48 replies to this topic

[f1steveuk]

Having done a search, I'm staggered to see there isn't a thread on this vastly underrated driver. I got interested in motor racing as a child, as my Grandad would "bang on" for hours about the talents of Lewis-Evans, yet he seems a driver, mentioned in passing, but rarely spoken about. Being young (ish) I never saw him race, but having been to the hospital in East Grinstead, and seeing a plaque there, it prompted the search, so I could fill in a gap, yet, nothing to be found! There must be knowledge here, surely?

[Eric Dunsdon]

Stuart won the very first motor race that I saw. The 500cc Formula 3 support race to the International Trophy Race Silverstone, May 1952, his second season of racing.
He became very much a specialist in this category where his light weight was a considerable advantage. Stuart also had considerable success in Formula 2 racing, winning, amongst others the 1958 Kentish Trophy at Brands Hatch. In 1957 he drove for Connaught and Vanwall winning the Glover Trophy Race at Goodwood and finishing 4th at Monaco with the former marque and third in the Rheims Grand Prix with the latter. He also drove for Ferrari in sports car events finishing 5th at Le Mans. In 1958 he again drove for Vanwall finishing third in the Belgian and Portugese Grand Prix and 4th in the British. Stuart also drove for Aston Martin, finishing third in the Goodwood TT with Caroll Shelby. Sadly Stuart crashed fatally in the 1958 Moroccan Grand Prix. Born in Luton, Bedfordshire in 1930 Stuart was something of a protege of Bernie Ecclestone. His loss deprived Britain of a great talent who would surely have done well with the smaller lighter cars which later dominated Formula One racing.

[f1steveuk]

Sometimes, when I was working for Bernie, you'd end up with him in a room, by yourself, and wonder what to say, he's probably heard it all. Once he realised I liked the history of the sport, he'd always ask what I was reading or writing, and one day, the subject of Stuart came up. The most human I have ever seen him, sometimes close to tears, and repeating the line, "lovely bloke, lovely", and once said, "the only bloke I miss in racing".

[Tim Murray]

There is an existing thread on him:

Stuart Lewis-Evans

and one on his dad:

Lewis Lewis-Evans - father of Stuart

Stuart's son Steve posted here briefly, but didn't stay around long, sadly. In any case, he was only three when his father died, so wouldn't have too many memories of him to share.

http://forums.autosp...?showuser=66980

[f1steveuk]

I thought there was a thread, but "search" didn't find anything, rather odd! Maybe Twinny could merge, he likes a good merge......

I'm in touch with Steve Lewis-Evans, he's not a great user of the 'net

Edited by f1steveuk, 04 July 2013 - 14:50.

[john winfield]

I thought there was a thread, but "search" didn't find anything, rather odd! Maybe Twinny could merge, he likes a good merge......

I'm in touch with Steve Lewis-Evans, he's not a great user of the 'net

The 'search' facility can be a bit quirky, Steve. Although the existing Lewis-Evans thread titles correctly include hyphens, a search with hyphens doesn't find them. Leave the hyphens out and they appear!

You probably know but, in the October 1997 Motor Sport, there's an interesting 5 page feature on Stuart by Robert Edwards.

[f1steveuk]

The 'search' facility can be a bit quirky, Steve. Although the existing Lewis-Evans thread titles correctly include hyphens, a search with hyphens doesn't find them. Leave the hyphens out and they appear!

You probably know but, in the October 1997 Motor Sport, there's an interesting 5 page feature on Stuart by Robert Edwards.

More worrying, I posted on the other thread!

[john winfield]

More worrying, I posted on the other thread!

It's an age thing, Pete. I find I'm forgetting names nowadays, can't remember why I walked upstairs, and have a habit of not finishing my

[RobertE]

I did a piece on him for Motor Sport some years ago and he featured in 'Managing a Legend'. Much of the input came from his brother, about which his widow disagreed. Eek! All very awkward, as I recall.

One thing which is, I think, hard to debate is that his death put the lid on a fully-committed Vanwall effort. I know that GAV pressed on in a desultory way with works in progress, but he was clearly appalled at what had happened. But he was an impilsive man...

There was some thought (hard to assert) that L-E's car at Casablanca was 'below par' and this may have contributed to the awful crash, (a transmission lock-up, I think) but I wouldn't take that to the bank.

The relevant section of the hospital at East Grinstead later became a dental surgey - my daughter had some work done there...

Another thing is utterly clear; he was a very gifted driver.

Edited by RobertE, 04 July 2013 - 18:33.

[PCC]

More worrying, I posted on the other thread!

You did indeed. And your long post (#50) is one of the best things I've read on TNF, and reminds me of why I keep coming back. Thank you!

[f1steveuk]

You did indeed. And your long post (#50) is one of the best things I've read on TNF, and reminds me of why I keep coming back. Thank you!

