Larry has been coming to London and staying with my wife and me for about 5 years,  we always looked forward to the days when he'd be with us. 

I remember one summer's night (1996 or 97) when Alexandra and I sat at the bottom of our garden with Larry, We had a bottle (or two) of wine and sat discussing Architecture, politics telling jokes until well into the small hours. It's so easy to close your eyes and hear Larry's laugh, see his smile.

On another occasion (I think last Summer) Larry and I went over to the local pub and over a few pints (Larry was very partial to an English pint of draught or two!) chatted about people we knew, politics, and again exchanged  jokes. Larry was wonderful company.

My last memory of Larry is only a fortnight old. On the night of 20th, just before he went off to the Angers conference, Larry stayed with us, and he gave an unforgettable virtuoso performance on the piano, I'll never forget the girl walking past the house who stopped, stood outside the window for a minute listening to Larry play the piano, she then looked in, smiled and walked on. That young woman never met Larry, never knew him, will never know him, yet will be telling people for years about the ordinary London front-room where the man was playing the piano so wonderfully.

We're all grieving over here for Larry, in public and in private, with others and alone; when that ends here will be so many lovely memories of a friend who will always be thought of with warmest affection.

I got the news from my wife, Alexandra, who was in the car with him at the time; she was not seriously injured.   Another friend John had some injuries. 

Larry was chatting happily with my wife, Alexandra Kennedy (driving), and John Goodall (front-seat passenger) at the time of the crash.  Larry  was actually wearing a seat-belt, though tragically this did not stop him banging his head on the back window of the car.

The accident took place on a small country road just south of the French town of Niort.  The art historians were all at a one week conference in the town of Angers.  It's in the Loire area of France to the South East of Paris and North West of the Dordogne.  It was a small French country road, that had been recently gravelled.  The other car in front had also skidded at the same point. Sadly, our little Diahatsu, which has very small wheels, skidded off the road and into a ditch. 

Can I, as Alexandra's husband, pay an enormous tribute to everyone in the group who helped Alexandra through the 2 days of trauma before we could get her home. In particular Linda Monkton, John Goodall, and John McNiell were trully marvelous and I shall never be able to thank them enough.

Kindest Regards,

Brian Kennedy - London, England
brian.kennedy@totalise.co.uk