So who was Verdun Edwards?

This name has made itself known to me today. I have never noticed it before.

This gentleman drove a Connaught in the Aintree 200 in 1958, was entered for one or two other races but did not appear.

So where was he from? Edwards is a Welsh surname. How did he come to drive just one race? And of course, what happened to him?

The battle of Verdun in 1916 spawned at least a dozen EDWARDS babies in 1916-17 with a forename Verdun.

At least three of them had Verdun as a first name - deaths records (1984-2004) show

1916-1994 (died Glamorgan)
1917-2001 (died Slough district)
1916-1999 (died Walsall)

Birth Records (first name) have

Q1 1917 One in Dudley district
Q3 1916 One in Shardlow, one in Pontypool
Q2 1916 One each in Bridgend, Pontypool and Newport districts

It may not be easy.

Considering the famous quote from Pétain, I have to say that Verdun is an excellent name for a racing driver ;)

The Connaught was entered by Autospeed Garage. In 1956 a V. Edwards was competing at Aintree and Oulton Park in an ERA Jaguar again entered by Autospeed, so I guess the same chap. Ken Flint also competed in the ERA Jaguar for Autospeed in 1956. I guess someone can tell us all about this. Liverpool garagistes?

Wild guess here, there's a Frederick Verdun Edwards who died in Cheshire 1995 aged 78

I see Flint competed at Crystal Palace and Edwards at Aintree in 1955, car described by Martin Krejci's site as ERA "E type" Jaguar GP1

Ken Flint and Verdun Edwards raced the uprated E-Type ERA in several club events in the mid '50s, then acquired one of the ex-auction B-Type Connaughts. Flint did most of the driving of both cars (at least his name appears in the results more often) but ISTR they were joint owners of the Connaught, at least

I think that they also owned "Remus" at one time. I do remember them offering an ERA for sale for £500

Originally posted by Sharman
I think that they also owned "Remus" at one time. I do remember them offering an ERA for sale for ?500

I don't know about "them"
Flint was certainly a B-Type ERA owner

Sorry if I confused things there, I should have said Ken Flint, offering what I believe was Remus , this was before Douglas Hull(or was it Peter) bought it

It is old age and failing memory. Douglas Hull drove R11B, now the thing I can't remember is; did the Hulls have more than one ERA?

I don't think they owned any
Arthur Jeddere-Fisher was the owner of R11B, which Douglas Hull drove with a lot of success (and Peter wrote about). There was another ERA before that but I can't remember OTTOMH which one - R9B?

According to the recent list of owners published by the ERA Club, Ken Flint did own Remus/R5B, between 1954 & 55.

Thank God for that, memory is not completely gone! As I said earlier, £500, shall we have a whip round? Away from ERA's and Connaughts but sticking with prices. There was a transport company on the way into Northwich, just near Brunner-Mond where there was parked under cover a BMW special, which I think had been built by Gillie Tyrer, I asked about buying it once. Even borrowing from my old man and raiding the Post Office Savings I couldn't make the £120 needed, I was still a student and Bank Managers had fits of the giggles if "loan" was suggested.

Sorry I posted my reply, then deleted it .. Here it is again ..

I am the youngest paternal granddaughter of Verdun Edwards 1916-1994 South Wales.

I would like to provide a little more nostalgia to your thread as follows:

Verdun, a strikingly handsome man, was born in Brynna, Rhondda Cynon Taf. He was the son of David and Bessie Edwards originally from Somerset. At 18 Verdun married my Nanna, Eva Cecilia Jenkins, 21 (deceased 2007) his childhood sweetheart from the next village Llanharan. Verdun developed an interest in photography and was employed as a projectionist. In 1935 they had the first of their 3 sons, my father Clem Edwards (deceased 1994).

They moved to Banks, Southport while Verdun was working his national service with the Air Force and they had their second son, Gordon John Edwards (deceased 2003). Gordon later went onto play keyboards and vocals in The Pretty Things and the Kinks touring America and the UK. With his flat feet and colour blindness Verdun took a ground position as vehicle and aircraft engineer.

They then moved to Liverpool which is where Verdun met Ken Flint - not sure if this is accurate. They became joint proprietors of Autospeed Garage in Garston, Liverpool. Their business card reads: “Sports and Racing Car Tuning & Modification Specialists. All types of Automobile Repairs. Car Sales”. Verdun bought a family home on Fazakerley Road, Liverpool close enough to hear Aintree. Their youngest, son Raymond Martin Edwards was then born.

