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Mike Hawthorn - a new book


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#1 tonyb

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Posted 24 April 2008 - 12:07

Hi all

Several people have suggested that I post this here - part of the information below has already been posted on the Something about books thread but it seems people are missing it buried within that thread. Having it here also has the advantage of the data being easily and visibly updated as things progress. Thanks.

The info below incorporates updates on the other thread's post plus additional comments - this went out as a mail shot last night - anyone who wants to get on the mailing list, please use the links at the bottom of the post.

Anyone who can contribute with memories of Mike, please do so as soon as possible. Again, please use the links at the bottom of this post

Those of you who have asked how they can purchase the book, plesse make sure you are on the interest list by Registering - there's a link at the bottom of this post. We'll only start taking actual orders once the book is proofed and confirmed for print later in the year.

MIKE HAWTHORN - GOLDEN BOY, A NEW BOOK TO BE PUBLISHED AUTUMN 2008
AND A REQUEST FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS!


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For those Mike Hawthorn fans amongst members, you'll be pleased to know that there is a new book on our 1958 World Champion being prepared, title as above. Keen Mike fan and accomplished artist Paul Dove has kindly donated the use of his portrait 'Golden Boy' as the likely cover image for the book (the phrase is now also incorporated in the probable title), together with his latest painting, 'Victory under the Sun' within the book- this shows Mike clinching the World Championship in Morocco.

You can find out more about the book and its progress below and also on the Tribute Web Site - in fact it was the success of the Tribute site that very much prompted the decision to produce the book due to the volume of information that has been steadily coming in from people who visited the site since it came online in November of 2006, many of them being members of this forum. There are currently 14 chapters planned. Notably, Jean Ireland (nee Howarth), who Mike was to marry, has agreed to talk in depth about her time with Mike.

I'm working on the book flat out at the moment from dawn to somewhere past dusk with much help from Paul Skilleter. It will be published by Paul who has had great recent success via his PJ Publishing company with his Ecurie Ecosse and Norman Dewis books (the latter on a second reprint now). Paul also won the Guild of Motoring Writers Montagu Award for the best researched and written motoring book of the year for his work with Norman Dewis. Norman has also willingly contributed to the book with his memories, including driving at Le Mans with Mike as a Jaguar Cars team member.

The book will hopefully be published in November 2008 in advance of the 50th Anniversary of his death. It will be large format and have many, many photographs (we currently have over 700 for consideration with more being added every day). The book concentrates on memories of Mike from those that knew him from growing up through to his work at the Tourist Trophy Garage and on to and past his death. There will be a hefty chapter on memorabilia that survives him.

The chapter covering Mike's racing history is being contributed by expert award winning author, Doug Nye, a well known member of this forum. Doug is also a keen and knowledgeable long term Hawthorn fan, besides being a long-term resident of JMH's home town of Farnham. Doug in fact joined a number of people involved with the book in Farnham a couple of weeks back to tour some of Mike's old haunts. One of these was the Hawthorn family's Tourist Trophy Garage in East Street - this is covered in the book with as much detail as has been possible from inception to closure with lots of photos and memories from those who worked there.

On the last visit there, we had with us two former employees of the TT Garage and had a look round the premises in East Street as they are now - even talking our way up into the old disused storerooms above the current spares shop (the owner was a bit bemused at the interest in an empty room!). Brian and Loraine who were with us both worked at the garage, Brian from 1956 - 1967 and his mother was Mrs Hawthorn's daily at their home for many years. As a result there are many revelations that haven't appeared in print before and some unique glimpses into his private life, including events both during the early morning at the cottage on the day of his death and on the forecourt of the TT Garage later.

Latest updates:

We've had many personal photos contributed by people who knew Mike - most never seen in print before - and many, many personal stories concerning him. We are also going to employ a sketch artist to illustrate some of the antics that Mike got up to! (offers are very welcome if any of you have artistic capabilities)

Illustrator David Clearly has kindly agree to vector draw many of Mike's cars for the book - his work is, we think, absolutely brilliant.

We are in contact with the owners of many of Mike's surviving cars so there will be detailed histories and both contemporary and modern photos of these.

Many of the local publications around Farnham have also helped, in particular ex Herald photographer Chris Shepheard, Ted Parratt of the Farnham Diary and David Rose of the Surrey Advertiser - the Diary will also be publishing a request for help with memories of Mike in their May issue. All ex-pupils from Ardingly College who were contemporaries of Mike in the 1940s have been mailed for their possible help

Jean Ireland (nee Howarth), who Mike was shortly to marry at the time of his death, has kindly agreed to an in-depth interview and we hope that this will prove to be one of the highlights of the book

There are some 26 (at the last count) people actively helping with their personal knowledge of Mike or with recollections told to them by their relations who did. Hardly a day passes now without someone else contacting us with their story of an encounter with Mike!

The owner of Mike's Riley Ulster Imp, Tim Ely, who purchased it direct (as a kit!) from Mrs Hawthorn in 1959, has provided full access to the car and there was a photo session with it at Brooklands in Surrey a few weeks ago. We felt this was appropriate since Mike writes that he was impressed with the circuit as a boy when Leslie took him there. You can find some of the images on the web site at the link below.

