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British Empire Trophy

Started by alessandro silva , Oct 21 2003 14:59

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20 replies to this topic

#1 alessandro silva

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Posted 21 October 2003 - 14:59

Either The Motor or The Autocar in the reports on the 1947 British Empire Trophy (I. of M.) talk about the NINTH edition of the race.
Looking back for previous winners I could find only seven pre-war races: from Cobb (1932) to C. Dodson (1938). Which one am I missing?

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#2 anjakub

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Posted 21 October 2003 - 16:16

1939 - Tony Rolt - ERA 5 B

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#3 Gregor Marshall

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 10:32

Sorry to resurrect such an old thread but I did a search and this was the closest I could find; does anyone have the full results for the 1937 British Empire Trophy race, was it a Grand Prix and where was it held?

Specifically I'm trying to understand what "The South Africa Trophy" is (a picture would be great!!) and was it presented to R.Dreyfus driving a Delahaye (no 26)?

Many thanks in advance!!

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#4 David McKinney

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 11:55

The 1937 Empire Trophy was held at Donington Park.
Like most major British races of the time it was what might best be termed a Formule Libre race rather than a Grand Prix. Furthermore it was a handicap, which meant the tiddlers filled the major placings.
Dreyfus finished fifth.
I wondered if the trophy you mentioned might have been for fastest time on scratch (ie for the man who would have won if it was a massed start event) but that was Peter Walker in an ERA. Maybe Dreyfus was first in class (either n handicap or scratch or both).

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#5 Gregor Marshall

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 12:07

That's brilliant, many thanks David. You don't happen to know where I can find the full results do you?

All the information that I have is on a 3.5 inch by 4.5 inch bronze plaque with a postage stamp sized enamael BRDC badge on the top and it is laid out as follows:-

"The British Empire Trophy Race 1937
The South Africa Trophy
for Fifth in Race
Won by
A.Selborne's Delahaye No 26
Driven by
R.Dreyfus"

I think the plaque is from the original trophy but I'm not 100% sure if my memory is correct. From the info I'm not sure if it was scratch or handicap but that's all I have. Would R.Dreyfus be Rene Dreyfus?

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#6 David McKinney

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 13:07

Yes, the same Dreyfus
I would have got my results from period magazine files
I'll post what I've got a bit later (unless someone beats me to it)

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#7 David McKinney

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 14:32

I'm back now...

1 Raymond Mays (ERA C-Type 1100)
2 Percy Maclure (Riley 1100 u/s)
3 Peter Walker (ERA B-Type 1500)
4 Pat Fairfield (ERA C-Type 1500)
5 René Dreyfus (Delaye 135 3.5 u/s)
6 Anthony Powys-Lybbe (Alfa Romeo Monza 2.6)
7 Ian Connell (ERA B-Type 1500)
8 Reggie Tongue (ERA B-Type 1500)
9 Dennis Scribbans (ERA B-Type 1500)
10 W Hughes (MG K3 1100)
11 Reg Parnell (MG K3 1100)
12 Bert Hadley (Austin 750)
13 P F Jucker (Alta 1500)
R B Bira (Maserati 8CM 2.6)
R Billy Cotton/Wilkie Wilkinson (Dobbs Riley 1500 u/s)
R Charlie Manders (MG R Type 750)
R Peter Aitken/Austin Dobson (Maserati 6CM 1500)
R Arthur Dobson (ERA B-Type 1500)
R Robin Hanson (Maserati 6CM 1500)
R Charles Brackenbury (Alfa Romeo P3 2.9)
R Hans Rüesch (Alfa Romeo 8C-35 3.8)
R Kenneth Evans (MG K3 1100)
R Charles Dodson (Austin 750)
R Maurice Faulkner (MG K3 1100)
R Kay Petre (Austin 750)
R Laury Schell (Delahaye 135 3.5 u/s)
DNS Jean-Pierre Bugatti (Bugatti T50 4.9)
DNS Austin Dobson (Alfa Romeo Bimotore 6.4
DNS Frank Ashby (Alfa Romeo P3 2.9)
DNS Rt Hon Earl Howe (ERA C-Type 1500)
DNS A N Other (Maserati 1500)
DNS A N Other (Maserati 1500)
DNS Mrs Dobson (Riley u/s)
DNS Alan Sinclair (Alta 1100)
all cars supercharged except where specified

scratch results: 1 Walker, 2 Dreyfus, 3 Fairfield, 4 Mays

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#8 GIGLEUX

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 15:18

From Powys-Lybble to Jucker: flagged off with respectively 79-78-78-79-76-75-74-71 laps covered.