My father Clem specialised as an electrical engineer while serving as a Royal Marine Commando and, like his father, had a passion for sports and racing cars. After Clem was demobbed, he expressed an interest in joining his father’s business but Ken opposed the idea since Ken did not have any sons to join the business.

Verdun and his family moved to Fowey, Cornwall and along with Ken, became the proprietors of Cotswold Garage. This business included 3 sites: a VW and FIAT dealership with showroom, a petrol station and a service/repair centre. My mother can remember the large showroom with many VW, Jaguars and Fiat vehicles on sale.

While driving his VW Beetle in Somerset one afternoon in 1969, Verdun's car was hit head-on by another driver. Verdun suffered multiple fractures to his right femur, potts (ankle) fracture to both legs, a comminuted fracture (bone is splintered or crushed into a number of pieces) to his right pateller (kneecap) and 8-9 fractured ribs. He remained in Truro hospital for 6 months leaving in a wheelchair with steel pins/plates in both legs and a severe limp from the remainder of his life.

Consequently Verdun retired from driving racing cars and sold his share of the Cotswold Garage, possibly to a new owner(s). He moved his family into a self built Austrian chalet in Fowey, Cornwall for a number of years then moved back to my Nanna’s birthplace Llanharan. They moved again back to Verdun’s birthplace Brynna where he went on to run several businesses including a General Store and a Chip Shop in the village. I say he retired from racing, but continued his love of the motor car owning many at a time including Jaguars, Bentley’s, VW Beetles, Mercedes and an Oldsmobile.

I am trying to attach one photograph of my granddad in Sept 1954 at the Prescott International Hill Climb in what looks like the ‘Remus’ you have been referring to? A second photo Verdun is sat in another car - maybe someone can tell me the model of this car? - with his team mates: Wally O’Hara - mechanic, Ken Flint (with flat cap) - partner, Paul Kelly and Les Baxter – marshall. If you can give me some advice on the simplest way to post images .. preferably just browsing to my desktop but I cant see any browse link here..

I am also the proud owner of a limited edition framed print of the 1936 ‘B’ Type E.R.A. ‘Remus’ 1½ litres, Supercharged. 6 cylinders, Chassis no: R5B which Verdun gave me on the day of my father’s funeral.

I wish I had more detail on the cars and races Verdun entered for you now however I am developing a website with my sister Tracey and will post many photos there so I will send you a link when it is live. Thank you for reading my story about my grandfather, Verdun Edwards.

http://s287.photobuc...?albumview=grid

Well, thank goodness it was your deletion. I replied and then there you were, gone. I thought I had screwed it all up. What a delightful and informative reply you have written, filling in the gaps, and with such affection. I am sure that TNFers will value the response, especially after your family's sad years earlier this decade. There are links for posting pictures and plenty of help on the Forum. We look forward to the details of your website.
Roger Lund.

Ditto to what Roger said. Thanks for taking the time to inform us. Don't forget to post a link here to the site when it's up!


Justin

As the thread starter, I am so pleased to see this information posted.

Thank you so much, ma'am!

Stunning! I have just been reading this thread, thinking I should perhaps weigh-in by confirming that Verdun Edwards was Ken Flint's partner in the cars, when grand-daughter provides that wonderful potted biography. Do I detect medical training? Thanks for a tremendous contribution...

DCN

If you send the pics to one of us, we'd be only too happy to post them for you...

The instructions in the 'sticky' thread at the top of the Nostalgia Forum page should help out if you wish to go that way too, medwards. It's a delight that you've weighed in here with this detailed information, the sort of thing that many here will appreciate.

My e.mail is at the bottom of this post.

OK .. I am back and I have added a http link on the bottom of my earlier thread .. the photos are not in any particular order and there are photos of my father Clem and mother Josephine there too just coz I want to keep them all in one place.

I hope you like the ones of Verdun and the cars, maybe some of you can offer more information on the model names of the cars he drove and confirm whether the number 17 at Prescott was the Remus? .. I would like to know what the sexy black car is he drove at Aintree too. Only wish I was there too !

