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Drivers' homes in Kingston-upon-Thames


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#1 Paul Rochdale

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Posted 28 March 2008 - 21:19

Kelvin Adams has an interesting website part of which is devoted to his local areas connection with motorsport and this section covers the homes of Brooklands drivers.

http://www.geocities...2000/houses.htm

Does anyone have more information on the last days of VW (Vic) Derrington, please?

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#2 Alan Cox

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Posted 28 March 2008 - 23:24

Slightly OT, and not helping in your search for details of the latter days of the company, but a nicely evocative range of Derrington's catalogues here:

http://mk1-performan.../derrington.htm

#3 RJE

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Posted 29 March 2008 - 09:29

V.W. (Vic) Derrington lived in a flat above his London Road shop until he passed away. I would have to look up the exact date.

Vic had lived at the site for many years before the end. The property has now been pulled down and a modern building stands in its place.

Vic was my uncle (not strictly true as my mother was his cousin but he was always refered to as my uncle). I worked at the London Road workshops in the early 6o's when the likes of John Cooper, Colin Chapman, Graham Hill ect. regularly passed through. I can even remember Vic taking me to school in Stirling Moss' current road car in the 1950's complete with a small lucky horseshoe transfer on the side.

He was an extrordinary man who virtually invented the tuning industry single handed and also raced extensivly both sides of the war. My late father and my father's still living brother have both told me 'lurid' tales of lapping Brooklands as passengers in Vic's various cars, mostly MG's I beleive. He knew 'everybody' and one of the delights of my life was manning his stand at the early racing car shows with him where I would be introduced to a who's who of past motor racing notables as they stopped to chat with Vic. His contribution is little appriciated today but should be logged before we all vanish.

Vic also had a large part in TDC Components just round the corner from the London Road workshops. TDC were responsible for the vast majority of the racing exhaust systems built for most of the British F1 and sports car manufacturers during the fifties and early sixties. People such as Mike 'the pipe' Randled and Len Hartley learned their craft in it's cramped 'Victorian' portals.

Bob Egginton.

#4 Paul Rochdale

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Posted 29 March 2008 - 10:13

Bob

Thanks very much for that story.

#5 Stuart_Forrest

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Posted 29 March 2008 - 15:45

This is very interesting for me as I live in the heart of this area. Indeed I write this post from my house in Clifton Road, Kingston Upon Thames, referred to on Kelvin's website as the site of the Derrington Works. I must have driven past this light industrial unit (now the site of an organic food company!) hundreds of times in the past 4 years without once realising its significance. I was given a book on the history of Kingston Upon Thames some years ago and whilst it has some fascinating pictures of how the town has changed over the years, not one reference to its history in early motoring and motor racing.

#6 MCS

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Posted 29 March 2008 - 21:49

Originally posted by Stuart_Forrest
...I was given a book on the history of Kingston Upon Thames some years ago and whilst it has some fascinating pictures of how the town has changed over the years, not one reference to its history in early motoring and motor racing.


So often the way! Given the proximity to Surbiton, Thames Ditton, etc. a little disappointing perhaps.

#7 fivestar

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Posted 30 March 2008 - 23:08

I have nostalgic memories of the TDC workshops in 1966/7. It was my first part time job whilst I was at Kingston College and besides Vic Derrington I met Mike the Pipe and various others. I remember one occassion when I must have broken at least half a dozen drill bits trying to bore out the stud holes for exhaust flanges much to the amusement of the regular workers.
There was also a couple of Vic's Brooklands cars parked in the entrance passageway to the workshop. I must now look through my boxes of photos and see if I still have any from those days

#8 reservoircogs

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Posted 31 March 2008 - 08:32

Wow, interesting. I also go past that site, keep in coming.
scottie

#9 Mistron

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Posted 17 June 2015 - 09:08

I'm sure there used to be a fairly substantial thread on  the subject of Homes of racing drivers but I can't find it.

 

I see Denny Hulme's Modernist style former home is on the market, though it sounds like it may be the land which finds a buyer, rather than the property. Shame, as I love that style of architecture.

