78 replies to this topic

[MarkWill]

Aha! I think I've finally found one which will stump even the best of you. This comes from another distant memory, but I'm confident that the info (at least in local 'lore) is true. Who can forget the infamous Sid Diggery (most of you, I'm sure), lawyer and part-time unsuccessful racing driver? Can anyone fill in any of his racing career details (he comes from Ruabon, in Wales)? He raced a quite expensive brand of sports car.....which one? Truth be told, I have only once heard of the gentleman, from my father. That being said, I reckon this would be a real challenge to any of the statisticians out there. He never competed on an international level, to the best of my knowledge. Don't worry, I'm not holding my breath

[David McKinney]

I'm among those who has never heard of Sid Diggery.
However, Jim Diggory from Ruabon in Wales was quite well-known on the national British scene for a couple of years in the early 1960s. Off the top of my head, he raced one of the last Lister-Jaguars, and also put someone else behind its wheel - was it Bruce Halford?
His other claim to fame is as manufacturer of a short-lived and unsuccessful Formula Junior car called the Diggory Gwyniad.
FOOTNOTE: I think he was S J Diggory, so perhaps he really was Sid, though all the reports called him Jim

[Vitesse2]

And if we are actually talking about Jim Diggory, he was a garage owner in Wrexham, not a lawyer. He was also involved in the Heron FJ project, alongside Sewell & King of Chelmsford. That ended up in South Africa as a local F1 car and was driven in the 1961 Gold Star series by Ernest Pieterse.

[Doug Nye]

In his garage Jim Diggory also got his mechanics to complete the unique spaceframe Lister-Jaguar which ultimately became the Sargent-Lumsden Le Mans Coupe in 1963 and which survives today owned by Staffan Svenby and raced by Don and Justin Law. Diggory ran a beautiful ex-works Aston Martin DBR as well - ultimately I believe he ran a fishing tackle shop in Ruabon? I recall a conversation one day in which he memorably described the track surface on some of the northern sprint venues - because he sprinted his cars as well as raced them - as being "like a relief map of Donegal". I have never before heard of him being a lawyer - ccasionally needing one might be a different matter....?

He was born in 1928, married, two kids, first race 1958 at Oulton Park in a Frazer Nash - later raced and sprinted Lister, Lotus, Marcos, Aston and Cooper Monaco. In 1960 he scored 3 wins, 2 2nds and four 3rds from 14 events contested, and in 1961 4 wins, 4 2nds, 2 3rs in 16 events. He ran the Aston in 1962 winning at Kirkistown, and Charterhall, won his class at Oulton and added a 3rd there. His business was The Imperial Garage in Wrexham, North Wales - probably where the BRM was sited - see relevant thread? - and his business telephone number was Wrexham 2154.
His inside leg measurement was.... and his waist.....blahdy blah, etc.

Unless you're talking about Sid Diggory of course?

DCN

[David McKinney]

I did a bit more digg(or)ing after my initial post, and reminded myself of the DBR2 Aston Martin and the Cooper Monaco. He tended to get others drive in the more important races: Halford for one, also Colin Escott, Brian Hetreed and Jim Blumer.
Diggory ran two FJ Gwyniads in 1961, with drivers Halford, Chris Meek, George Pitt, Gil Baird and Diggory himself. They even managed to sell a third car.

[KJJ]

But Doug you completely forgot to mention Dig’s hobbies – shooting, fishing and rugby football.

While we’re on the subject of Welsh racing drivers, have you any more pearls from your recent conversation with Jack Lewis which you could share with TNF?

Perhaps you're saving them for an article, that is something I’d really like to read. I’m sure the Western Mail in Cardiff would be interested in a story about a Welsh F1 racer who walked away from the sport to spend 40 years sheep farming. A couple of years ago they did a piece on Welsh F1 drivers and completely failed to mention Jack, even though he raced for Ecurie Galloise with a red dragon on the side of his car!

[Doug Nye]

Originally posted by KJJ
But Doug you completely forgot to mention Dig’s hobbies – shooting, fishing and rugby football.

Presenting material from two books and first-hand recollection is research - presenting it from one book is plagiarism ... isn't it.

