Joe Pettitt

[pennymachines]

I'm sorry hear, from Forum member Sweetmeats, that Joe Pettitt died last Wednesday morning, following an illness. No funeral details are known as yet.
For most of his life, Joe traded in antiques and was one of the first British collectors of coin-op machines, with a particular interest in automata and working models, some of which were on display at his Bones Lane Antiques shop at Battlesbridge Antique Village. I only crossed paths with Joe myself about three times, most recently at the Reeman Dansie auction in March. I visited his shop many years ago and found him knowledgeable, informative and entertaining on the subject of hunting down antique amusements. I think he was also a formidable salesman, because I left with two more machines than I'd set out for! My sincerest condolences to his family.

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Joe's Bridgebarn Antiques shop:

[sweetmeats]

The funeral details are as follows 10am on Friday 18th September Bowers Gifford Crematorium Church Road, Basildon SS132HG.

[sweetmeats]

Just back from Joe's funeral just one other slot collector there although delays at the Dartford crossing caused at least one collector to give up and go home. Very nice service it seems Joe was much more of family man that many people realised. His widow confirmed that the shop and museum will be open following a two week closure from tomorrow 19th September ALL machines are to be kept by the family so please do not contact Madge to try to buy anything, but please make time for a visit to Battlebridge to see the wonderful collection of machines on show most of which are for play. For anyone who has not been, there are a number of unique machines rescued from South End in the early 1970's together with Dennison and Leonard Lee working models plus of course the famous roundabout working on 50p as shown in earlier entry.

[badpenny]

Just back from Joe's funeral .................ALL machines are to be kept by the family so please do not contact Madge to try to buy anything, but please make time for a visit to Battlebridge to see the wonderful collection of machines on show most of which are for play. ..................

Thanks for the report and the reminder to visit Battlebridge.
As for the point about not bothering the widow or family about attempting to acquire anything, sadly this is one very real likelihood in this hobby of ours.
As was witnessed not too long back when an auctioneer approached the widow of a collector at his funeral, possibly as a result we witnessed some pretty poor lots appearing in their next auction.
Business may be business, however bad taste and irreverence deserve a smack in the teeth .......IMO.

[grabber]

i also attended today ,a very thoughtful service
i have known joe since 1987 when i visited his shop with a friend who was looking for antique clocks but it was about 1995 when we started to become friends through machines ,as time went on we would have a cup of tea in the shop talk about machines or look something up on the internet , last year he made a laughing sailor machine for him self as he rememberd a machine from southend pier which had a mannequin standing upright in a floor standing case but the original machine was always out of order he told me ,when joe finished his machine every one who saw it said it was a great job well done and well worth the effort
i am glad i knew joe as a friend and fellow collector