 

http://www.wowhaus.c...ybridge-surrey/

 

Al



#10 Gary C

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Posted 17 June 2015 - 09:31

wow, I live in Shepperton, about 6 (?) miles from St.George's Hill. Denny's place, to my eyes, still looks hugely modern, I would love to take a look inside and imagine the people & parties that took place there. If only I could get into St.George's Hill.......and actually afford the property!

#11 kayemod

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Posted 17 June 2015 - 11:49

I'm sure there used to be a fairly substantial thread on  the subject of Homes of racing drivers but I can't find it.

 

I see Denny Hulme's Modernist style former home is on the market, though it sounds like it may be the land which finds a buyer, rather than the property. Shame, as I love that style of architecture.

 

http://www.wowhaus.c...ybridge-surrey/

 

Al

 

Weren't we told at the time that Denny did much of the building work himself? He was a pretty tough guy too, and had worked in that game in NZ helping his dad. Some time in the early 70s, I was at the McLaren factory at Colnbrook doing a seat fitting for Denny in his M14. Some wide strips of quite thick L72 aluminium needed bending into right-angles. Knowing what would be the outcome, he passed these strips to those standing around, and no-one could do it, but Denny did it easily with his bare hands, even more impressive as those hands were still recovering from the burns inflicted a year or two earlier by his Indy trauma. A great man, and one of my all-time favourite F1 characters.



#12 BRG

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Posted 17 June 2015 - 20:14

It wasn't yet a part of the Royal Borough of Kingston on Thames (not until 1964) but Bruce Mclaren and Howden Ganley lived in Graham Road, New Malden for a while. 

 

Sopwith aeroplanes were built in Kingston at Canbury Gardens (later becoming part of Hawker and moving to Ham, which later became part of BAE) so did the Sopwith family, particularly Tommy Sopwith, racing driver, live in Kingston?



#13 Gary C

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Posted 17 June 2015 - 20:23

............Denny would have had both John and Ringo as neighbours in the 60's in St.George's Hill.

#14 RJE

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Posted 18 June 2015 - 07:01

Interesting the note about Sopwith.  Vic Derrington who I posted about earlier in this thread served his apprenticeship, and later worked at Sopwith.



#15 JAPMagna

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Posted 18 June 2015 - 11:19

From The Telegraph 29 Nov 2010 - and about time too...

Two kings of speed - father and son Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell - have been commemorated with a single blue plaque in London.

 

English Heritage unveiled the monument at Canbury School, Kingston-upon-Thames, their former home. Malcolm Campbell is connected to numerous London addresses but the substantial nineteenth century detached house on Kingston Hill is the only home where both he and his son can be commemorated together.

Malcolm Campbell moved there in 1919 and married Dorothy Whittal the following year. Their son, Donald, was born at the family home (now a school) in March 1921, three years before Malcolm made world headlines by breaking the land speed record at Pendine Sands, Carmarthenshire. The following year, on the same course, he became the first man to top 150mph.


Edited by JAPMagna, 18 June 2015 - 11:20.


#16 BRG

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Posted 18 June 2015 - 17:55

............Denny would have had both John and Ringo as neighbours in the 60's in St.George's Hill.

Not to mention Dick Emery.

 

Ooohh, you are awful but I like you!



#17 RS2000

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Posted 18 June 2015 - 21:31

No doubt for Emery's convenience, several of the "you are awful..." sequences (outside the lingerie shop included) were filmed nearby in Walton on Thames - a stone's throw from HWM.



#18 Allan Lupton

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Posted 19 June 2015 - 12:02


Sopwith aeroplanes were built in Kingston at Canbury Gardens (later becoming part of Hawker and moving to Ham, which later became part of BAE) so did the Sopwith family, particularly Tommy Sopwith, racing driver, live in Kingston?

Tommy Sopwith (senior) lived at Ordsall, near Chobham in Surrey from 1912 until he bought Horsley Towers, East Horsley, Surrey in 1919. Sold as part of the Sopwith company's liquidation in 1920. In 1932 he was living in 32 Park Street London so Tommy (junior, b. 15:11:32) started his life there.