DCN

[MarkWill]

You are all evil statisticians .......may you all be banished to the Leaking Boondoggles of Outer Gawahlia, or Catford, whichever is closer. Now, according to my info, Jim (aka Sid) IS the person who had the Lister Jaguar BUT the place that I recall seeing it was in his garage just before the rd into the school rd in Ruabon. Also, I maintain that at the outset he was a lawyer by profession but was left a huge amount of money by two maiden aunts and went into racing and the motor trade. My father remembers him as a nice fellow, who gave him good (free) advice that helped him to exchange a troublesome Ford Cortina (a lemon) for an Escort, after protracted dealings with Ford UK.

Doug, you could be right about the garage and the BRM, but which one would that make it? Being a good son, I trust my father's account of the garage being in the ROH group, but there's always the possibility that he's wrong. Of course, my dodgy sources might have failed me again concerning the original profession of Jim/Sid, but the garage in Ruabon(which I really think was his) was on my way to school, and I used to think the car was a D-Type Jaguar. Perhaps you should give him a call and confirm this assertion? My only excuse is that I was barely old enough to tie my own shoelaces at the time, so there is a tiny, remote, extremely improbable possibility that my memory is confused, and I wasn't paying enough attention to what my parents were saying when they used to talk about these things in the front of the car. As ever, my Samuri sword is cleaned and ready, just in case I have to fling myself on it. Oh yes, and the gentleman's last name was Diggory - the first mistake I'll admit to in this thread (but maybe not the last).

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by MarkWill
Oh yes, and the gentleman's last name was Diggory - the first mistake I'll admit to in this thread (but maybe not the last).

Wasn't the very first sentence of your original post a mistake?

[MarkWill]

I surrender.


But you haven't heard the last from me.......I'll get you all yet (I'm digging through my Croft Autodrome race programs as we speak, looking for the name of the person who drove the GT40 there in 1976. AND I've got a picture, somewhere)...

[Ian McKean]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
In his garage Jim Diggory also got his mechanics to complete the unique spaceframe Lister-Jaguar which ultimately became the Sargent-Lumsden Le Mans Coupe in 1963 and which survives today owned by Staffan Svenby and raced by Don and Justin Law.
DCN

I thought the Sargent-Lumsden Le Mans Coupe of 1963 was a Lightweight E Type Jag, not a Lister???

[David McKinney]

Lister 1963, Lightweight E 1964

[Milan Fistonic]

Originally posted by MarkWill
I surrender.


But you haven't heard the last from me.......I'll get you all yet (I'm digging through my Croft Autodrome race programs as we speak, looking for the name of the person who drove the GT40 there in 1976. AND I've got a picture, somewhere)...

I don't know about 1976 but there was a GT40 racing at Croft in March 1966. Do you know who was driving it, MarkWill?

[MarkWill]

Still looking. It was navy blue, and vewry beaten up in 1976. It was a regular there - I must have seen it three times that year. If I recall correctly it raced against e-types and such like, but was not a very strong runner.

[wdm]

Apologies for resurrecting such an old thread...

Does anyone know if said Mr Diggory is still with is? And, if so, how he may be contacted?

Many thanks,

Willie

[MarkWill]

My father tells me that Sid Diggory has died, but I`m sure that there are ithers who can give you the exact details.

Mark

[DjohnB]

Jim aka Sid aka Dig (Diggory)

What a wonderful Tool the Internet is !
This started out as a search for Lister Jaguars, and Cooper Monaco’s, and ended up here.
I live in New Zealand, and my new next door neighbor restores classic cars. Whist admiring his 1928 Alfa, and a Ferrari Dino, I mentioned in my youth my farther worked with a chap who raced an Aston Martin DBR, and a Lister Jag, and a Cooper Monaco which was sold to a buyer in America I think.

Anyway, doing a search brought me here, and its wonderful.

Sid or Jim was also known as Dig to his friends.
He started in the motor industry with “The Park Service Station” in Wrexham. It was a Regent garage in Lord St, across the road from the Mitre pub, and just along from the “Odeon” cinema. I haven’t been to Wrexham for 40 years, so it has probably long gone.

His next venture was to open a driving school called “The Wrexham School of Motoring” This was situated at the top of Lord St, and right next door to where you went to sit your driving test. His first cars were dual control Ford Anglia’s, the model with the sloping rear window, and all the instructors were RAC qualified driving instructors. (Don’t know if they still have RAC instructors in the UK, but in those days you had to go to Liverpool to sit the RAC instructors test.)

Then he bought the garage in Rhostyllen, on the Wrexham Road which is the garage that all the work on his racing cars was undertaken. The telephone No. quoted – 2154 rings a bell, and is correct.