Thank you, I'm touched (and a lot of people have said that!)

[Doug Nye]

I'll second the above. Bernie certainly does mist up when recalling Lewis-Evans. Here he is with his Cooper-Jaguar...and Stuart:



Lewis-Evans was very slight, note the bracing belt he wore habitually when racing. Mr E told me he suffered from ulcers and that "I used to lug around buckets of milk for him"...



Both photos Strictly Copyright: The GP Library (Photographer Fred Taylor)

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 05 July 2013 - 09:23.

[Gary C]

Gosh, what a couple of great photos! Are they both from Goodwood?

[f1steveuk]

Fabulous pictures Doug, thank you.

I'm convinced the circumstances of Stuart's death had a profound affect on Mr E, in more ways than the obvious. I got the impression it started out as "yeah, I'll manage you, and we'll travel around and race, and have some fun", and when B.C.E returned to motorsport, he had hardened himself, separating business far from the fun. Quite how Jochen's loss compounded that, I wouldn't like to guess.

[Doug Nye]

Gosh, what a couple of great photos! Are they both from Goodwood?

Crystal Palace.

DCN

[Ray Bell]

Excellent pics, Doug...

And the story from the other thread is a really good one. Sadly, I had to give up reading every post on every thread some years ago, I know I miss out on a lot.

[Graham Gauld]

This is the last photo I took of Stuart. It was taken during the Tour de France rally in September 1958 where he was running a Porsche. He laughed about the face fuzz.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

However my favourite story of him is that his wife was always with him at race meetings and occasionally she would wander out on to the circuit during practice for the 500cc Formula 3 races then a stone would appear beside the track with a spot of white paint. Apparently Stuart would nod to his wife when he reached his braking point and she would place the stone. Eventually Ivor Bueb and some of the other racers twigged what was going on and so one of them went out after practice and moved the stone about 15 yards back from where it had been placed. In the Race Stuart braked at the stone and everyone swept past him. Foiled.

As Doug says, a truly nice guy but very determined racing driver.

[Tim Murray]

This photo needs to be seen in this thread - Stuart unloading his F3 car, as posted by D J Fox in the Transporters thread:

http://www.cruisings...Palace-1953.jpg

with location and date later positively confirmed by HiRich:

It's at the Palace, 21st May 1956. The car is the Beart Cooper Mk X.

[f1steveuk]

Helen (Stuart's daughter) tells me her father designed that loading system, and it was made for him by a man called Charlie Sharp. Not a name I know.

Would have taken a fair bit of confidence to drive down, even more to drive up!

[Ray Bell]

That's just incredible!

I'm saving a copy of the photo in case it goes off the air...

[Tim Murray]

Steve, as you're obviously on good terms with the family, perhaps you or they can shed some light on how the name Lewis-Evans (with a hyphen) originated. This was discussed here many moons ago in the Racing pseudonyms thread. Here are the relevant bits:

7. There are also some drivers who hyphened one of their first names to the family name : Lewis-Evans, Scott-Brown, Mackay-Fraser.

Neither Lewis-Evans nor Scott-Brown did anything with their family names, AFAIK. They were born that way. Or are you saying the surnames they were born with were really Lewis Evans and Scott Brown?

My sources on F1 drivers' "legal" identity are the huge collection of birth & death acts owned by my friends Jean-Paul Lajarrige & Christer Svensson.

- This is what birth acts actually read :
William Archibald Scott Brown, son of Mr Brown. (No hyphen, Scott obviously is the third Christian name)
Stuart Nigel Evans, son of Mr Lewis Evans. (Dad is well-known F3 racer "Pop" Lewis-Evans)
Robert Victor Campbell Montgomerie. (No sign of "Charrington")
John Henry Augustin Prichard (No "Riseley")

[f1steveuk]

I can but ask, not sure if anyone in the family is searching the history, but we'll soon find out!

[pollaxed]

Hello,

Long time lurker of this wonderful place, first time poster, mainly because I am always in awe of the knowledge. I dabble in a little genealogy.

I don't know if this helps, but a quick look at the records available gives me the following:

England Birth index, April-May-June Quarter 1930, Stuart N Evans, mother's maiden name Leggett, registered Luton district.

England and Wales death index, Oct-Nov-Dec Quarter 1958, Stuart N L Evans, aged 28, registered Uckfield district.

England and Wales National Probate calendar, index of Wills and Administrations, 1958: Stuart Nigel Lewis-Evans of Bexley died 25/10/58 Queen Victoria's Hospital East Grinstead.

The probate calendar is interesting because it is filed alphabetically under Evans, with Lewis appended to the paragraph above the entry. I have never seen an entry like that.

I hope that helps, and I hope I have the right chap.