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#9 GIGLEUX

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 15:19

Misprint: Scribbans 76 laps.

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#10 Gregor Marshall

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 15:26

That's great guys, thank you very much for your help. Now I just need to work out what to do with the plaque!!

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#11 Vitesse2

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 17:43

Interesting find Gregor. I was aware that there were subsidiary trophies presented at the 1933 Empire Trophy meeting: the up to 1100cc cars competed in a heat for which the India Trophy was awarded and the over 1100cc for the Canada Trophy. There was also a separate motorcycle race for the New Zealand Trophy.

I've not come across a South Africa Trophy before though. Presumably there was also an Australia Trophy at some stage, given that those are the five "old Dominions"?

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#12 Adam F

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 18:00

From the Official Results Booklet for the 1937 British Empire Trophy

As can be seen, trophies were awarded for second to fifth place, each named after one of the dominions.

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#13 David McKinney

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 18:08

Thanks Adam
I wonder if the New Zealand Trophy was for the sixth car to complete the distance (which only five did)?

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#14 Adam F

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Posted 21 August 2008 - 19:13

David - No, the official race programme's list of award only shows trophies down to fifth place.

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#15 Gregor Marshall

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Posted 22 August 2008 - 09:09

Originally posted by Vitesse2
Interesting find Gregor. I was aware that there were subsidiary trophies presented at the 1933 Empire Trophy meeting: the up to 1100cc cars competed in a heat for which the India Trophy was awarded and the over 1100cc for the Canada Trophy. There was also a separate motorcycle race for the New Zealand Trophy.

I've not come across a South Africa Trophy before though. Presumably there was also an Australia Trophy at some stage, given that those are the five "old Dominions"?

My Dad bought this plaque over 15 years ago and he said it was expensive (I think he said £200) and I'm sure he said he'd tried finding the trophy but had been told it had been melted down. Why he bought it I have no idea at all but it always sat in his library and as I'm having a bit of a clear out I thought with the power of TNF we might find out some more information. The Donington link is great though, especially with Dad's trophies being there so I think I'll return it so to speak.

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#16 Gregor Marshall

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Posted 22 August 2008 - 09:10

Originally posted by Adam F
From the Official Results Booklet for the 1937 British Empire Trophy

As can be seen, trophies were awarded for second to fifth place, each named after one of the dominions.

Thanks Adam, that makes very interesting reading.

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#17 Vitesse2

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Posted 22 August 2008 - 10:07

Originally posted by David McKinney
Thanks Adam
I wonder if the New Zealand Trophy was for the sixth car to complete the distance (which only five did)?

I can't find any further reference to a New Zealand Trophy being awarded for any form of motor sport. There was (or is?) a New Zealand Trophy awarded for cross-country running though.

The 1933 motorcycle race was a 50-mile individual handicap for machines capable of exceeding 90 mph. It was won by Les Archer on a 348cc Velocette off 2 min 16 sec at a speed of 98.04mph, from Harry Lamacraft's similar Velocette (3 min 18 sec at 94.33mph) and Eric Fernihough's 246cc Excelsior (5 min 6 sec at 89.18mph).

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#18 D-Type

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Posted 22 August 2008 - 11:03

Originally posted by Adam F
From the Official Results Booklet for the 1937 British Empire Trophy

As can be seen, trophies were awarded for second to fifth place, each named after one of the dominions.

I'm accessing from work and our protection system won't open the file saying it has detected spyware. As other imageshack thumbnails open up OK, there must be something in your file.

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#19 Gregor Marshall

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Posted 22 August 2008 - 11:13

I can access it and I've saved it to my Photobucket account (I hope Adam doesn't mind!!).

Posted Image

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#20 Tim Murray

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Posted 22 August 2008 - 14:57

Originally posted by D-Type
I'm accessing from work and our protection system won't open the file saying it has detected spyware. As other imageshack thumbnails open up OK, there must be something in your file.

I regularly find that a spyware cookie has loaded itself onto my computer after I've accessed Imageshack photos. It doesn't come with all of them - probably around a quarter to a half - which would explain why you can open other photos OK.