This Wikipedian is deceased. Respectful comments of remembrance may be left below.

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		The Epic Barnstar
		Dear Brian, I want to thank you for all the most excellent work you have done recently to rewrite the article on the Australasian Antarctic Expedition; it was epic in its own right! I, for one, very much appreciate the many improvements you have brought to the article. Thank you for all your contributions to our encyclopedia. With kind regards; Patrick. ツ Pdebee.(talk)(become old-fashioned!) 22:54, 30 November 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Thank you for your kindness. I've always felt that this expedition got less recognition than it deserved, particularly in the UK – perhaps this will help to redress the balance, somewhat. Brianboulton (talk) 11:22, 1 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

For everything you done mate. All the best to you and yours. ——SN54129 16:28, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

I have just received an email from Brian's daughter to say that he died peacefully on 9 December, following a long illness. Requiesce in pace. 106 FAs, 2 FLs, gawd knows how many source and prose reviews at FA, and countless numbers of editors helped, encouraged and improved over the years. A good friend to all who met him, and this place is a little less appealing now he won't be here anymore. – SchroCat (talk) 16:49, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• I've never met Brian, but have followed his work here on this Wikipedia Project. I always looked forward to his next article which he felt moved to work on. His work is exemplary and worthy of recognition throughout this entire project. He will be surely missed. My thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time. HJKeats (talk) 17:10, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• So sad, no words, or perhaps just your words just above: "Thank you for your kindness". You generously shared the sources you collected for Vespro della Beata Vergine, - the work on it is dedicated to your memory. We learned a lot from you. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 17:11, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• This is devastating news. I was fortunate to have met him and I shall cherish it always. A fabulous writer and a lovely man. Thank you for your work Brian. My very best wishes to his family at this difficult time. Cassianto^Talk 17:44, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• A lovely person, funny, wise, patient and helpful. Wikipedia owes him much, and so do I: he was a mentor to me, he taught me such a lot, and I shall miss him dreadfully. The world is a better place for Brian's sixty-something years of being in it. I hope it is of some small comfort to Brian's family to know how deep the affection and respect for him were here. Bless you, dear Brian! Tim riley talk 17:56, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• May Mors guide him safely to the afterlife. Ealdgyth - Talk 18:16, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• BB was an extroadinary contributor, and I cherish the interactions I had with him here. His work enriched this encyclopedia and its mission. -- Ssilvers (talk) 19:03, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• Thanks for all your help in the past. --Rschen7754 19:23, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• Extraordinarily sad news. A special Wikipedian. My deepest sympathy to friends and family. MarnetteD|Talk 19:31, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• My heart sank as I read this very sad news just now. I thought I’d found another wonderful, dedicated fellow editor with whom to develop a working relationship on Antarctic explorations, and I’d only just awarded him the above barnstar a week ago. I am so sad, and wish to send my condolences to his family and friends. Farewell, Brian; you will be missed by all who knew you. — Patrick. Pdebee.^{(talk)(become old-fashioned!)} 19:39, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• I did have the privilege of meeting him once. An immense loss to his family, and also to Wikipedia. Gave generously of his time and advice to the end. It's stunning knowing that there will never be more pithy, to the point comments over his signature.--Wehwalt (talk) 21:51, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• I winced. A colleague in every sense of the word. - Dank (push to talk) 22:10, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• This is sad news. I also only had the pleasure of meeting Brian once, but it was a great pleasure indeed. On Wiki, we had more encounters, in which his knowledge, his depth of understanding, his compassion and his tolerance shone through. His contribution to this place is self-evident, through his FAs and his incredible industry, but also through the spirit of collaboration he exemplified so well. KJP1 (talk) 22:14, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• Sorry for the loss of this excellent Wikipedian. My thoughts go out to his friends--seems like there are many. Enwebb (talk) 22:18, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• I have had the benefit of several of his rigorous but good-spirited source reviews. One of my proudest Wikipedian moments was when Brian wrote "A clean bill of health ... Very professionally done" in a source review of one of my FACs. The thought that I shall not have another opportunity to prove myself worthy of him is thoroughly depressing. The world is poorer. Gog the Mild (talk) 22:25, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• Wow. Very sad news indeed. He will be greatly missed. Hawkeye7 (discuss) 23:39, 10 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• Very sad - I only met Brian once, but saw him a good deal online. A great Wikipedian, who has already been greatly missed since he reduced his editing, and will continue to be. All best wishes to his family, Johnbod (talk) 01:37, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• See also: Wikipedia_talk:Featured_article_candidates#Brian_Boulton_has_passed_away. Johnbod (talk) 01:50, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• This is incredibly sad news. Goodbye, Brian, and thank you for everything you did here. With thoughts and best wishes to his loved ones, SarahSV ^(talk) 04:04, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• Not only was Brian an incredible writer and reviewer, but he had that amazing quality of being able to get more out of those around him. His work at FAC over countless years has vastly improved Wikipedia for the better, and I am deeply saddened to hear this news. Harrias ^talk 10:29, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• A sad loss. Brian was one of the finest editors we've had, as well as one of the pleasantest people I've met here. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 11:33, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• I'm really upset to hear this. I met Brian once at the "Wehwalt Arms" a few years back where we were glad to see him after a round of ill health, and it was genuinely nice to speak to him and hear his enthusiastic words about various articles he had worked on. His writing and track record of FAs is incredible, and he is one of the most talented and patient Wikipedians I have known. Please give my condolences to his family. Ritchie333 ^{(talk) (cont)} 14:41, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• Brian was a brilliant contributor and a highly accomplished writer. I once suggested to him the he should consider applying to be a Mastermind contender with the Antarctic expeditions of Scott et al. as his specialist subject. But his renowned modesty prevailed and he claimed he new very little about the subject – despite his numerous Featured Articles on the subject. Brian and I joined Wikipedia around the same time and Brian's gentle manners combined with his powerful intellect was one of the reasons why I decided to stay. I thought that if all Wikipedia editors were as kind and gifted as this man, I would love it here. I am deeply saddened and I will miss him so much. Goodbye dear Brian. Graham Beards (talk) 15:22, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• Devastated. A kind, expert, willing and helpful Wikipedian, par excellence. This place will be far the worse without him. I do hope his family see these messages and realise how much his onwiki 'family' appreciated him too. I can only imagine how much someone with such a kindly footprint on the internet must have been loved in real life. --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 15:32, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