We have had access to Mike's original RAF exam entrance papers from 1954 and will be analyzing these and the whole National Service episode - this should prove very interesting and hopefully lay a few myths to rest.

We've made many visits to Mike's old haunts over the past few months with more to come - the Memorials page on the web site has an update as a result with new locations and images. One pleasant trip was to the Ball and Wicket pub in Upper Hale Road - this has a small brewery attached that produces Mike Hawthorn ale (5.3%) complete with a pump clip showing a Ferrari heading for the drinker! The crash site and that whole event will of course be well covered with some new revelations on exactly what happened that day in January 1959.

There have been overhead flights kindly made by a Hawthorn fan who owns a Radio Controlled plane with camera - so there will be a number of photos of notable locations that are a considerable improvement on Google Earth's renditions.

One major chapter is made possible via the many fans who have provided full access to their collections of Mike's personal and racing plus other collectable items. The book will have the most comprehensive and unique record of items ever assembled from Mike's racing and personal life. The latest additions are the drawing instruments that Mike used during his college and apprenticeship days.

And, yes, the book will have many, many photographs.

In the May issue of Jaguar World Monthly, out in April, you will find an article on an amazing find - Mike's original School 'Tuck Box' from the war years and used at Ardingly College in West Sussex. This has been unseen for over 50 years and we had full access to it via its current custodian. Read how it came to the family that owns it and what was in it .... This will naturally also be covered in the book but in more depth - there are some photos and a few quotes HERE on the web site

Others have also provided much material but there's not enough room here to list them all - the book will have a full list of all contributors.

And there's much, much more ...

YOUR HELP NEEDED

We are still looking for material from anyone who knew Mike or might have fresh information about him, and hasn't contacted us yet. Photographs are always welcome for inclusion, particularly if they haven't been seen in
print before.

If anyone out there has direct memories of Mike and would like to record them then I would like to hear from you please. Also anyone with items of memorabilia they would like included. Your memories are important to the book as are your photographs, especially if they are unseen so far - you can contact me via this forum or there is a form on the site to register your interest in the book if you want to and where you can make comments.

One question - does anyone know what happened to Grogger 2?

ADVANCE BOOK DETAILS

The book details as we have them currently are that it will be a large format, hard-bound publication printed on semi-gloss art paper with jacket, size approx. 225mm x 297mm and with hundreds of illustrations – as mentioned, many never seen in any book before. It is being produced in conjunction with Paul Skilleter Books - Paul wrote and published the acclaimed book on Norman Dewis, for which he recently won the Guild of Motoring Writers Montagu Award for the best researched and written motoring book of the year. That book has just gone to a third printing.

Paul also published the recent major Ecurie Ecosse history by Eric Dymock.

The Mike Hawthorn book will be of similar high quality to these books and will form a companion volume to them. Due to the specialised nature of the book, it is anticipated that only a limited number will be produced, together with a very special leather-bound edition with slip case, signed by someone closely connected to Mike, for those who want the best. Likely prices are UKP 45 for the std edition and UKP 150 for the limited edition.

The current provisional contents list is:

Title: Mike Hawthorn - Golden Boy
Introduction
Preface
Bibliography
Chapter One: Growing Up - Mike's school days and adventures
Chapter Two: The Family Business - The Tourist Trophy Garage Ltd
Chapter Three: Life with the Hawthorns
Chapter Four: Mike's Personal Cars
Chapter Five: Le Mans 1955
Chapter Six: A Special Jaguar - VDU 881
Chapter Seven: The Road to the World Championship
Chapter Eight: A Champion's Girl
Chapter Nine: What really happened in 1959?
Chapter Ten: Saying Goodbye
Chapter Eleven: Memorials
Chapter Twelve: Memorabilia
Chapter Thirteen: Recollections
Chapter Fourteen: Potpourri
Index

LINKS

Mike's Book

Register your interest in Mike's Book

Mike's Riley Ulster Imp

Memorials to Mike

Thanks in advance to everyone.

NB: we have until about the end of May to get the copy together so start hitting the keyboards now please!

Once we get to proof pages, I'll post some examples here for everyone to see.

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#2 flat-16

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Posted 25 April 2008 - 10:27

Will there be some details regarding Mike's road cars, particularly the Aurelia and Jag?


Regards,
Justin

#3 RS2000

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Posted 25 April 2008 - 10:39

Originally posted by flat-16
Will there be some details regarding Mike's road cars, particularly the Aurelia and Jag?
Regards,
Justin

Chapters 4 & 6?

#4 flat-16

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Posted 25 April 2008 - 11:29

Originally posted by RS2000

Chapters 4 & 6?



I should have worded that differently :blush: What I meant to write was "I hope there will be plenty of detail regarding Mike's road cars".

I'll get me coat...


Justin

#5 RTH

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Posted 25 April 2008 - 12:13

Why is it I wonder with all this computerised composition technology and the ability to send an entire book and its pictures down the line to a far eastern country with low wage rate and production costs, that books are now so expensive at a time when all other manufactured goods have got so much cheaper ?

.......And I doubt if the authors are getting any more !