#19 Gary C

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Posted 19 June 2015 - 17:20

...talking of Dick Emery, just a few weeks ago I enquired about a house that was for sale on the towpath at Shepperton. When I was given the information about it, it turned out to be Dick Emery's house all through the 1970's.

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#20 David Birchall

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 02:20

OOOOOH, didn't you do well! :)

#21 DogEarred

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Posted 20 June 2015 - 07:11

Tommy Sopwith (senior) lived at Ordsall, near Chobham in Surrey from 1912 until he bought Horsley Towers, East Horsley, Surrey in 1919. Sold as part of the Sopwith company's liquidation in 1920. In 1932 he was living in 32 Park Street London so Tommy (junior, b. 15:11:32) started his life there.

 

Horsley Towers is now a hotel & reception venue.

 

It still has references to Sopwirth with room names, a few pictures & models if I recall, from my one night spent there. Nice place - worth more than a few aeroplanes now, I'd hazard a guess.



#22 JAPMagna

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Posted 25 June 2015 - 07:56

Michael Parkes started life at Ham Common (technically Richmond) which is sandwiched between Richmond & Kingston, and very close to the Hawker-Siddeley factory in Kingston, hence a further Sopwith connection.



#23 JAPMagna

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Posted 23 July 2015 - 20:50

Squadron Leader John H. (Paddy) Gaston had a garage and tuning business at 215 Richmond Road, Kingston. He purchased Daniel Richmond's "RAM35" Sprite to go racing. His first outing in the Sprite was in October 1958 in the 1 Hour race at Snetterton, and he entered the car in another 22 events over the next three seasons, mostly in the UK but with one trip to Zandvoort in Holland in 1960 where he failed to finish. He won his class with the car on several occasions including the Snetterton 3 Hours in 1960.



#24 Derrington

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Posted 21 April 2020 - 03:50

V.W. (Vic) Derrington lived in a flat above his London Road shop until he passed away. I would have to look up the exact date.

Vic had lived at the site for many years before the end. The property has now been pulled down and a modern building stands in its place.

Vic was my uncle (not strictly true as my mother was his cousin but he was always refered to as my uncle). I worked at the London Road workshops in the early 6o's when the likes of John Cooper, Colin Chapman, Graham Hill ect. regularly passed through. I can even remember Vic taking me to school in Stirling Moss' current road car in the 1950's complete with a small lucky horseshoe transfer on the side.

He was an extrordinary man who virtually invented the tuning industry single handed and also raced extensivly both sides of the war. My late father and my father's still living brother have both told me 'lurid' tales of lapping Brooklands as passengers in Vic's various cars, mostly MG's I beleive. He knew 'everybody' and one of the delights of my life was manning his stand at the early racing car shows with him where I would be introduced to a who's who of past motor racing notables as they stopped to chat with Vic. His contribution is little appriciated today but should be logged before we all vanish.

Vic also had a large part in TDC Components just round the corner from the London Road workshops. TDC were responsible for the vast majority of the racing exhaust systems built for most of the British F1 and sports car manufacturers during the fifties and early sixties. People such as Mike 'the pipe' Randled and Len Hartley learned their craft in it's cramped 'Victorian' portals.

Bob Egginton.

Hi Bob, 

 

My name is Christian Derrington, grandson of Vic and son of Stuart. This is a great post, largely because as you say his contribution to the growth and success of British Motorsport is less well known. 

 

My father and I collect stories and buy-back components that Derrington's used to sell. Sadly, I was born after he died in 1974 and just about remember Clifton Road and London Road before the business moved to Alfred Road in Kingston as London Buses wanted the site back for a new bus station. Dad loves checking out fitted or not components, running his hand over the back or side, proudly claiming whether he manually smoothed out the fittings for a manifold or not. I have the odd snigger when a steering wheel is claimed to be Derringtons and it either has the wrong number of rivets or made of steel and is selling for $100's. 

 

One of my favorite stories, was when Brooklands was threatened with closure or at least the removal of its racing licence due to complaints from local residents about the noise from cars racing without silencers. He solved that with the Brooklands silencer. 

 

I live in New Zealand now and its amazing to hear and meet people who recall or know of Derringtons even here, and of course it had a massive following in the US, particularly California in the late 50s and 60s. 

