The Last Checkered Flag: Mel Herman
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A Remembrance by Mike Knapman
Mel Herman lost his fight against cancer on Thursday 7th April, 2022. Mel bought his first Allard in 1969. It was an M drop head coupe painted in what could be called Caramel Brown. Chassis no. 823, reg number JC9685, the car that subsequent owner Kate Manley-Tucker and her husband drove to Peking in the Paris to Peking Rally.
I first met Mel and his wife Liz in the mid-1970’s when he brought the M to one of our Annual Concours held at Salisbury Hall. After selling the M to Kate Manley-Tuckert, he left us to pursue his business interests, re-joining in 2005 and undertaking the nut and bolt restoration of his second M, MUA 630 chassis no, 716, to award winning standards.
As well as setting a high standard of restoration, Mel contributed a great deal to the Club. Most members will know that his professionalism and expertise resulted in award winning stand designs for the Club at the Classic Motor Show, NEC. He also codified guidelines for the judging of cars entered in our Annual Concours, achieving a sympathetic balance between originality and modifications to improve reliability or performance. When Chris Sole unexpectedly died in March 2020 Mel, in conjunction with Josh Sadler and Geoff Pinch, was instrumental in saving all the “basket case” projects Chris had accumulated. Later, Mel became Editor of our newsletter. His opinions were always valued at our committee meetings.
Born in Edinburgh on October 14th 1944 Mel was re-settled in North Wales at an early age when his adoptive parents took over a small hotel in Prestatyn. Mel’s secondary education was at Rhyl Grammer School where his favorite subject was art. He eventually studied Industrial Design Engineering at the Central School of Art and Design, in Southampton Row, London.
On leaving Central Mel was invited to join a firm of architects at Rhyl and soon became involved in developing 500 stores, 3 distribution centers and a headquarters for the supermarket chain Kwik Save. After 13 years in the practice, Mel left to renew his career in Industrial Design Engineering, leading to the award of a Fellowship of the Chartered Society of Design in 1990 and the formation of Herman Design Associates Studio located at St Asaph.
Herman Associates was, for many years the only North Wales company qualified to develop and design projects for the UK Government’s ”Design for Business Programme” administered by the Design Council in London, who also became regular clients. In addition to the Design Council, Herman Associates worked for the Welsh Office and other Government bodies.
The offices at St. Asaph became rented office accommodation whose tenants included the Welsh Development Agency. This led to Mel branching out into a new commercial property venture. Mel and his old boss from the Rhyl architectural agency joined forces to restore Llannerch Hall, St Asaph. Mel subsequently going on to buy and restore Benarth Hall on the banks of the Conwy estuary. His last home, The Vinery, being built in the walled garden of the Hall.
In addition to his love of cars and all things Allard, Mel also was fond of sailing, regularly organizing a cruising club in the Aegean. His anecdote about how he managed to pass the boat, Premier Crux, under a very low bridge on a river in France on its transit to the Mediterranean was hilarious.
Mel generously left his collection of Allard literature to the Club’s archives and his accumulation of spares to the Club for the use of members. Mel was always meticulous and organized. It was typical of him that while in hospice he spent three hours on the telephone to Josh Sadler ensuring the spares were only to be used for live active Allard restorations and moreover he drafted the notes for the Celebrant to use at his funeral!
Mel was always even tempered and happy, a friend to all, often recounting stories and anecdotes over dinner, He will be sorely missed. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth and two sons Simon and Sefton, grandchildren and great grandchildren
I never met Mel in person as we were 5,000 miles apart, but I got to know him over the years via email. I first came to appreciate Mel when he shared several photos of his beautiful M chassis 716. I was blown away by the quality of the restoration and the subtle upgrades he made to improve common structural weaknesses of the M. From there we corresponded over the years and Mel became one of my valued resources that I could refer restoration questions to that I could not answer. I then came to appreciate (from afar) Mel’s eye for design as he started creating some amazing Allard Owners Club show displays that definitely helped to promote the marque. Mel’s countless contributions to the Allard marque will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on for future Allard owners. Our condolences go out to his family and the AOC. -Colin Warnes