#6 Mal9444

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Posted 25 April 2008 - 13:07

'...together with his latest painting, 'Victory under the Sun' within the book- this shows Mike clinching the World Championship in Morocco.'

Should'n't that read '... this shows Mike In Morocco being given the World Championship by Phil Hill'?

... or is this the wrong thread in which to make such a quip?
 ;)

As the man said: I'll get me coat.

:up:

#7 Vitesse2

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Posted 25 April 2008 - 13:45

Originally posted by RTH
Why is it I wonder with all this computerised composition technology and the ability to send an entire book and its pictures down the line to a far eastern country with low wage rate and production costs, that books are now so expensive at a time when all other manufactured goods have got so much cheaper ?

.......And I doubt if the authors are getting any more !

This was one of the unintended consequences of the abolition of the Net Book Agreement. I could give you all the economic arguments, but it wouldn't enrich your life.

Of course, those of us who campaigned for its retention anticipated this, plus the demise of many independent and specialist bookshops and supermarkets using books as loss leaders, but it just goes to prove the old saw that what all the experts predicted didn't happen and that all the damn fools were right. :rolleyes:

#8 Mal9444

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Posted 25 April 2008 - 13:59

Originally posted by Vitesse2

This was one of the unintended consequences of the abolition of the Net Book Agreement. I could give you all the economic arguments, but it wouldn't enrich your life.

Of course, those of us who campaigned for its retention anticipated this, plus the demise of many independent and specialist bookshops and supermarkets using books as loss leaders, but it just goes to prove the old saw that what all the experts predicted didn't happen and that all the damn fools were right. :rolleyes:



:up:
And I speak not just as an author(specialist field, modest output, modest income) but as a reader and purchaser of non-fiction, unfashionable books.

Speaking of unintended consequences... about my disappearing 10p tax rate... :mad:

#9 tonyb

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Posted 25 April 2008 - 18:11

Originally posted by flat-16
Will there be some details regarding Mike's road cars, particularly the Aurelia and Jag?
Regards,
Justin

Well, as you gathered from others .... yes :clap:

VDU 881 will have a large chapter to itself with lots of info and pics on the original car and also on the two known recreations of it by Paul Roach and Nigel Webb. Paul Skilleter (who is a dyed in the wool Jag man like myself) will be working on most of that so should be worth reading.

The other chapter referred to is basically about the cars that he owned at some point such as the Rileys, Alfa 8C, XK140 (two maybe), Lancia Aurelia and Aprilia, Ferrari 212 (talking to current owner currently), Fiat Topolino (bit short of info on this, especially photos - anyone out there have anything?) and the Mk 1 Jag VDU 881 (and another he drove for a while before that, a 2.4L, before persuading most of the engine down into the sump....) . Also have an illustrator working on many of these as vector drawings - here's a back view of the Ferrari 212:

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David Cleary

I spent the day with Paul in Farnham again, going through the Museum's Farnham Herald negative books from the 1950s. Found about 30 images overall bringing our total to nearly 800 to choose from. Here's one of Mike volunteering for the old mass X-Ray back in 1956:

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Farnham Herald

Also visited the crash site for the fourth time to recheck on a few things and take some photos (Paul was there in 99 but it's changed a lot in terms of building work in the general area and the growth of the Arboretum that wasn't there back in 59 or 99).

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Tony Bailey

Thanks for the support - loads of people have been registering their interest which is encouraging. And lots of stories coming in as well. Please keep it up!

#10 LOLE

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 10:29

I will meet with Walt Monaco, who was a very good friend of Mike, on May 23rd and 24th. I will ask him some anecdotes about Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins for he spent the WE with both at the Nürburgring when Peter was sadly killed at Pflanzgarten.
You can see a picture of Walt in Mike’s book “Challenge me the Race”.

#11 Twin Window

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 10:50

Originally posted by tonyb

...don't we have an active Moderator here :confused:

Good morning.

Yes we do; one who also has other matters to attend to.

I am now going to bin all the irrelevant posts.

#12 RS2000

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 13:26

So the thought police don't allow comments that the eyes in a painting do not reflect what more than one poster remembers of an important historical figure ?

#13 tonyb

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 14:21

Originally posted by RS2000
So the thought police don't allow comments that the eyes in a painting do not reflect what more than one poster remembers of an important historical figure ?

You've got the wrong thread.... :rolleyes:

#14 tonyb

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 14:26

Originally posted by LOLE
I will meet with Walt Monaco, who was a very good friend of Mike, on May 23rd and 24th. I will ask him some anecdotes about Mike Hawthorn and Peter Collins for he spent the WE with both at the Nürburgring when Peter was sadly killed at Pflanzgarten.
You can see a picture of Walt in Mike’s book “Challenge me the Race”.

Thanks, I had him as a contact via Carlos Ghys but hadn't yet got to talk to him. Someone else contacted me a few days back who poured a bottle of Scotch down Mike at the Black Boy Hotel at Bewdley when he brought Louise back after the accident.

