59 replies to this topic

[tonyb]

Yes, this news has appeared on the Something about Books thread a litle while back but I'm restarting it here with more info and for a specific reason to get better visibility so please bear with me.

To reiterate... I and a number of others connected wth the Mike Hawthorn Golden Boy book spent last Monday at Brooklands with a BBC TV crew for a slot in The One Show on Nov 3rd at 7pm. With us was the lovely Murray Walker who was fronting the coverage. Brooklands was a convenient place to take Tim Ely's Ulster Imp he bought from Mike's mum in 1959 since Mike mentions how awed he was when taken to the track by his dad Leslie as a young boy.

So it was up and down under the Member's bridge with the recording crew and Ulster Imp. Have to say Murray was brilliant the whole day - we also went to the crash site, the grave (where Murray did a short piece) and Farnham Museum for an interview by Murray next to Mike's display where the book was used as a prop. Also a quick look at the old TT premises and inside the original hop kiln at Murray's request. On their way back with Murray, they were going to drop in at Goodwood to shoot next to the statue of Mike and Lofty, would have been very wet by then though.

There are some photos from the session here. Also from the 50th Anniversary Lunch at the Barley Mow on the Sunday before where Doug Nye had some time with the BBC camera crew chatting about Mike.

As of now, the slot is still on within the show - we won't know exactly what they are using or the length (prob about 4 mins) until after mid-Monday as the final edit is then and is dictated by whether Lewis wins the WC fifty years after Mike did. If not, he'll still get the Mike Hawthorn Memorial Trophy for the second year running.

Now - the reason for the post is that we need help from all you TNFers to get even more coverage for Mike Hawthorn as it's probably the last time that he'll be in the public gaze for some time. It appears that the BBC may give further programme time to Mike if there is sufficient interest shown on the BBC web site after the programme to justify it! I guess they mean the 606 pages where people can comment but I will clarify this and hopefully you can all clamour for more!

This could mean they'd come along to the book launch in Farnham later this month as there will be many people there to interview. Whatever, it would be great to get more on the TV in Mike's memory as it has been sadly lacking this year.

I'll update this when I have more. Hopefully they won't pull the slot at the last minute. It'll be on iPlayer for the following week if you miss it. No doubt someone will post it on YouTube....

Re the book launch, everyone on the Tribute site's mailing list has the details. After a press (invite only) launch, it is then public between 15:30 and 18:00 (but space is at a premium where we are holding it) and in the evening from 19:30 there is a JEC meeting where we'll be giving a presentation and answering questions with the authors and some special guests - this is a TICKET ONLY evening (seats provided) though and you must get a YES to come from the organiser - simply from space/safety reasons.

If anyone wants more info you can find full Book Launch data on this Tribute web site link.

Public Memorial Service
And one other piece of news in an effort to make sure Mike isn't forgotten - a memorial service will be held for him on Sunday 25th January 2009 at 1:30pm at St Andrews Church in Farnham, close to the 50th Anniversary of his death. The Rev Andrew Tuck will conduct the service. There will be a parade of related cars through the town (route will be closed to traffic by the police for an hour!) and a graveside ceremony will be held at West Street Cemetery after all have arrived. You can expect many celebrities to be present looking at the current plans, including as many living world champions as we can muster! This event looks like it will be really something.

There'll be some more details soon - probably worth a separate thread once finalised?

Thanks for reading this and for your support.

[flat-16]

Justin

[RTH]

Worth looking out for.

[tonyb]

Hopefully, our chances of decent coverage just went up quite a lot ....

Just looking for my heart pills after that finish ...

[Gary C]

LOL! Exactly! Here's to seeing Mike on the telly tomorrow night.

[Doug Nye]

Not at all hard sell then...? After this afternoon's events in Brathil there's a better chance of the item being given decent telly time tomorrow. Fifty years on, eh...who would have believed it? After all the events of the past two seasons, Whoopee-nurdle.

