A MAN who founded a motor museum has died.

Fredrick John Saunders, who was known as John, from Bedford Road, Henlow, died on August 15 at the age of 85.

Born in 1928 his dream was always to have a museum.

He realised this when he founded Stondon Motor Museum in 1994.

Maureen Hird, a director of the museum in Lower Stondon and John’s PA for 34 years said: “He purchased the site as a garden centre in 1988 with the intention of trying to start a museum eventually. He spent the last 20 years of his life building it up. The museum is the largest private motor museum in the country and John built up a collection of 400 vehicles.”

Quote from children.

In his introduction on the museum’s website, John said: “Over the past 25 years I have derived great pleasure in collecting and renovating many of the exhibits on show, and it seemed a shame not to share that pleasure with others so the idea of a museum was born. It is my sincere hope that your visit will be informative as well as a trip down Memory Lane, and I hope that you will revisit the museum in the not too distant future.”

He leaves two sons and a daughter and 10 grandchildren.