 3 inch sized model cars. He will be sadly missed, but I hope a friend or Family member will keep his site running as a fitting tribute to Gary.

Please see here for the full story...http://www.planetdiecast.com/index.php? ... d=0#339562

Kevin B.

Very sad to hear this.
I have visited his site many, may times, especially for the Matchbox Copies section.

My condoleances to his partner and family.

Maarten

Very sad news I have visited Gary's site a few times since taking up the hobby. My thought and prayers go out to his family.

Always saddened to hear of a fellow enthusiasts passing.

I am terribly shocked by this news, although it does not come as a big surprise. I am struggling to find the right words to say in this situation, so please forgive me if my statement seems awkward.

Gary Hirst was perhaps the best friend I had in this hobby. I first met him at the 1st European MICA Convention in 1993. We took several US trips together in the 1990s, until he was no longer able to travel because of the terrible disease (bone marrow cancer) which he had been suffering from since at least 1999 (although it was only diagnosed in 2000). I do not know any details about the circumstances of his death, but I assume that he finally succumbed to this disease which had caused him pain for so long. It may be a small consolation that this pain is now over.

Until recent times I often stayed at his house during my UK trips (my last visit was in 2012), and my records say that my collection contains 389 models (283 Matchbox and 106 Citroën models) which I received from him over the years. Those will keep my memory of him fresh for the rest of my life.

I am now very sorry as well as sad about the fact that he was one of the "victims" whom I failed to keep in touch with during the last two and a half years, due to huge time pressure both in my job and in my private life (too many emails and too few hours each day).

R.I.P.


Gary and myself in 1995.

I didn't knew him but saw his site !
Such a knowledge that disappears.
It just me think about an african expression.

"A (old) man who dies it is a library which burns."

A sad news.