#15 LOLE

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 14:58

Hello Tony, I (LOLE) am in fact Carlos Ghys. I’ll buy a small recorder (dictaphone) in order to register Walt Monaco’s stories. He’s 87 now but alive and kicking and still got a good memory…

#16 tonyb

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Posted 01 May 2008 - 15:07

Originally posted by LOLE
Hello Tony, I (LOLE) am in fact Carlos Ghys. I’ll buy a small recorder (dictaphone) in order to register Walt Monaco’s stories. He’s 78 now but alive and kicking and still got a good memory…


Hang on while I shoot myself :drunk:

Hi Carlos, I've got your trophy in the book at the moment, it all seems to fit together as being Mike's. Thanks for offering to do that, he'll probaby talk to someone he knows more freely than a stranger. I can play the small cassettes back here if that helps.

#17 tonyb

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Posted 10 June 2008 - 22:56

Originally posted by LOLE
Hello Tony, I (LOLE) am in fact Carlos Ghys. I’ll buy a small recorder (dictaphone) in order to register Walt Monaco’s stories. He’s 87 now but alive and kicking and still got a good memory…

Thanks for the colour photo of Mike in hospital Carlos, it'll go well with the letters from Mike in the Carlo Mundi hospital and from Leslie visiting him that they wrote to his grandmother and family in Yorkshire telling them what was happening after the Syracuse accident.

The book is now being assembled and should easily make 350+ pages and we now have over 1000 photos to choose from as well. There's additionally a Mike Hawthorn Art Gallery as well due to the number of paintings and drawings there are.

I'll post some sample page spreads soon. If anyone has anything they'd like to contribute there's still a little time.

HELP!
In particular, I have a plea to those of you looking at this - do any of you have or know the location of any of Mike's original trophies as we are very short of photographs of them? They will feature in over 40 pages of memorabilia which are growing by the day.

His 1958 World Championshiop Trophy is at the BRDC we know but the rest have seemingly vanished. Many were destroyed by Mrs Hawthorn (we have an eye witness who helped her), some were at Beaulieu and have also vanished. The VSCC have three. There was an auction at Sothebys in 1998 where maybe 12 or more were sold that came from his family but we so far cannot locate the buyer despite many enquiries.

If anyone can help, please PM me or use the form on the Tribute site. Any owners wouldn't have to be identified and locations won't be divulged to anyone if that's what's wanted.

Thanks also to those on this forum who have been helping already behind the scenes.

#18 tonyb

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Posted 21 June 2008 - 16:08

The book is now being laid out as pages with the copy required for this now almost complete. The size has grown to fifteen chapters with the addition of a Mike Hawthorn Art Gallery due to the volume of artwork that's been been supplied. Memorabilia currently runs to 55 pages and will reach over 60.

I have to thank RAP from this forum for his extensive help in creating one of the Appendices which includes all of Mike's known races (even those where he entered but did not attend) currently totalling 211, complete with results and every race car number - although see below for more on that.

Someone asked earlier about the Lancias - with Mike's last Aprilia, we have enough info for a chapter on its own, and similarly for the Aurelia, both of which still exist although the Aprilia is in need of a complete restoration.

We've had over 1100 photos supplied to choose from, many of which are private and have never been published before. Also various archive film for stills - this includes Mike's funeral itself.

There are a few items where some help is still needed if anyone can assist please?

1) Of the 211 race car numbers we currently need, we are missing those for the following races only:

- Sep 16 1950 Gosport Speed Trials Riley Imp 2nd
- May 31 1952 Charterhall Sports Cars (Ent: L Potter) Frazer Nash Mille Miglia 2nd
- Mar 7 1954 Sebring 12 hrs Ferrari 375MM DNA
- Jul 25 1954 Portugese GP Ferrari 750S 2nd
- Aug 1955 Swedish GP Ferrari 121LM DNA

2) Rob Walker was interviewed in, I think, Classic Car or Classic and Sports Car sometime in the early 2000s just prior to his death. Does anyone have a copy of the article please?

3) Sothebys had an auction on Sep 23 1998 that included lots 52 to 80 from Mike's estate and family. Likewise, does anyone have a copy of these entries please (or own any of the lots of course!)?

If you can help, please PM me.

Thanks.

#19 tonyb

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Posted 22 June 2008 - 08:56

Thanks for PM's on previous post.

A mystery for TNFers...

The VSCC have three of Mikes trophies that Winifred Hawthorn, Mike's
mother, donated to his memory and which are contested annually
in three races.

These are the Hawthorn Memorial Trophy Race, where the trophy was first
awarded at Silverstone in 1965, the Hawthorn Spanish Race and the Hawthorn
International Trophy Race.

I'm not having a lot of luck getting any more info out of them as to which trophy
is for which race.

The mystery one is this:

Posted Image

Mystery is that it reads:

'Presidente Peron 25° Gran Premio d’Italia 5–IX–1954'.

AFAIK, Peron was President of Argentina at that time but Mike was second
in the Italian Grand Prix on that date.

RAP has suggested Peron might have been present as a guest of honour at the race?
Does anyone have the programme to see the list of awards please?