Thanks

Lovely stuff
Most of the photos are of the ERA-Jaguar, but there are some of the B-Type Connaught (eg No.4 ay Aintree) and, yes, that looks like Remus at Prescott

Excellent archive photos. Many thanks, you will have many friends here..
The Aintree entries and results book listed elsewhere on TNF will give clearer details of grid and finishing places, I suspect.
A quick look through old Autosports lists Ken Flint as slated for the Aintree end of season Intl sports car race in the ERA Jaguar, although the race report only gives info on the main protagonists etc. The Shelsley August 28 - Sept 3 issue - report gives Ken Flint 2nd in class 4b in the ERA Jaguar on 40.64 secs, the same time as class winner C Wick in an Allard Cadillac, but, significantly, 0.36 sec ahead of Phil Scragg in the HWM.
There is no mention that I can see at a glance of your names in the Oulton book by Derek Lawson.
Given time I will look through A.sports for the Mallory meeting, plus Prescott.
Roger Lund.

Love the photos, particularly the one at Shelsley Walsh



Justin

medwards - thank you for some wonderful photos - particularly those of TKD 100 - the ERA-Jaguar.

In the index in the second, picture only, Oulton book by Derek Lawson there are 3 mentions of Ken Flint, one in the ERA Jaguar in 1956, and one in the Connaught in 1957 in the original narrative version, pp 9 and 11, with Flint in a named photo of the ERA Jag in 1956 after a bit of off-road action, p27, and an unnamed shot of the pitwall line up for the 30min L&CCC high speed trial on Oct 13 '56 with the ERA Jag as the first car in shot, p28. I understand the narrative is paraphrased from Autosport reports.
Roger Lund.

In my alterego, as someone connected to the "music business" , I've worked with the Pretty Things, and they use a studio near me. I should have put two and two together!!! They're still touring by the way! Fascinating thread!

Sorry I posted my reply, then deleted it .. Here it is again ..

I am the youngest paternal granddaughter of Verdun Edwards 1916-1994 South Wales.
...
I wish I had more detail on the cars and races Verdun entered for you now however I am developing a website with my sister Tracey and will post many photos there so I will send you a link when it is live. Thank you for reading my story about my grandfather, Verdun Edwards.

http://s287.photobuc...?albumview=grid

Hello there!

I'm a grandson of Ken Flint, I just found this thread through google. I can confirm as far as I know all the details mentioned above are correct. If only they had hung on to Remus, worth millions now I believe and strangely was on public view in the toy and model museum in London the last I heard... a very big toy!

I would love to see those photos, but PhotoBucket says the album is now private and needs a password to access it... if you read this, please could you unlock it?

We have lots of photos too. I'm currently in New Zealand and the photos are all back in the UK and have not been scanned, but hopefully at some point I or someone in the family will put them online too.

Best wishes,
Chris

Edited by chrisclaydon, 19 October 2009 - 01:22.

HI Chris,

I have changed the photobucket album to public now for all to see and sent you a private message.

Kind regards
Melanie

Hello there!

I'm a grandson of Ken Flint, I just found this thread through google. I can confirm as far as I know all the details mentioned above are correct. If only they had hung on to Remus, worth millions now I believe and strangely was on public view in the toy and model museum in London the last I heard... a very big toy!

I would love to see those photos, but PhotoBucket says the album is now private and needs a password to access it... if you read this, please could you unlock it?

We have lots of photos too. I'm currently in New Zealand and the photos are all back in the UK and have not been scanned, but hopefully at some point I or someone in the family will put them online too.

Best wishes,
Chris

Bump, for no other reason that this was always such a charming thread. We have lost Melanie's Photobucket pics, but if you check her website by tapping on her name above her id photo they are all there in a moving gallery. Looking at a shot of an ERA yesterday reminded me of this thread.

As an aside, is the location in photo 13 with TKD100 at Mallory Park? The raised grille on the railings looks familiar from another photo elsewhere.
Roger Lund

Edited by bradbury west, 14 August 2017 - 09:27.

I agree this is a thread to remember!

Melanie's Photobucket link works for me although I am not a Photobucket user!

It gives a page of thumbnails and at the top there is a view as slideshow button which works.

Edited by Allan Lupton, 14 August 2017 - 10:02.

By coincidence last week Tony Stanton -( Rochdale Register)sent me a copy of I think both Ken Flint and Verdun Edwards outside Autospeed with a Lotus XI, Singer Gazelle and TVR open sports. I looks as though they may have had a Singer agency. I think the photo is late 1959. Maybe Tony can post it here.

Rob

Photo for above.