DCN

....and in a car which, in stark contrast to that driven by Mike Hawthorn in 1958, has been pedigree-attested by the FIA to incorporate 'no Ferrari'...(pending post-race scrutineering )

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
After this afternoon's events in Brathil there's a better chance of the item being given decent telly time tomorrow

...or less, if they think they should focus on a more recent British world champion instead

[Bernard]

Or is he "Swiss"

[Red Socks]

Decision as to nationality probably in the hands of Her Majesties Revenue and Customs as we speak

[tonyb]

Just a quick confirmation that the BBC TV One Show coverage is on tonight sometime after 7pm with editing now finished.

However, it's only 3m 20s (at most) long now and there is no one on the couch to talk about it - parts of the coverage that were shot last Monday with Murray have been dropped I gather with additional material now added from an interview with Sir Stirling and also coverage of Lewis Hamilton. Not unexpected.

Hopefully still well worth watching though!

An appearance of the Hawthorn Memorial Trophy on this show was also cancelled by the BBC at the last minute - but the good news is that it is coming along to the book launch on 20th November for a couple of hours The miniature version of the trophy that was presented to Mrs Hawthorn at the time will also be there.

[Stephen W]

What is all this twaddle about Hamilton and living abroad? It's not as if he was the first Brit to go that route!

Meanwhile back to the thread; I'll certainly watch the program and if it is included I will leave an appropriate comment.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by Stephen W
What is all this twaddle about Hamilton and living abroad? It's not as if he was the first Brit to go that route!

Indeed, wasn't that one of the problems with JMH and National Service? There was some tabloid criticism there...

Plus ca change.;)

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by ensign14

Indeed, wasn't that one of the problems with JMH and National Service? There was some tabloid criticism there...

Plus ca change.;)

A bit more than tabloid criticism. Questions were asked in Parliament!

[Doug Nye]

Stirl went off on one in 'The Daily Mail' but ONLY as a very minor codicil to the bulk of the piece. The sub-editors then latched onto what is really just a minor pet-hate aside towards the end of that story and presented it as THE HEADLINE!!!!

So what happens then - everybody concludes the old boy's finally lost his marbles and Radio 5's phone-in is choc-a-bloc with 'Moss hates Hamilton for tax avoidance'. An exaggeration - he would prefer it if the kid had maintained British residency. That's all. If that's the only problem he has with the new World Champion that's not too bad - surely? I know he has enormous admiration for what he has achieved, and the way he has achieved it.

(By the way, as I recall it Moss's eventual tax avoidance in period was by fees being paid via a Bahamas company - take your pick: glass, stones, houses???).

DCN

[Stephen W]

Originally posted by Vitesse2

A bit more than tabloid criticism. Questions were asked in Parliament!

Ooooooooh! Scary! Anyway MH was only getting closer to his employer!

I was thinking about Jim Clark and Jackie Stewart; not to mention in recent times David Coulthard.

[Doug Nye]

The first two aren't bad company to share...

DCN

[Gary C]

well that was OK, if a trifle short. But can you expect.

[Gary C]

Sorry, that should have read, 'But what can you expect.'

[RobertE]

As you might expect, the BBC would rather concentrate on Childs and Bailey chuntering on than upload some more decent footage of an English public schoolboy doing his stuff, but it's always nice to see Muzza. Good luck with the book!

[tonyb]

Yes. well.... Not bad and they used most of Monday's coverage plus some nice archive footage although captioning could have been better.

But don't you think they could have at least used someone on the couch at that point with even a slight interest in F1, and especially since the so-called comedian that was there shares my name! At least it might have extended the discussion by a few minutes. As it was it killed it stone dead

The producer said a link for comments is being put up at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk...ow/onepassions/

but it's not there yet. The Tribute web site is currently being clobbered by 'Mike Hawthorn' lookups on Google though!

I'm getting this on DVD in a short while and will post on the website in a suitable format.

[RTH]

Murray Walker is STILL the best presenter of a motor racing item . We should treasure him while we still have him.

[tonyb]

Originally posted by RTH
Murray Walker is STILL the best presenter of a motor racing item . We should treasure him while we still have him.

Couldn't agree more. While chatting to him at Brooklands during a break, he did mention that he would be involved with the BBC and F1 next year although not as a race commentator.