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#20 David McKinney

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Posted 22 June 2008 - 11:13

The Hawthorn Spanish GP Trophy was presented to the winner of a pre-war cars' race at the summer VSCC Silverstone meeting from 1985, but I'm not sure what's happened to it since that meeting was abandoned a few years ago.
I suspect the other trophy was for sportscars, again at Silverstone, though I'm not sure of the dates it was awarded

#21 Alan Cox

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Posted 22 June 2008 - 11:19

The various Hawthorn Trophies are now awarded at VSCC Oulton, David. In fact, the meeting is now titled The Hawthorn Memorial Trophies Meeting, as June Silverstone used to be.

#22 David McKinney

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Posted 22 June 2008 - 11:35

I wasn't sure enough of that to say :)

#23 tonyb

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Posted 22 June 2008 - 11:40

Originally posted by David McKinney
The Hawthorn Spanish GP Trophy was presented to the winner of a pre-war cars' race at the summer VSCC Silverstone meeting from 1985, but I'm not sure what's happened to it since that meeting was abandoned a few years ago.
I suspect the other trophy was for sportscars, again at Silverstone, though I'm not sure of the dates it was
awarded

Thanks David. The four trophies they sent me photos of (despite their blurb saying there are three) don't
include anything from Spain unfortunately so am not a lot wiser knowing what is for which race. The
description I quoted earlier comes from a Silverstone programme.

The trophies they sent photos of are, firstly the one posted above from Italy.

Then:

Posted Image
which is for the Brighton Speed Trials 1950

Posted Image
looks like The Hawthorn Memorial trophy and I assume this was made especially for the
purpose but can't fully make out the inscription

Posted Image
and this tankard is for Goodwood in August 1951

I don't have a lot of info as it seems difficult to get data out of them which is a great shame. Also their
contract trophy cleaner doesn't seem to have been in (they haven't been presented recently so don't get
cleaned I'm told).

If anyone can fathom out which trophies belong to which races I'd be grateful.

#24 David McKinney

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Posted 22 June 2008 - 13:11

Have done a bit more searching...
The trophy awarded since 1965 is a Rex Hays model of a 1953 Ferrari 500. The Hawthorn Trophy race was for many years afterwards the most important annual VSCC event for front-engined GP cars.
In 1983, to mark the 25th anniversary of Mike's world championship, his mother donated several of his other trophies to the club. This included the Italian GP one which was, initially at least, awarded on the same race.
The Hawthorn Spanish GP Trophy seems to have been presented for the first time in 1988 (not 1985 as I said earlier).
One of the others in your selection is presumably the one awarded on the sportscar race: I don't have a date for its inception but it was some years after the Spanish GP one.
As to the 1950 and 1951 ones I have no idea, except that the 1983 plan seems to have been for all Mrs Hawthorn's gift to be awarded at the Hawthorn Trophy meeting each year

#25 tonyb

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Posted 22 June 2008 - 15:01

Originally posted by David McKinney
Have done a bit more searching...
The trophy awarded since 1965 is a Rex Hays model of a 1953 Ferrari 500. The Hawthorn Trophy race was for many years afterwards the most important annual VSCC event for front-engined GP cars.
In 1983, to mark the 25th anniversary of Mike's world championship, his mother donated several of his other trophies to the club. This included the Italian GP one which was, initially at least, awarded on the same race.
The Hawthorn Spanish GP Trophy seems to have been presented for the first time in 1988 (not 1985 as I said earlier).
One of the others in your selection is presumably the one awarded on the sportscar race: I don't have a date for its inception but it was some years after the Spanish GP one.
As to the 1950 and 1951 ones I have no idea, except that the 1983 plan seems to have been for all Mrs Hawthorn's gift to be awarded at the Hawthorn Trophy meeting each year

Thanks for that info, they gave no indication it was now held at Oulton Park or that Winifred had donated more trophies. So that's a lot more than I've got from the VSCC themselves so far via their librarian but still hoping. A friend who is a long term member is also trying a more direct approach.

The info is wanted part of the Memorials chapter, of which there are a lot more than people believe.

#26 Pavel Lifintsev

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Posted 30 June 2008 - 06:24

This is Mike's trophy for 2nd place at the 1958 Italian GP, seen two years ago in the Galleria Ferrari at Maranello. I bet they own more...

Posted Image

#27 RWB

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Posted 30 June 2008 - 13:18

Race number at the Gosport Speed Trials 16-9-50 was 28.

#28 tonyb

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Posted 30 June 2008 - 14:41

Originally posted by RWB
Race number at the Gosport Speed Trials 16-9-50 was 28.


Thanks! Can I ask what your source/authority is please?

#29 LOLE

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Posted 30 June 2008 - 14:56

Walt MONACO, who was a very close friend of Mike Hawthorn, told me this story just a month ago:
Mike came also second after the 1954 Italian GP and received a huge trophy. On the way back to the hotel at Milan, Mike was driving Walt's Austin Healey. Walt was sitting on the passenger seat, holding the trophy... Mike was speeding very fast and all of a sudden they approached a traffic jam, queuing along a long right hander. Mike overtook all the cars (Walt was thinking:“What the hell is he doing!”) and was confronted with a trolley, crossing the road. Mike turned the wheel to avoid an accident and the car ended up next the road while Mike was looking for a way to get out of the prairie again. Walt remembered that this took quite a while but couldn’t see because he was so afraid of the maneuver that he tried to protect his head by pulling the trophy over his head! He admitted that the collision only could be avoided by the driving skills of Mike Hawthorn. The story ended in a local garage because the trophy got stuck on Walter Monaco’s head and Mike managed to take it off by rubbing used, dirty motor oil between the head and the trophy with a screwdriver.