 

Tony - thank you - if anyone can help date the photo or recognises the Lotus I would be grateful. The TVR was raced by John Kennerley and Ken Cassir in early 1959, so I think this is probably late 1959 at the earliest. There was another thread with input from Steve O Brien and Sharman. The TVR was raced by Harry O Brien in 1961. Regards Rob

History on this Connaught, states it was driven by Verdun Edwards.

 

http://www.finecars....9089/index.html

Edited by group7, 29 August 2017 - 23:02.

History on this Connaught, states it was driven by Verdun Edwards.

 

http://www.finecars....9089/index.html

Some dodgy history in that list of events/drivers I'd say and in this case Motor Sport's report of the 1958 Glover Trophy lists three Connaughts, Richardson and Scott-Brown in GP cars and Lewis-Evans in the "Dart" but no Edwards.

Others which are at best questionable include Parnell in the Glover Trophy in 1955, Walker in Syracuse in 1956, Fairman at Pau in 1957 when the two Connaughts were driven by Bueb (3rd) and Leston (5th)

Edited by Allan Lupton, 30 August 2017 - 08:13.

The relevant Black Book lists Edwards as entered in Connaught chassis B4 for the 1958 Glover Trophy, but did not appear. Parnell raced B4 in the 1956 (not 1955) Glover Trophy, while Walker raced it in the 1957 (not 1956) Syracuse GP. Fairman couldn't posibly have raced it in the 1957 Pau GP as on the same day he used it to finish second in the Glover Trophy at Goodwood. The rest of the race listings in that link appear to be correct.

Going back to the Autospeed photo of the Lotus Singer & TVR Open Sports, I've found (with help) that DA Kelly (entrant Autospeed Garage) raced it at Rufforth in April 1961.

 

Paul Kelly (Elva Courier) as mentioned above and Ken Le Riche (Lotus 6) also raced under the Autospeed banner in 1960/1. I assume DA Kelly is related to Paul Kelly?

 

I'm not entirely sure but could that be Nigel Moores Lotus II?

 

EDIT - I've just read on the Longbacon thread that Paul Kelly was Nigel Moores mechanic.

 

EDIT - I've also found reference in Bruce Hudson's Post War British Thoroughbreds that Autospeed Garage were appointed UK TVR distributor in 1958. I assume that this is before December 1958 when Layton Sports Cars were incorporated. I've not found any reference to Autospeed being TVR dealers after this date.

 

Rob

Edited by RobMk2a, 20 September 2017 - 08:08.

Bump, for no other reason than it fits perfectly with the ethos of TNF. Pls see post 28 for info about a link to the photo gallery. Perhaps someone could post a direct link. Lovely period stuff plus the family history for newcomers here.

Roger Lund

There's a new Connaught book (From Send to Syracuse) by Rabagliati due out next month, maybe it will add some information.

Peter, 

 

I wonder if Duncan has managed to pin down the date when the mould for the C Type Rochdale body was created from Coombs / Bell ASLR. 

 

I'll have to look out for the book. 

 

Rob 

Going back to the Autospeed photo of the Lotus Singer & TVR Open Sports, I've found (with help) that DA Kelly (entrant Autospeed Garage) raced it at Rufforth in April 1961.

 

Paul Kelly (Elva Courier) as mentioned above and Ken Le Riche (Lotus 6) also raced under the Autospeed banner in 1960/1. I assume DA Kelly is related to Paul Kelly?

 

I'm not entirely sure but could that be Nigel Moores Lotus II?

 

EDIT - I've just read on the Longbacon thread that Paul Kelly was Nigel Moores mechanic.

 

EDIT - I've also found reference in Bruce Hudson's Post War British Thoroughbreds that Autospeed Garage were appointed UK TVR distributor in 1958. I assume that this is before December 1958 when Layton Sports Cars were incorporated. I've not found any reference to Autospeed being TVR dealers after this date.

 

Rob

Thank you to Stephen Dalton I've found out via a Sports Car Illustrated road test in March 1958 that Ken Flint of Autospeed Preston Road Blackpool will be appointed as TVR distributors.  I wonder when Autospeed moved from Blackpool to Liverpool. I'll try and contact Ken's grandson Chris Claydon see post #26 above. Rob 

 

Edit should say Prescott Road Blackpool 

Edited by RobMk2a, 18 December 2018 - 13:43.