I've met him in passing many times over the years but never had the opportunity to talk to him at any length without surrounding crowds before. It was like talking to someone you know and meet every day - really cool and an experience I will treasure!

Doug (did you spot him at the beginning outside the Barley Mow? Although the conversation he was having with the BBC producer on Mike's sexual prowess was lost to the world!) can probably comment more as I know they get on very well together.

[flat-16]

Originally posted by RTH
Murray Walker is STILL the best presenter of a motor racing item . We should treasure him while we still have him.

He's not without flaws, and it took for him to retire for me to realise it, but I'm in complete agreement with your sentiment Worth a thousand of the idiots who present for ITV (with the exception of Brundle of course).

I did spot DCN lurking in the background - I was expecting the Beeb to ask for a comment from him; maybe it would have been too risque to broadcast @ 7pm...

Justin

[Gary C]

'I'm getting this on DVD in a short while and will post on the website in a suitable format.'
Have you OK'd this with the BBC? I'd hate to see you in court!

[tonyb]

Originally posted by Gary C
'I'm getting this on DVD in a short while and will post on the website in a suitable format.'
Have you OK'd this with the BBC? I'd hate to see you in court!

They didn't raise any objections when I asked but thanks for the concern. I might double check though. Bet someone posts it on YouTube though...

Just watched it again a few times, even spotted myself by Doug's C-type outside the Barley Mow. Did you spot Mike in the No 2 Ferrari with his half-pint on the track, think he picked that up from a marshal's post earlier. Maybe we'll see Lewis emulate that?

[tonyb]

As mentioned earlier, you can now comment on the programme on the appropriate comments page (registration needed). It's moderated but after posting.

There is no sign yet of the Passions link the BBC gave.

[RTH]

Originally posted by flat-16




I did spot DCN lurking in the background - I was expecting the Beeb to ask for a comment from him; maybe it would have been too risque to broadcast @ 7pm...

Justin

Thank God , Doug is neither " Edgy or Contemporary " ( which is how the BBC tried to justify the disgraceful behaviour of those other nonentities ) He is in fact another national treasure.

[Tony Lethbridge]

I thought it was a nice piece but naturally far too short. What a shame they didn't have Murray or Doug in the studio, that would have been much more fun. Maybe tonyb can now persuade an independant TV company to do a full length documentary which might include some of Doug's stories.

Although I had read about Mike picking up his pint from the marshals at Silverstone I had never before seen that footage. I feel a model coming on and yes, there's a spare Brumm #2 Dino in the cabinet.

[tonyb]

Tony - do that and I'll add it into the pics of all the models of yours already in the book if we get to another edition! In fact, you'd better produce two!

The longer production is an idea - some years back I produced a one hour DVD about Win Percy with the rebuilt 1955 winning D-type racing at Goodwood in 2002 (cockpit camera for 14 laps) but it was a hell of an undertaking that took nearly a year, partly because of permission problems, and there would be a lot of copyright/money issues here with footage etc for Mike's stuff. If anyone knows a company that would be interested then please post the details.

The BBC seem to have lost interest or priorities at the last minute as a number of things were pulled before the show went out - there should have been someone in the studio (presume Murray) and the Hawthorn Memorial Trophy was supposed to be there as well. Of course, had the BBC been covering F1 rather than ITV ....

[Dutchy]

One small quibble I have with the commentary is that 1952 was given as the year of MH's first race making his works drive for Ferrari in 1953 seem quite remarkable, whereas it was actually 1950. I suppose MW meant to say 1952 was the year MH took part in his first Grand Prix. Still a big achievement but sad that even MW perpetuates the myth that motor sport doesn't exist outside F1.

[Derwent Motorsport]

Yes, its a bit sad that obviously so much effort went into doing the feature and then so much was left out. Presumably that little feature cost many thousands of pounds to make but the cost would have been little different if it had been a ten minute feature.

I've never found Bill Bailey very funny, one of the "ground breaking" new comedians who gets cheap laughs by being rude about people.

[Paul Parker]

The problem is that the subject matter was too esoteric and too historical for a topical TV show like this.

