Neville Hay’s Obituary and Funeral Details as follows:
Neville Hay was born in Kidderminster Worcestershire on 12th November 1938. He was educated at King Charles 1st Grammar School Kidderminster and as a young man always listed his interests as girls, cars, and the Theatre in that order!
Neville worked briefly as an Actor and then joined the Motor Trade for some years. His theatrical interests
continued and this was where he met his future wife Dorothy in 1957. They married over 60 years ago on September 10th, 1960, and have three grown up children Richard Stephanie and John and six grandchildren
In 1960 he joined a Timber Merchants and Importers, a specialist Joinery Manufacturing business, of which he became Chairman and Chief Executive until he sold the business in 1975.
He started commentating on Motor Sport for fun, as cars and Motor Sport have always been present in his life.
As a small boy in the forties, his love of History and Motor Sport history in particular started and continued throughout his life.
The direct involvement in motor sport commentary began fifty years ago, and expanded in to writing as early as the sixties, covering road tests and Motor Shows throughout Europe.
His theatrical and his own motor racing ambitions became sacrificed however in order to hold down three different means of making living in the sixties and early seventies of which Motor Sport became a dominant part.
By the mid-sixties his Motor Sport commentaries began to centre around Film Commentary, Public Address and Broadcasting and by the mid-seventies this was a full time occupation.
The Film, TV and Broadcasting activities required writing scripts of course and by now he was a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers whilst also working as a freelance Commentator for BBC Radio. Worldwide TV
Commentaries followed including Channel 7 Australia, Screensport, Eurosport, Sky ITV and Channel Four.
In 1981 Neville and Dorothy Hay founded the successful television production company Hay Fisher Productions.
They were joined in the business by their elder son, Richard, who became a director in 1985.
In 1993 Neville was delighted to be invited by the Directors of the BRDC to become an Associate Member
The Hays sold their interest in the business to son Richard in 1994, Their younger son John who is a Partner in a Suffolk Solicitors practice, has also been involved, regularly assisting in what is now his brother’s organisation as a skilled and experienced cameraman
Neville continued commentating regularly until 1997, while producing TV Films on Motor Racing history became a major activity throughout the Nineties.
He has a large private library of Motor Sport books and Archive Film and Neville and his wife produced, wrote and directed well over a hundred Archive programmes.
The writing side of his activities expanded in the late nineties and was encouraged by his friend, Ed McDonough, and Charles Harbord, founder of the Magazine “Cars for the Connoisseur,” who invited him to write a regular column.
Neville and Dorothy Hay moved to the Isle of Man in 1997 and over the last twelve years Neville has concentrated on writing They now live in semi-retirement close to the sea with, as Neville puts it, ‘as much garden as my wife can manage’.
His Biography of Prince Birabongse of Thailand and the British Racing
Driver Tony Rolt were published in 2009.
He continued to commentate for TV, Radio and Circuits at the events he enjoys such as Le Mans, the Goodwood Historic Meetings, the Silverstone Classic and the Ormskirk Motorfest.
He has devoted more time to his other interests including good food, wine and cooking. Alongside writing he is an avid reader and his broad tastes in music and the theatre reflect a lifelong interest in both.
The Hays have always loved animals, particularly dogs, and have two King Charles Spaniels, Vince and Harry who play a large part in their lives.
One close friend has been heard to opine that given the choice,
he would come back as one of their dogs!
Neville started commentating for ACC at the Aintree Festival of Motorsport, in 2004, when we celebrated the 50th Anniversary of the Grand Prix Circuit over a 3-day event held in late November.
Neville had VIP treatment, staying at the same Hotel as Sir Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks and his great friend, Roy Salvadori and attending the two Black Tie Gala Dinners we held on the Friday and Saturday evenings.
He was also a regular visitor to Liverpool for treatment at the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital.
Neville then joined us for our Club Relaunch in 2009 and then became our Event Commentator for the Ormskirk Motorfest from 2011 to 2019, flying over from the Isle of Man and staying in his favourite Premier Inn at Scarisbrick, often accompanied by his wife, Dorothy, who would join us for our traditional “Motorfest Eve” Dinner in Ormskirk.
Neville would generally only commit to Motorfest a few weeks before the event because, to quote…”I never thought I would last this long!”
May his memory be preserved in the hundreds of motor racing films and documentaries he has produced, his motor racing commentaries and the pleasure we had from his jovial and enlightening company over the years.
The Club offers it’s condolences to Neville’s wife Dorothy and his children, Richard, John and Stephanie.
Nevilles Funeral arrangements are as follows:
Wyre Forest Crematorium, Kidderminster, DY13 8DE 2.30pm
Wake to beheld at The Crown and Sandys Hotel, Main Road, Ombersley, WR9 0EW
Photo: Neville on the grid of the first Ormskirk Motorfest in 2011