Close, but no cigar! On phone book evidence, that should be East Prescot Road, Liverpool, not Preston Rd, Blackpool. They also seem to have operated from at least one other Liverpool address; there are also Autospeeds listed in both Warrington and Nelson in the late 1960s - possibly a different company, as at some point the Liverpool one seems to have become Auto Speed.

Sorry - re read the report it is Prescott Road Blackpool. only Ken Flint is mentioned maybe he operated from Blackpool before joining Verdun Edwards in Liverpool. 

 

The Sports Cars Illustrated report may be inaccurate as it spells Trevour Wilkinson not Trevor. 

 

Rob 

Edited by RobMk2a, 18 December 2018 - 13:44.

If you have not looked through this thread before, it is a joy to look back from the start and see the period photographs which Verdun's granddaughter Melanie has posted on her own website linked from her medwards TNF post.. Check them out, and enjoy them
Roger Lund

BARC Gazette Oct 1959 says Ken Flint and Verdun Edwards formerly in the motor trade in Liverpool have opened Cotswold Garage Fowey.

The photo Autospeed must be between Oct 1958 and 1959. The TVR 223 EMA was first registered Oct 1958. I guess that is Nigel Moores Lotus XI so was the photo taken when they opened the garage in Liverpool and they asked friends to provide cars for publicity.

Vitesse do you have a date for the phone book entry.

Rob

My grandad Ken Flint's Autospeed was certainly only in Liverpool, not Blackpool. Entirely possible that it was the TVR dealership but the author of that magazine article got something muddled! Great to see there's still so much interest in Grandad and Verdun's story. To add a few details, he (Ken) was a tank driving and mechanical instructor in WW2 and won the Connaught at auction bidding against Bernie Ecclestone, who won the other two Connaught cars. At Cotswold Garage in Cornwall he later built Formula Vee racing cars. He survived a crash in which his racing car rolled multiple times but he was thrown free on the first roll, otherwise I wouldn't be here today!

Best wishes,

Chris

Edited by chrisclaydon, 16 August 2019 - 22:01.

Many thanks for posting this. Prime source info is always welcome. A thread like this is what this place is all about
Roger Lund

I'm back .. not sure if this is of interest as I only just found this photo through a family member here in Wales.  It is circa 1971, Bentley or is it a Rolls Royce I was informed Verdun owned a Rolls as well as a Bentley when he retired following his accident in 1969.  I was 5 in 1971 then and remember sitting in the back of a huge vehicle like this one with Verdun (paternal grandfather) driving, Nanna Eva Edwards née Jenkins passenger, their oldest son my dad Clem and mum Josephine, me and my two older sisters Lorraine (11) and Tracey (7) Edwards feeling very special indeed in this beautiful automobile.  Another relative said Verdun owned a Rolls Royce too but yet to come upon more evidence.  Turns out my love for the TVR came through my father Clem, as I remember going to the Earls Court car show yearly with him and he had an interest in the TVR from his father Verdun which enticed me to love them too .. I have sat in many, never driven one .. YET ... A poster on my wall as a teenager was of the pointy 350i .. I wish I had had the opportunity to go into the racing industry but Dad's mum, my Nanna Eva Edwards née Jenkins from Brynna, Pontyclun, South Wales said Clem was not going into this business .. not wanting her first son to be injured or worse still .. Chris Claydon: was it also true that your grandfather Ken Flint was opposed to the idea of Clem joining the team since Ken has daughters and not son?  This is one of those family stories it would be interesting to know what you know also.  Meanwhile I simply enjoy driving my car, had many, had many speeding fines, much better at obeying and had a few "driving experience" gifts in super cars and I share information on Verdun here too Here's the picture of Nanna Eva.  Anyone tell what the vehicle is please? Thank you. Melanie Antoinette.  Forgot to add .. Wasn't Verdun the only Welsh F1 racer in those times ?

i'm not great at posting pictures here .. oops
 

https://business.fac...88877171222223/

 

hope this works as I posted the photo there .. 

 

Melanie xx

Edited by medwards, 21 August 2019 - 17:02.

The car is definitely a Bentley. I think it's an S1 Continental Flying Spur with James Young coachwork.

https://business.fac...88877171222223/

 

sorry I can't figure out how to post an image other than as an URL here .. 

The 2 prints I found in the attic are from Verduns collection of F1 memorabilia.

I shall have a look in other forums here to post these too.

Melanie xx