Of course it was topical by association with Hamilton's WDC triumph, but otherwise there was no resonance or connection with its probable viewing base.

As for the truncated nature of the piece this is typical of most such features whose ultimate screen time and presentation thereof is usually decided by somebody with no interest, knowledge or appreciation of such subjects and frequently somebody not even born at the time in question.

However at least it did receive some coverage, but a proper full length film documentary on Mike's life and career is long overdue

Finally of course Bill Bailey's stated lack of interest and dismissive comments about (latter day) F1 did not help although of course it was Grand Prix racing during JMH's era.

[ensign14]

OTOH The One Show is meant to be a sort of hors d'oeuvre, a brief mention of something of quirky interest a la Nationwide. These days if it piques the interest of someone there are plenty of easily available resources to check up. A 30 minute Life of Mike would get die-hard viewers, but this sort of thing at least gets across to a wider proportion of the population.

[Paul Parker]

ensign14

"OTOH The One Show is meant to be a sort of hors d'oeuvre, a brief mention of something of quirky interest a la Nationwide."

True but this particular 'show' and the truncated nature of the coverage was nevertheless too brief even by its own standards.

Meanwhile I was not expecting a 30 minute life of Mike in this instance, anyway this would still be far too short. In my opinion JMH fully deserves a properly researched feature, he was after all our original WDC and has an interesting, controversial and exciting history.

If you consider some of the dull, pretentious dullards and morons that British TV lavishes much time, money and effort upon this is surely not expecting too much and I am sure that it would interest many otherwise uninformed punters as well as persons of our persuasion.

[tonyb]

I think if anyone does want to make comments and have any impact before it's too late then the comments page (registration needed) is probably the place by the looks of it.

Thanks

[lil'chris]

Originally posted by Paul Parker

True but this particular 'show' and the truncated nature of the coverage was nevertheless too brief even by its own standards.

Especially as it was shorter than the following piece featuring some idiot trying to emulate a salmon swimming up a river AND he appeared in the studio after for several minutes talking about it

[Doug Nye]

Don't knock it unless you've tried it...

DCN

[lil'chris]

Fair point, I have enough trouble swimming on the flat let alone uphill

[markpde]

Originally posted by Stephen W
What is all this twaddle about Hamilton and living abroad? It's not as if he was the first Brit to go that route!

Jim Clark didn't. I remember, in Motor Sport, Jenks visiting his birthplace - Chirnside, Duns, in Berwickshire - then Jackie Stewart's, in Dumbarton. Jenks then observed that he could see why Clark always made every effort to return home whenever possible, and why Stewart went to live in Switzerland.

Dumbarton's not that bad!

[Allan Lupton]

Originally posted by markpde

Dumbarton's not that bad!

But Stevenage is

[RS2000]

Originally posted by markpde

Jim Clark didn't. Clark always made every effort to return home whenever possible

"Whenever possible" in 1967 means the limited number of days he could spend in the UK and still avoid tax...

[ensign14]

Well, Clark's gravestone lists him as a farmer first...but also lists his Bermudan address.

[David McKinney]

In the Daily Telegraph
http://www.telegraph...s-Hamilton.html

[Doug Nye]

Ensign - I very much respect your avatar...

Kohima Memorial inscription:

"When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say,
For Their Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today"

Indeed.

DCN

[oldtimer]

Originally posted by Dutchy
One small quibble I have with the commentary is that 1952 was given as the year of MH's first race making his works drive for Ferrari in 1953 seem quite remarkable, whereas it was actually 1950. I suppose MW meant to say 1952 was the year MH took part in his first Grand Prix. Still a big achievement but sad that even MW perpetuates the myth that motor sport doesn't exist outside F1.

To my mind, going from racing a 1930s Riley to making eyebrows raise in his first season in GP events was quite remarkable. And that in an under-powered car.

[fuzzi]

The book "Mike Hawthorn: Golden Boy" by Tony Bailey and Paul Skilleter arrived yesterday while I was out. I was one of the lucky ones who showed an interest from the start and was able to pre-order. I'm not allowed to start on it yet, but it looks great from the sneaky peek I took this morning before anyone else was awake.