[Tim Murray]

Good work, Pollaxed - it certainly fits with the known information. Is there anything you might be able to dig up on Stuart's father Lewis Lewis-Evans or (more likely) just Lewis Evans. The available info says he was born in Plumstead on 6th November 1899; date and place of death not known.

[HiRich]

The London Gazette came up trumps. In 1950 Mr Lewis Evans changed his name by deed poll to Lewis Lewis-Evans. Why is another question entirely, but I suspect the answer lies in some eccentricity.

[Tim Murray]

Thanks HiRich, that sorts that little mystery out at last.

ETA - Here's the London Gazette entry:

http://www.london-ga...s/3133/page.pdf

Edited by Tim Murray, 05 July 2013 - 17:33.

[Geoff E]

England and Wales death index, Oct-Nov-Dec Quarter 1958, Stuart N L Evans, aged 28, registered Uckfield district.

As has been the case with double-barrelled names for many years, this event was also recorded as Stuart N LEWIS-EVANS aged 28

[pollaxed]

There is a record for the death of Lewis Lewis Evans born 6th November 1899 in the Apr/May/Jun 1987 quarter of the England and Wales Death Index. Registration district Canterbury, Kent.

Looks like he married in 1926?

This tends to tie in with some public family trees on the internet, but I am always hesitant to trust these as fully accurate. There's always a case of a mistake being copied. For example many of these family trees record Stuart's place of death as Casablanca.

I'm not sure about the rules linking video here, or the rights, but there is a short colour film on the Pathe website showing Lewis Lewis-Evans driving a stage coach, posing with a collection of vintage cars. It then shows Stuart Lewis-Evans driving a 500cc Cooper (I think) around Brands Hatch.

[MCS]

...Here he is with his Cooper-Jaguar...and Stuart:



DCN

Just curious as to the identity of the somewhat determined looking lady in the background of this photo, based on Graham Gauld's post regarding Stuart's wife?

Anybody?

[f1steveuk]

So you can compare, this is Mr & Mrs Lewis-Evans



Which looks as if you were right!!

Edited by f1steveuk, 10 July 2013 - 10:00.

[MCS]

Thanks Steve and very well done with the "detective work" - just something about her demeanour, poise, direction of travel, etc...!!!

[ALE]

Stuart Lewis-Evans, 1930 - 1958.

As his older brother, Adrian, I can state that Stuart was not, small, frail or a Welshman as repeated so often in 'biographies' all copying each other.
He was not 'small' he was 5'-7".
He was not 'frail'. He had great stamina and I believe he drove 16 of the 24 hours at Le Mans
in 1957.
The Welsh ancestry was 3 or 4 hundred years ago !

Now the name.
Our grandfather Charles Henry Evans married Ada Anna Lewis and they named their first son Lewis.
He married Daisy Leggett and they named me Adrian Lewis Evans.
I always signed myself A Lewis Evans but in June 1950 when I married Kathleen Mary Hill, the
Passport Office wouldn't allow this so father said "We'll soon fix that" and legally changed the
family surname to Lewis-Evans.
This made him Lewis Lewis-Evans, me Adrian Lewis Lewis-Evans and Stuart, Stuart Nigel Lewis-Evans.

Adrian Lewis-Evans.

[Tim Murray]

Welcome, Adrian, and many thanks for the conclusive info on the origin of the Lewis-Evans name. We'd love to hear any more reminiscences about Stuart and the family that you might be willing to share. As I'm sure you've spotted, there's also a thread here devoted to your father. Were you yourself ever bitten by the racing bug?

[f1steveuk]

Thank you Adrian, that answers some questions, and 100% to boot!!! You may or may not know, I was writing a book about Stuart, but have recently given the project to someone else. I don't know how far he has got, and recent family events may have put it on hold. Should you wish to know any more Adrian, please send me a private message and I'd be more than happy to bring you up to speed. Thank you so much for posting.

[Patrick Morgan]

These are taken from the original log of Connaught B7. I've always rather hoped both Gentleman had a good day together on October 30th '57.... nice to see both names next to each other.

 

 

Connaught B7 Log 1 by dtperformanceltd, on Flickr

 

Connaught B7 Log 2 by dtperformanceltd, on Flickr

[Michael Ferner]

Welcome, Adrian, and many thanks for the conclusive info on the origin of the Lewis-Evans name. We'd love to hear any more reminiscences about Stuart and the family that you might be willing to share. As I'm sure you've spotted, there's also a thread here devoted to your father. Were you yourself ever bitten by the racing bug?

Hear, hear.

[Doug Nye]

Wonderful to hear from you Adrian. At least here you have discovered an arena in which both your late father and your younger brother are well remembered and rightly honoured.

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 16 October 2014 - 19:49.

[Collombin]

He was not 'small' he was 5'-7".

I think you're already my favourite member of this forum.

[Nemo1965]

Regarding the height of famous or not so famous people in the past, a mistake that is being made all the time is taking the height of person in question and then compare it to the current height of people!

