Sorry to be the one with the news of deaths again - but former Cooper-Bristol and Vanwall Special driver Alan Brown died yesterday, January 19, in Cranleigh, Surrey, England at the age - I believe - of 84.
DCN
1950s driver Alan Brown has died
Started by
Doug Nye
, Jan 20 2004 15:16
17 replies to this topic
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#2
Don Capps
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Posted 20 January 2004 - 16:01
And I was just thinking about him this weekend as I looked over some material I had on the Vanwall Special and the Cooper Bristols! Oh, my....
#3
petefenelon
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Posted 20 January 2004 - 17:44
Looking back through some recent correspondence with Mike Lawrence (Nov '99), an amusing snippet about Alan Brown
>
> You'll like this, I had a long chat with John Coombs at Goodwood yesterday,
> and also last Saturday when we were both at Alan Brown's 80th birthday
> party. Loads of old reprobates were there and Tyrrell revealed that Alan
> had introduced him to Havana cigars, taught him how to make a gin and
> tonic, and had screwed him on every single deal! That's the alan we know
> and love. Every time I went to his house (he now lives in Spain) he tried
> to sell me some dodgy motor, it was just natural. Our first five minutes
> were spent with him extolling the virtues of some old Mustand or Zodiac
>
> It was his traditional greeting.
>
An incorrigible old character, clearly.
>
> You'll like this, I had a long chat with John Coombs at Goodwood yesterday,
> and also last Saturday when we were both at Alan Brown's 80th birthday
> party. Loads of old reprobates were there and Tyrrell revealed that Alan
> had introduced him to Havana cigars, taught him how to make a gin and
> tonic, and had screwed him on every single deal! That's the alan we know
> and love. Every time I went to his house (he now lives in Spain) he tried
> to sell me some dodgy motor, it was just natural. Our first five minutes
> were spent with him extolling the virtues of some old Mustand or Zodiac
>
> It was his traditional greeting.
>
An incorrigible old character, clearly.
#4
Richard Jenkins
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Posted 20 January 2004 - 18:50
Originally posted by Doug Nye
Sorry to be the one with the news of deaths again - but former Cooper-Bristol and Vanwall Special driver Alan Brown died yesterday, January 19, in Cranleigh, Surrey, England at the age - I believe - of 84.
DCN
Firstly, thank you Doug for giving those of us who need the places & dates for the above information & for letting us know so soon.
This is a sad way to start the year. His contribution was immense to the sport in his own little way & he was a very warm, genial & likeable man & although some might remember as an entrant more, he wasn't a bad racing driver either, to put it mildly.
He'll be much missed. RIP, Alan
#5
eukie
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Posted 20 January 2004 - 19:38
As a kind of tribute: Alan Brown - Winner Int. F3 Race Grenzlandring (Germany) 1951
I`m not absolutely sure whether this is him, too; so please forgive me if I`m wrong:
R.I.P.
I`m not absolutely sure whether this is him, too; so please forgive me if I`m wrong:
R.I.P.
#10
Richard Jenkins
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Posted 21 January 2004 - 19:40
Originally posted by Racer.Demon
Mike Lawrence's tribute on Pitpass:
http://www.pitpass.c...esid=693&page=1
..yes... and it gives the date of death as the 20th, as opposed to Doug's 19th. It's also in more detail than Doug's first post about the death but Doug is not one for making mistakes with things like this
Sorry to be pedantic about someone's death, but can someone clear up what day Alan Brown died before it becomes a problem?
#11
Doug Nye
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Posted 21 January 2004 - 19:57
Listen to Mike - my information came from mutual friend Nick Syrett, former secretary of the BRSCC for many years then (fleetingly) of the GPDA - and at one stage in partnership with Brownie in a restaurant business in Bramley, Surrey. Nick told me that Alan had died "last night" at his home in Cranleigh, whereas Mike - who was far closer to him than I - now confirms to me that he passed away at 3am January 20 in hospital at Guildford. Enough detail?
DCN
DCN
#12
Richard Jenkins
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Posted 21 January 2004 - 20:02
Originally posted by Doug Nye
Listen to Mike - who was far closer to him than I - now confirms to me that he passed away at 3am January 20 in hospital at Guildford. Enough detail?
DCN
More than enough. Thanks Doug for clarifying & especially, your quick response.
#13
ReWind
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Posted 21 January 2004 - 20:04
Does anyone know what his middle name was?
I think he was sometimes referred to as "Alan E. Brown". What does "E" stand for?
I think he was sometimes referred to as "Alan E. Brown". What does "E" stand for?
#16
d.c.a. mulcahy
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Posted 22 January 2004 - 07:10
In his tribute to Alan Brown, Mike Lawrence quotes Brown as saying 'It seemed to me that it was silly to run a 1949 car in 1950 so I sold that on to a chap named Tyrrell and bought a new car on hire purchase. I think I must have been the first person to do that because the finance company featured it in its newsletter."1950 was not that good a year. I stuffed my car at Silverstone but was offered another in the Monaco GP support race when I shunted into a tobacco kiosk.
In Maurice Hamilton's biography of Tyrrell he states that Ken Tyrrell's fateful visit to Silverstone on a coach trip with his local football team was in fact the 1951 British GP and that it was at the end of the 1951 season that he bought Alan Brown's car.
Can any of our experts comment on which is the correct year.
regards
d.c.a. (declan) mulcahy
In Maurice Hamilton's biography of Tyrrell he states that Ken Tyrrell's fateful visit to Silverstone on a coach trip with his local football team was in fact the 1951 British GP and that it was at the end of the 1951 season that he bought Alan Brown's car.
Can any of our experts comment on which is the correct year.
regards
d.c.a. (declan) mulcahy
#17
Richard Neale
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Posted 26 January 2004 - 09:53
Does anyone have any info on funeral dates etc for Alan????
#18
Richard Neale
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Posted 26 January 2004 - 11:55
Answering my own question ~~~~ It's 2.30 at Guilford Crem Tuesday 27th.