#30 tonyb

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Posted 13 November 2008 - 22:18

Just a note to say that the book stock has now arrived from the printers on schedule and is in stock with its various distributors in the UK, USA and Australia.

The official launch is also confirmed in Farnham on the 20th November - should be an interesting day for those that are coming. Details of everything are on the Tribute web site. Thanks for the support from TNFers.

#31 Flaminiasupersport

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Posted 02 December 2008 - 13:17

I have the book for a good week now and it's very very good! It's a MUST HAVE item!

Compared to "Mon Ami Mate" which covers mostly his racing career, "Golden Boy" is focusing on the personal aspects of Mike's life (I should say Michael...he wasn't that "easy going") like where he lived, how he was in his daily life, how he treated his employees... The research is so well made that I sometimes have the feeling that we're a bit too nosy about him.

I read that the authors received many pictures etc from all kind of contributors and that the book contains only a selection of these. Wouldn't it be great to see all these pics on the Hawthorn website? Why not create a "contribution" page where pictures would be hosted to be enjoyed by all?

#32 tonyb

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Posted 13 December 2008 - 18:05

Originally posted by Flaminiasupersport
I have the book for a good week now and it's very very good! It's a MUST HAVE item!

Compared to "Mon Ami Mate" which covers mostly his racing career, "Golden Boy" is focusing on the personal aspects of Mike's life (I should say Michael...he wasn't that "easy going") like where he lived, how he was in his daily life, how he treated his employees... The research is so well made that I sometimes have the feeling that we're a bit too nosy about him.

I read that the authors received many pictures etc from all kind of contributors and that the book contains only a selection of these. Wouldn't it be great to see all these pics on the Hawthorn website? Why not create a "contribution" page where pictures would be hosted to be enjoyed by all?


Thanks for the appreciative comments from yourself and others. We had about another 400 photos but the 1000+ in the book took up enough space as it was. I will get round to updating the web site with some new data, features and images sometime but sales of the book are so high it's getting difficult to keep up :drunk: At the current rate, it'll be sold out in 3 - 4 weeks.

Posted Image
Murray stands in front of Mike's Lancia Aurelia, WPD 10, restored and owned by John Cundy, with Paul Clifton
from the BBC at left during the book launch. Behind Paul is the recreated 1955 Le Man winning Jaguar D-type that Mike drove


Thanks to all - BBC News unexpectedly turned up at the book launch on the 20th Nov with Paul Clifton and covered it live via satellite at lunchtime and more via recordings on the evening news. It's all on the website as Flash content if anyone wants to watch it, complete with Murray Walker reading out a best wishes message from Lewis Hamilton!

Posted Image
One of the two Ferrari 250 GTs that were on sale at the TT Garage in 1958. This one was white
originally and went for an outing at the time with Tavoni as the driver. Reg is 5 HPD now as it was then


#33 Gary Davies

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 01:01

My copy is ordered and I'm very much looking forward to its arrival! I wonder if I may ask Tony, and anyone else who wants to put their two ha'porth in, a question about the book's sub-title that has been niggling away at me. It is, of course, 'Golden Boy', and I understand that it derives from the title of Paul Dove's portrait of Mike.

My recollection, from the fifties largely, and petering out, I think, into the sixties, was that Stirling Moss was referred to as 'The Golden Boy', mainly (exclusively?) by D.S.J.

And Mike, of course, was 'The Farnham Flyer'.

Or are my remaining active neurons letting me down again?

Please, this is nothing remotely resembling a complaint... merely curiosity.

#34 mikeC

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 07:51

Originally posted by Vanwall

My recollection, from the fifties largely, and petering out, I think, into the sixties, was that Stirling Moss was referred to as 'The Golden Boy', mainly (exclusively?) by D.S.J.

And Mike, of course, was 'The Farnham Flyer'.

Or are my remaining active neurons letting me down again?

[/B]


That's my recollection, too. Certainly Moss was referred to as 'Golden Boy' by my family during the fifties.

#35 tonyb

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 08:44

Originally posted by mikeC


That's my recollection, too. Certainly Moss was referred to as 'Golden Boy' by my family during the fifties.

You are both correct of course with regards to Moss. As far as the JMH book goes, the sub-title did indeed come from the title of Paul Dove's painting we used as the jacket illustration. There is a prior contemporary use which inspired Paul though and I quote from the Introduction to Golden Boy:

Three days after Mike’s untimely demise, a New Zealand poet, Noel H Matthews, sent a
poem to William Kimber, the publishing company which was about to print Mike’s last
book, Champion Year. It was included in the book’s frontispiece as a tribute:

He was a nation’ s Golden Boy: At twenty-nine the brightness failed, and he was dead.
He went as he had lived, flashing a lonely pathway to the stars: What’ s to be said?
I think for him a nobler crown, now wreathes that many-laurelled brow;
The course is run. For England’ s laughing cavalier, The Race is won.

