Sad news indeed, Brian was a valued and active member of the RAT Community. It was always a pleasure to see his reconstructions of Roman military equipment and hear his insight into making them.
Graham.
"Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream" Edgar Allan Poe.
"Every brush-stroke is torn from my body" The Rebel, Tony Hancock.
"..I sweated in that damn dirty armor....TWENTY YEARS!', Charlton Heston, The Warlord.
Thank you Stephen for letting us know of your Fathers passing, and please accept my most sincere condolences.
Brian was in many ways like a Father to me and he became one of my best mates. He was a mentor to me and my mate Jimmy, and taught and shared his skills in Roman armoury to us...to which we are forever grateful. Further to that he was simply a good bloke. We corresponded via email several times a week and spent many hours on the phone discussing an array of topics. I had the pleasure of spending a week with him last September in the UK and there is not a day that goes by that I don't think about that week....we had such a tremendous time.
He was an extremely generous man, and was only too willing to help anyone who asked for advice. I loved his sense of humour, and he continually amazed me of his knowledge, not only of Roman history, but overall general knowledge.
Our thoughts are with you Stephen.
Brian was a very active member of our small family, never tiring of giving us good advice or telling us off when we got it wrong. He will be sorely missed, although of course not in the way you must be missing him. I hope we can keep his memory alive here.
Robert Vermaat MODERATOR FECTIO Late Romans
THE CAUSE OF WAR MUST BE JUST
(Maurikios-Strategikon, book VIII.2: Maxim 12)
Your father was a valuable member of this board, always helpful, always sharing his thoughts and informations. He will be missed here. Thank you for letting us know, and I wish you and you family all the best in these days.
nec sic interemit mors res ut materiai
corpora conficiat, sed coetum dissupat ollis;
inde aliis aliud coniungit et efficit, omnis
res ut convertant formas mutentque colores
et capiant sensus et puncto tempore reddant;
ut noscas referre earum primordia rerum
cum quibus et quali positura contineantur
et quos inter se dent motus accipiantque,
neve putes aeterna penes residere potesse
corpora prima quod in summis fluitare videmus
rebus et interdum nasci subitoque perire.
Lucr. II 1002-1012.
Sorry to hear that Stephen, me too had the very fine experience to have had Brian as a mentor in my quest to make stuff. He gave me a personal tour along Hadrians wallmand i still remember the nice change to be at your parents home and discussing items and craftmanship. I will also miss the email contact to discuss new projects, a very helpfull man brian was. He may rest in peace. All the best to your and your family.
________________________________________ Jvrjenivs Peregrinvs Magnvs / FEBRVARIVS
A.K.A. Jurjen Draaisma CORBVLO and Fectio ALA I BATAVORUM
My condolences to the Stobbs Family. Brian was a very good friend and I too spent an incredible amount of time speaking with him about an array of topics....my fondest memories being things not Roman but when we discussed our personal lives especially after my father passed 6 months ago.
However, he too helped me very much when making Roman items and he is the one who told me that one day I would make my own things. I never thought I would but he was right......I have begun making my own kit.
I do have one VERY special physical object that Brian made for me and that is the Gallic D helmet. He was the first to make a copy based on the original text. To this day, I have yet to see anything that rivals his version. I will always cherish this helmet.
God speed to you.....my friend.
Paolo
"You have to laugh at life or else what are you going to laugh at?" (Joseph Rosen)