[tonyb]

The clip of Mike's coverage from the BBC One Show is now on the Tribute web link below (requires Flash) for those that haven't seen it or want to watch it again:

http://www.mike-hawt...show-stills.php

And re Fuzzi's comment above, the books are now being despatched so if you want one before Christmas ....

There are a load of reviews coming up in the next few weeks (I know DCN has kindly prepared one) for those that still aren't sure. Eoin Young is working on one and did make this comment: "Amazing. Just amazing. You're one of the reasons I'm not writing any more books! Where on earth did you find all the photographs?"

And the book launch is on for this Thursday at Swain and Jones in Farnham, details on web site. We know Murray will be there until 16:00 plus others. We also have a personal message from our new World Champion, Lewis Hamilton, re his win and its historic relationship to Mike to be read out.

[tonyb]

While we didn't get a mention on the BBC One Show, we DID get coverage on BBC South Today yesterday rather disproving what we were told by the One Show people. The book launch was held yesterday in Farnham and South Today appeared out of the blue, complete with a satellite facility! Paul Clifton, their transport correspondent, did the honours with a live broadcast into the 1.30pm news (while waving the book around after removing it from Mike's Aurelia!) as a taster for a longer slot in the 6.30pm news.

They taped a lot of material and used that for the evening broadcast with chats to Murray Walker, Jean Howarth and myself making it to the screen. Sally Taylor who introduced the item had the book and was enthusing about it while showing to to camera. Brilliant for us and illustrating to the One Show how it could have been done...

I'm waiting for recorded video coverage to arrive that I will post on the web site - meanwhile you can see some photos below and more from the session on the Book Launch web page.

The event was a big success and worth all the work with over 230 people there in the evening for the Q&A session - I believe I bumped into a couple of TNFers but with so many people there, it rapidly became a jumble of names so apologies if I don't remember who you were! We sold every book we took along as well even though we thought we'd taken too many. Overall a quite amazing event and we all hoped that Mike would have approved...

We even had McLaren's Technical Director bring along a letter from Lewis Hamilton and read out the new world champion's thoughts about Mike and to wish us success. It's reproduced on the web page. The Hawthorn Memorial Trophy was also there and it was quite something to hold it and look at all the names engraved on the base and think that every one of them had held it at some time past. The letter is on the web page.

Take a look at the amazing story with the last photo below.


One of the two Ferrari 250 GTs sold from the Tourist Trophy Garage in 1958. This belongs to Adrian Donovan and was
white originally. In the background is Mike's original Lancia Aurelia, now owned by John Cundy.


The interior of the restored Lancia Aurelia, WPD 10, with upholstery as specified by Mike


This Lancia Aprilia didn't want to be left out and came long for the company. Although not Mike's car, he did own one for some time


Paul Clifton from the BBC chats to Jean Howarth


L-R: Tony Bailey, Murray Walker and Paul Skilleter (pic by Pete Austin)


Tony Lethbridge with a model he has made of Mike with Pint in Ferrari! (pic by Pete Austin)


And Paul again with the irreplaceable Murray Walker


And I really do have to explain this last photo.... the guy on the left is Ian Milne and has a family who knew Mike well and Mrs Hawthorn gave his family the jacket - which was Mike's. Mike appears wearing it in various photos including the non-published Raydyot spotlamp advert (see book!). So here he is Ian Milne wearing it.

I introduced him to Jean Ireland (Mike's fiancee at the time) and asked her if she recognised the jacket. She did straight away and then an even more remarkable coincidence occurred. In the book, Jean let us publish a photo of something very precious to her - a couple of Mike's pipes that she has kept all these years. One is broken and she relates how this happened when Mike gave her a rather hefty cuddle and the pipe in his top jacket pocket broke in half!

Well guess what jacket he was wearing ....

Unattributed photos © Tony Bailey 2008

Edited by tonyb, 30 July 2009 - 14:02.

[Gary C]

Lovely stuff! I wish I had been able to make it.

[Danny Skehan]

Any interviews with Mike on You tube or anywhere else – don’t remember hearing his voice although I met him as a kid in Ireland in the 50s :