I also very much like the quote from fiancee Jean Ireland that we used just ahead of that:

“Mike was a really nice person. He was fun-loving, he was good to be with, he was kind, he was generous..."


Thanks again for the interest from TNFers in the book.

#36 tonyb

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 09:09

Another way those that have the book can help please.

We decided this morning to get ready for a reprint as this is going to be needed early in the new year! If anyone has valid corrections for the content, I'd appreciate seeing these. Fortunately, there haven't been a lot so far. We've had some people contact us who appear in photos and have helped with additional IDs, plus one of the cars now has some ID.

Regarding the latter, I'd like some confirmation from the forum before we accept it as fact although I have no reason to disbelieve it. The photos below appears on pp356/357 with regarding a photo session Mike did for Smiths watches in 1954. The main youngster in the photo is John Shaw and he supplied the photos and info! This session took place at the Tourist Trophy Garage but we did not know what the car was so offered no information. However, Alta specialist David Woodhouse has now contacted me to say that the car is Gordon M Watson's Alta F2/2 single seater. We don't know why it was at the garage though.

Posted Image

Posted Image

Can anyone confirm this please?

#37 Mal9444

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 10:15

Originally posted by mikeC


That's my recollection, too. Certainly Moss was referred to as 'Golden Boy' by my family during the fifties.


While in no way disputing your recollection or indeed your family's right to award Moss what accolade they wished (for can any accolade there be one too many?) my own recollection is that Moss was called simply 'The Boy'. This up until somewhre during his year with Mercedes in 1955. To quote Raymond Baxter in the opening sequence of Moss - The First Ten Years:
"In 1950 The Boy, as he was to become known...", and later in the same film, in the 1954 season footage, showing Moss sprinting across the road into a Mk 7: "Still with Jaguar for sports car races, The Boy had perfected..."

Unfortunately and while checking the video just a few moments ago the sound packed up (it could be either the very old machine or I've rubbed the sound-track off the tape with too much re-playing!) before I could spool to the appropriate place but from memory Baxter says (over pictures of Moss in the W196 sometime after the Aintree win) "by now the affectionate title of The Boy seemed hardly appropriate..." or words to that effect.

Certainly and in some circles Moss is still known as The Boy - even though his 80th birthday will be next year!

I understand that Santa will not only be bringing me the Hawthorn book but that one of his little elves (and mine) will be going personally to collect it - so I do hope that stocks last until Christmas Eve.

I had assumed that the Golden Boy sub-title was nothing more than a most apposite reference not just to Mike's brilliant career and demeanour on and off the track but to the colour of his hair.

#38 tonyb

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 10:25

There is some previous discussion on Moss and 'The Boy/'Golden Boy' here:

http://forums.autosp...?postid=1274661

"During that time Mac referred to Moss as "Golden Boy" and I always thought that title was very apt"

#39 Gary Davies

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 10:44

Thanks Tony. I must say, after all these years, and, as Malcolm reminds us, JMH's demeanour and hair colour, if nothing else, provide ample justification for the sub-title.

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#40 Doug Nye

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 13:55

Jenks definitely referred to Moss as 'Golden Boy' - and not always approvingly...

I had never heard of Hawthorn being referred to in this manner until Tony's book came along. But the title matches the cover artwork so wonderfully well that I would hope the audience does not take the reference too literally. Tony Brooks was surprised that there are so many more pages devoted to Mike's fatal accident than there are to his entire racing career...but then the structure of this book is - well - different to the norm. Overall I greatly admire it.

DCN

#41 tonyb

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 16:03

Originally posted by Doug Nye
Jenks definitely referred to Moss as 'Golden Boy' - and not always approvingly...

I had never heard of Hawthorn being referred to in this manner until Tony's book came along. But the title matches the cover artwork so wonderfully well that I would hope the audience does not take the reference too literally. Tony Brooks was surprised that there are so many more pages devoted to Mike's fatal accident than there are to his entire racing career...but then the structure of this book is - well - different to the norm. Overall I greatly admire it.

DCN

Thanks for those words Doug and for your e-mailed comments on various aspects.

Also for Tony Brooks' comments. I notice today that Gordon Cruickshank in Motorsport also makes a comment about the lack of coverage of his racing career. We did point out in the Introduction that there was a specific reason for this:

... this is not a conventional motor racing book. Especially in the chapters just mentioned, there is much which serious motor racing historians may consider to be mere trivia. But we decided to keep faith with the fans who regularly visit the tribute web site and who have repeatedly expressed their appreciation of this level of detail. So as this book is chiefly for them, we have tended to include, rather than exclude, material wherever there has been a choice.We will leave it to the reader to decide whether this was the right decision!

Since his racing career had been well covered in his own two books and Mon Ami Mate, Paul and I took a decision to look at his life in the way we did and just summarise the race side - which seems to have worked for the majority so far looking at reader comments and reviews.