 

For example: Napoleon was 1.68 m... (5 foot 5!) which was a totally normal height for that time. The English press thought it was funny to depict Napoleon as a dwarf-like creature to ridicule him, but it had nothing to do with reality.

 

By the way: a recent study of the most used uniforms on both allied and German side of WWII, the average height was 5 foot 6... the gain in height in countries like the Netherlands (tallest people apart from the Dinari Alp-people in Croatia), came late in the 60's, early 70's, so Stuart Lewis-Evans' height in his own life was perfectly average.

Edited by Nemo1965, 18 October 2014 - 08:29.

[Nemo1965]

Ahem - I think the English term 'height' in place of 'length' might perhaps avert any unintended inferences here...

DCN

 

Corrected it. You are absolutely right.

[Rupertlt1]

No mention, in this thread, of Lewis-Evans connection to Frank Nichols and Elva.

Bodiam Hill Climb:

1956,  Stuart Lewis-Evans, Elva-Climax,  Oct 6.

1957,  S. Lewis-Evans, Elva-Climax,  30.4 sec, Oct 19.

1958,  S. Lewis-Evans, Elva Mk IV, 29.6 sec Record, Oct 11.

 

RGDS RLT 

[Doug Nye]

1957 French Grand Prix - Rouen-les-Essarts - Stuart Lewis-Evans makes his Vanwall debut...

 

https://www.dropbox....LL 100.jpg?dl=0

 

Photo Strictly Copyright: The GP Library

 

DCN

[ALE]

Dear Tim Murray.

No - I was not ever bitten by the racing bug but watched Stuart's progress from seeing him race at Goodwood in the 'tootpaste tube' Connaught when he beat both Mike Hawthorn and Stirling Moss. I did take his 500 cc Cooper round Brands Hatch at only a second or two under the then lap record, though I must admit on an empty track.

At the time I was busy building my own sports car - the A Lewis-Evans Special, from the chassis up and changing from a Willy's Jeep engine to the six cylinder Vauxhall 'square' - equal bore and stroke,with a Laycock de Normanville overdrive.

Stuart got some accelaration figures at Brands, 0-30 mph 3.5 seconds / 0-50 mph 9.5 seconds / 0-70 18 seconds, which were quite creditable in those days of only 3 speed gearboxes. Picture below if I can work out how to attach it ?

The engine arose, because Stuart had borrowed my Jeep while we were apprenticed at Vauxhall Motors in Luton. The hood was down and flapping, he reached over to quell it and ended upside down in a ditch soaked in petrol from a tank under the driving seat. Someone later on the Harpenden road saw his arm waving and with help lifted the wreckage off. He suffered a broken nose!

Regards.

Adrian Lewis-Evans.

[Doug Nye]

Adrian - do you have any particular recollections of Mr Ecclestone and his friendship with Stuart from that period?

DCN

[Tim Murray]

Adrian, many thanks for the update. Stuart obviously moved on from your Jeep to a Land Rover with an unusual way of loading his F3 car onto it:

http://www.gettyimag...photo/500286097

Looking forward to seeing photos of the A Lewis-Evans special. Posting photos here is a pain - if you don't have your own website you need to use one of the image-hosting sites such as Postimage or Photobucket. We'd be very happy to help, if needed.

[Glengavel]

Adrian, many thanks for the update. Stuart obviously moved on from your Jeep to a Land Rover with an unusual way of loading his F3 car onto it:

http://www.gettyimag...photo/500286097

Looking forward to seeing photos of the A Lewis-Evans special. Posting photos here is a pain - if you don't have your own website you need to use one of the image-hosting sites such as Postimage or Photobucket. We'd be very happy to help, if needed.

 

!!!

 

Never mind the precarious ramp assembly, what would that lot do to the Landie's CofG?

 

!!!

[Michael Ferner]

Indeed!

[ALE]

Dear Doug, sorry I have no other recollections of Stuart's friendship with Bernie Ecclestone, except for Stuart taking the Connaught to sell for him in New Zealand.

Tim. My son has photo bucket and can upload a couple of pictures of the AL-E special, perhaps you would be kind enough to post the details of how to upload them to this forum.

Adrian.

[Mark A]

Tim. My son has photo bucket and can upload a couple of pictures of the AL-E special, perhaps you would be kind enough to post the details of how to upload them to this forum.

Adrian.

 

Adrian,

In photobucket, on the page with the main picture, on the right hand side there are 4 'Share Links'. Click the one titled Direct. This should copy the link.

 

In the reply box on the forum here there is a 'button' that looks like a small picture, if you hover the cursor over for a second or so it it says image.

 

Click this and it opens up an image properties window. Right click on your mouse and paste the picture URL from Photobucket, click okay and it should embed the picture. Then just complete your post.