  I told User:The Rambling Man offwiki of Brian's sad passing and he asked me to pass on his condolences too. --Dweller (talk) Become old fashioned! 22:11, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

• I'm very sorry to hear this. --Tryptofish (talk) 18:19, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• I'm deeply grateful to have worked with Brian at FAC and peer review and elsewhere. He was incredibly erudite, incredibly productive, incredibly steady: a great editor. Finetooth (talk) 20:20, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• I am so sad. Brian was so giving of his time and talent - it was such a pleasure to have worked with him and he will be sorely missed. Ruhrfisch _><>°^° 20:26, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• A true gentleman and a scholar who was unending helpful and always led by example. Once had the pleasure of meeting him, and hew be sorely missed. Ceoil (talk) 21:54, 12 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• Thanks to everyone for their moving tributes to Brian; it means more to us than we can say. We are amazed to see how widely he was loved and respected by this community, and so happy to know that so many people have him in their thoughts. We have created this user page to upload one or two more photos of Brian (but the account needs to be confirmed first). We are also creating a memorial page which we will share on our user page in the next few days when it is ready. We always knew that Brian was an extremely kind and clever man, but seeing his contributions to this project have shown us just how generous and (more surprisingly!) patient he could be too. Brianboulton's Family (talk) 13:03, 12 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• Dear @Brianboulton's Family: I am sorry for your loss. He had a mild-mannered indirect way of offering criticism. He was very generous. He was highly intelligent. Those are the things I remember. Fowler&fowler«Talk» 01:42, 13 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• So sorry to hear this -- the place really will not be the same without Brian. I envy my colleagues who had the chance to meet him in the flesh. It was entirely natural and appropriate that he was the driving force behind the FAC Mentoring Scheme, as he was really a mentor to us all. My sincere condolences to his family -- he will be greatly missed. Ian Rose (talk) 13:17, 13 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• Very sorry to hear. A great guy to work with. Always helpful and very productive. Martinevans123 (talk) 21:09, 13 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• All my condolences to you. He has had a lasting positive impact on all of those, myself included, who interacted with him. His legacy lives on in wikipedia at large.Iry-Hor (talk) 21:14, 13 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• I just saw the sad news on the FAC talk page. Brian had an incredibly deep commitment to improving the quality of pages on Wikipedia, through his content work and reviews of articles. He is undoubtedly one of the best editors Wikipedia has ever seen, and all of us will miss him. If his family is still watching this page, please accept my condolences, and rest assured that Brian has left a lasting legacy on the site. Giants2008 (Talk) 22:45, 13 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• Condolences. This is terribly sad news; Brian will certainly be sorely missed. Connormah (talk) 22:56, 13 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• I am so sorry. Brian was a great, friendly Wikipedian. He will be missed. GermanJoe (talk) 23:14, 13 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]
• I cannot begin to say how sorry I am. I had the privilege of meeting Brian and his daughter in London once, and this news breaks my heart. Brian was an amazing man and a true scholar, and the world is a lesser place without him. If his family and friends are reading, please accept my heartfelt sympathy for your loss. He is a man I will truly never forget. User:Kafka Liz ^{a girl is no one} 23:28, 13 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Dear colleagues,
I wanted to create something by which we could all commemorate our friend Brian and, although userboxes are often used for frivolous purposes, it occurred to me that it would be meaningful simply to display the following userbox on our user pages:

This Wikipedian remembers Brian Boulton.

To add this userbox to your page, just apply: ((User:Pdebee/UBX/Remembers))
With kind regards;
Patrick. Pdebee.^{(talk)(become old-fashioned!)} 01:46, 11 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Brian, we miss you

Yes. --Gerda Arendt (talk) 07:40, 12 December 2019 (UTC)[reply]