Maybe the three of us ought to have a chat about something more detailed on his racing career when the dust on this one has settled :cool:

#42 Eric Dunsdon

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Posted 16 December 2008 - 20:47

Just to add to the confusion I can remember the term 'Golden Boy' also being used to describe Peter Collins. That is certainly how I used to think of him, especially on such days as the 1958 British Grand Prix when nobody could touch him. If Collins is mentioned at all these days it is usually in connection with him having being Mike's great 'Mon Ami Mate' and yet the two mens careers shared several similarities. Both drove for Vandervell, BRM and Ferrari and both won three World Championship Grand Prix with the latter. Both also won Silverstone's International Trophy Race (Collins twice). Peter however, also won the non-championship Grand Prix's of Syracuse and Naples in 1957 and excelled in the tough long distance road races such as the Targa Florio which he won with Moss in 1955, the Tour Of Sicily which he won in 1956 and the Mille Miglia in which he finished second in the same year. Mike Hawthorn always seemed reluctant to apply himself to those kind of races, and I have read of him climbing into the back seat of the car hired to learn the 'Targa' course and having a sleep rather than practising. Could this have been down to Mike's medical problems or maybe that he just wasnt interested?. I welcome the long overdue recognition that Mike is now receiving but sometimes feel that Peter Collins is becoming a forgotten star.

#43 Graham Gauld

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Posted 17 December 2008 - 11:13

For some reason I completely missed this thread and even though it is much too late I have attached a photo of Mike Hawthorn in the Len Potter F-N at Charterhall - not the overcoat as it was a cold day. It was the first time I watched Hawthorn in action - he also raced a Cooper-Bristol that day and at least TonyB will now know the number of the car at the race.
Sorry for the delay

Graham Gauld

Posted Image

#44 Doug Nye

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Posted 17 December 2008 - 11:19

Originally posted by Eric Dunsdon
I welcome the long overdue recognition that Mike is now receiving but sometimes feel that Peter Collins is becoming a forgotten star.


Don't confuse transient hype and attention with enduring reality. Collins is not and will not be forgotten.

DCN

#45 Mal9444

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Posted 17 December 2008 - 11:26

Originally posted by Doug Nye


Don't confuse transient hype and attention with enduring reality. Collins is not and will not be forgotten.

DCN


Indeed. Was not Moss's 'dream team' himself, Brooks and Collins? They were all 'Golden Boys'.

#46 Eric Dunsdon

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Posted 17 December 2008 - 12:27

Originally posted by Doug Nye


Don't confuse transient hype and attention with enduring reality. Collins is not and will not be forgotten.

DCN


Agreed!. Maybe I should have said overlooked rather than forgotten?.

#47 Macca

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Posted 17 December 2008 - 17:08

While Mike's voice can be heard describing his 1956 practise lap at Le Mans in a D-Type on commercial DVDs, and his post-race interview at the '58 British GP is on the JMH website, I don't believe I've ever heard Peter Collins' voice - is there an interview or whatever anywhere?

Paul M

#48 Graham Gauld

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Posted 17 December 2008 - 17:43

If you want to hear Peters voice get the Sebring 1957 Riverside recording or CD where he is quite animated. Also his sense of humour also comes out in the Riverside record of he and Tony Brooks trying the pre-war Grand Prix cars. He was very soft spoken.

#49 racingreen

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Posted 18 December 2008 - 06:19

Tony,

David here. Regarding :

"We decided this morning to get ready for a reprint as this is going to be needed early in the new year! If anyone has valid corrections for the content, I'd appreciate seeing these. Fortunately, there haven't been a lot so far. We've had some people contact us who appear in photos and have helped with additional IDs, plus one of the cars now has some ID.

Regarding the latter, I'd like some confirmation from the forum before we accept it as fact although I have no reason to disbelieve it. The photos below appears on pp356/357 with regarding a photo session Mike did for Smiths watches in 1954. The main youngster in the photo is John Shaw and he supplied the photos and info! This session took place at the Tourist Trophy Garage but we did not know what the car was so offered no information. However, Alta specialist David Woodhouse has now contacted me to say that the car is Gordon M Watson's Alta F2/2 single seater. We don't know why it was at the garage though."

ALTA F2/2 is easily recogniseable to me because of its distinctive windshield/mirrors, dzus fastener pattern and full width seat back. It was the only Alta F2 to have this type of seat, fitted by the works following a rebuild after Whitehouse's big crash in it. The car exists today in exactly this same spec.

Question is, why was it there? For sale perhaps?

DRW.

#50 Gary Davies

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Posted 18 December 2008 - 06:50

Originally posted by Vanwall
My copy is ordered and I'm very much looking forward to its arrival! I wonder if I may ask Tony, and anyone else who wants to put their two ha'porth in, a question about the book's sub-title that has been niggling away at me. It is, of course, 'Golden Boy', and I understand that it derives from the title of Paul Dove's portrait of Mike.

My recollection, from the fifties largely, and petering out, I think, into the sixties, was that Stirling Moss was referred to as 'The Golden Boy', mainly (exclusively?) by D.S.J.

And Mike, of course, was 'The Farnham Flyer'.

Or are my remaining active neurons letting me down again?

Please, this is nothing remotely resembling a complaint... merely curiosity.


It's arrived already! I note it came to me from Perth, so it only had to make the short(!) hop across the Nullabor.

Hugely impressed I am, hugely impressed!