Tributes have been paid to the founder of after he died suddenly.
Brian Jones had been interviewed for TV show Britain’s Got Talent which was filming in Birmingham, shortly before he collapsed.
It is understood that Mr Jones showed no sign of illness or discomfort while being filmed for the TV show at the Hockley tourist attraction on Friday night, but died in the street only yards away.
The 77-year-old, who was president of the museum he helped set up in 2001, was on his way to catch a bus to his home in Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, after the interview.
He was pronounced dead on arrival at City Hospital just after 6.30pm.
The cause of death is not yet known, but Mr Jones had a history of heart problems and underwent a bypass operation some years ago.
Mr Jones received the MBE in 2008 for his service to the voluntary sector, having spent much of his life as a social worker. In later years he was employed as director of vision services by Birmingham Royal Institute for the Blind, being partially sighted himself.
Mr Jones joined the national Writing Equipment Society and set up the Birmingham Pen Trade Heritage Association in 1996.
He and fellow members Larry Hanks, Colin Giles and Ray Handley worked tirelessly to launch the museum 12 years ago.
The attraction takes visitors back to a time
Mr Jones specialised in the work of Sir Josiah Mason, whose steel nib business employed 1,000 people in the mid-1800s. Now 10,000 people a year visit the Grade II listed former pen factory.
Birmingham’s pen nib manufacturing industry grew up around the Jewellery Quarter in the 19th century and went on to become renowned everywhere, employing around 8,000 people in the city – until the arrival of the ball point pen killed it off.
Mr Jones is survived by wife Edna – the couple celebrated their golden wedding anniversary two years ago – son Malcolm, daughter Lynne and four grandchildren.
Malcolm said: “My father had a tremendous appetite for life and approached everything with a relentless positivity that the rest of us could only wonder at.
“Working with like-minded people and armed only with a zest for life, a sharp mind and a friendly smile he would cheerfully achieve what, to others, looked impossible.
“He would then laugh loudly at something that had happened to him along the way and move on to the next project. He was much loved and it is a great comfort to us that right up until his last hours he was busily engaged in his passion for helping to tell the story of Birmingham and its people.”
Friend and fellow museum founder Larry Hanks – who was also at the Britain’s Got Talent shoot – said: “He was happy as a sandboy because he got our next book – People, Pens and Production – mentioned.
“He wasn’t nervous about the interview, he was used to things like that. He was right as rain.” Mr Hanks added: “We used to joke that he had direct orders he couldn’t die until he finished the book. He’d finished it and he was happy.
“I said ‘goodbye, see you soon’ and he walked through the gates. That’s the thing I will always remember.
“Brian is going to be a very, very difficult act to follow. I was very much second in command. He was a very good organiser – that is where we will suffer.”
It is now planned to turn next Tuesday’s launch of People, Pens and Production into a day of tribute.
The Library of Birmingham is also planning a special.
The book is published by Brewin Books and is , priced at £14.95.
