John Richard Lyon Hanmer 1940-2022

John Richard Lyon Hanmer, who died 27 November, 2022, aged 82, was a scion of the Hanmer baronets.

He was born 12 July, 1940, son of Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Richard Hanmer, MBE, TD (1899-1976), and his wife the former Violet Millicent Corbett-Winder (1907-1968), scion of that landed gentry family, of Vaynor Park (where he spent much of his childhood); and married in 1979, Gillian Mary Smith. No issue of the marriage.

John Hanmer was the linchpin of the BBC’s Grand National commentary team for more than three decades. He was an admirably unflappable racing commentator whose distinctive gravelly tones reached their widest audience when he picked up the commentary as the runners crossed the Melling Road during the Grand National at Aintree, which he commentated on for more than three decades.

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