 

I would love to know more of the stories you have and any photos also.

 

Thanks, 

Christian 



#25 Derrington

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Posted 21 April 2020 - 03:55

Hi fivestar, 

 

My name is Christian Derrington and I am the grandson of Vic Derrington and son of Stuart. You must have some great memories and if you have photos that you are able to share, that would be amazing. Dad always told me about the amount of noise TDC created when they were testing the exhausts and his favourite is the story of Honda freighting in one of their engines, I think for the RA272 or 3 for development and install of the exhaust system. 

 

It would be great if you can share more memories or photos and let me know if you would like my email address.

 

many thanks, 

 

Christian

 

I have nostalgic memories of the TDC workshops in 1966/7. It was my first part time job whilst I was at Kingston College and besides Vic Derrington I met Mike the Pipe and various others. I remember one occassion when I must have broken at least half a dozen drill bits trying to bore out the stud holes for exhaust flanges much to the amusement of the regular workers.
There was also a couple of Vic's Brooklands cars parked in the entrance passageway to the workshop. I must now look through my boxes of photos and see if I still have any from those days

 



#26 fivestar

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Posted 06 May 2020 - 23:16

Hi Christian,
I had not posted any photos as nearly all my 60s photos have been devoured by termites.
As to stories again I only worked part time, but it was great to see various F1 cars coming in to have exhaust sets fitted.
sorry not to be more help.

Hi fivestar,

My name is Christian Derrington and I am the grandson of Vic Derrington and son of Stuart. You must have some great memories and if you have photos that you are able to share, that would be amazing. Dad always told me about the amount of noise TDC created when they were testing the exhausts and his favourite is the story of Honda freighting in one of their engines, I think for the RA272 or 3 for development and install of the exhaust system.

It would be great if you can share more memories or photos and let me know if you would like my email address.

many thanks,

Christian



#27 Myhinpaa

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Posted 07 May 2020 - 00:01

I'm sure there used to be a fairly substantial thread on  the subject of Homes of racing drivers but I can't find it.

 

I see Denny Hulme's Modernist style former home is on the market, though it sounds like it may be the land which finds a buyer, rather than the property. Shame, as I love that style of architecture.

 

http://www.wowhaus.c...ybridge-surrey/

 

Al

 

Comment from under the article :

 

Izzy Hulme on 20 June, 2015 2:09 am

Kia ora, this is false information. This house listed is not the Hulme property.                                                                                                                           

This advertised house is up the road from Denny’s house, known then as Aotearoa.                                                                                                      When they lived in Weybridge this was the house that they built.


Isabel Hulme, Denny Hulmes Granddaughter.


Edited by Myhinpaa, 07 May 2020 - 22:15.


#28 Bikr7549

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Posted 07 May 2020 - 18:27

I'm sure there used to be a fairly substantial thread on  the subject of Homes of racing drivers but I can't find it.

 

I see Denny Hulme's Modernist style former home is on the market, though it sounds like it may be the land which finds a buyer, rather than the property. Shame, as I love that style of architecture.

 

http://www.wowhaus.c...ybridge-surrey/

 

Al

 

I remember a comment in I think the Eoin Young column in Autocar once that Denny had been doing some 'DIY' work on his home in the UK by removing an interior wall with a chain saw. He came across a bundle of wiring, so switched off the mains and kept cutting away.


Edited by Bikr7549, 07 May 2020 - 18:30.


#29 RJE

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Posted 07 May 2020 - 21:51

Hello Christian

If you would like to PM me with your email address I will contact you.

Bob.



#30 Derrington

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Posted 08 May 2020 - 05:16

Hi Christian,
I had not posted any photos as nearly all my 60s photos have been devoured by termites.
As to stories again I only worked part time, but it was great to see various F1 cars coming in to have exhaust sets fitted.
sorry not to be more help.

 

Not to worry, but can you describe what TDC sounded like when they were testing? I can only imagine that surrounded by all the houses, it was pretty a noisy affair with lots of complaints!



#31 Derrington

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Posted 08 May 2020 - 05:17

Hello Christian

If you would like to PM me with your email address I will contact you.

Bob.

 

Thank you and done.