Hi first race was at Oulton Park in a Fraser Nash coupe. I’m sure his next car was a plywood bodied Marcos. As well as the Lister and the Cooper Monaco, there was a red Ferrari 2 seater in the picture at one time as well as the Gwyniads.

The Cooper Monaco and the FJ Gwyniads were all painted a creamy yellow colour with a black stripe running down the middle of them.
Chris Meek and Bruce Halford were indeed the drivers of the 2 Gwyniads that they raced which were designed by Les Redmond who worked at times worked at Rhostyllen.
A mechanic called Ken did all the work on his sports cars, and there was an old chap called Pat (who died just before I left Wrexham) who made cups of tea and poured drinks both in the garage, and for Dig when he went to racing circuits and wanted to entertain other drivers.

To finance his racing cars, Dig took on the dealership of Renault, Peugeot, VW, Borgward, Marcos , TVR and Volvo.

Volvo offered Dig the distributorship for the whole of Wales if he dropped the other dealerships, which was accepted. At that time the Volvo B16 was the first production car with seat belts fitted as standard.

The following year, the Rhostyllen garage became one of the service points for the RAC Ralley Volvo team when it was won by Tom Trana.
When the Volvo P1800 was introduced (as driven by Roger Moore in the The Saint television serried, Dig exchanged his Rolls ( or was it a Bently ?) for the P1800 as his every day car.

Dig also had a few forays into promoting a few local wrestling nights.

He lived in Ruabon in a house called “Ryecroft”. From memory, his wifes name was Wendy, and he had 2 children, Chloe and Frazer.

He was also friends with Brian Curvis the British and Commonwealth Welterweight Boxing Champion 1960-65 who often visited the garage with his Volvo.

I’m sure other memories will come back to me in due course. I would love to know what happened to Ken, the racing Mechanic.

Does anybody remember the oil painting Dig had of himself at speed in the Cooper Monaco which hung in his office at Rhostyllen ?

[bradbury west]

Originally posted by Vitesse2
And if we are actually talking about Jim Diggory, he was a garage owner in Wrexham, not a lawyer. He was also involved in the Heron FJ project, alongside Sewell & King of Chelmsford. That ended up in South Africa as a local F1 car and was driven in the 1961 Gold Star series by Ernest Pieterse.

I this the same Heron Alfa which we saw at the Revival? Or just a coincidence of names, Heron, South Africa, Alfa etc?. I have not checked the years for exactness


BTW, Mr Diggory's nephew is Bob Diggory who races the Lighting FJ car. When I spoke to Bob some while ago, I seem to recall that he mentioned that his uncle had died, but I will try to check that.

Roger Lund.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
and his business telephone number was Wrexham 2154.
His inside leg measurement was.... and his waist.....blahdy blah, etc.

Unless you're talking about Sid Diggory of course?

DCN

well Sir, you seem to be intimately acquaintedwith the Gentleman...tell us more

[wdm]

Since my earlier post, I've had the opportunity to speak to Colin Escott, who has confirmed that 'Dig' died several years ago.

Cheers,

Willie

[ensign14]

Originally posted by DjohnB
The telephone No. quoted – 2154 rings a bell...

*rimshot*

[Ratcatcher]

I was googling for some pictures my father's Aston Martin DBR2 and found this thread. So I thought I would add some information for you.

My father's name was Syd Diggory; he is listed in a lot of references as Jim Diggory (James was his middle name), but everyone knew him as Dig. He was never a lawyer, although as someone mentioned he did make use of a few lawyers in his time. He was left a large amount of money but not from maiden aunts. My grandfather owned a large chemical and tar works in Lancashire, which is where the money came from to buy exotic cars. His first racing car, as mentioned below was a Fraser Nash, which I was named after (it's Fraser not Frazer).

His mechanic was Ken Wilde who later became General Manager of Henlys in Chester. He is still alive as far as I know.

My father went to school at Ellesmere College where he excelled at boxing and rugby. He was called up in 1945 and served in the Royal Marines as a commando, although he missed the war. He passed an officer selection board and wanted to make it a career but my grandfather refused to sign the permission papers (until you were 21 you had to have parental permission). He never forgave his father for this and on leaving the forces, went missing for six months in 1948 (I think it was). My grandfather had to hire a private detective to find him, he was working in a fairground boxing booth, the "try and last a couple of rounds with champ" type thing. He returned home and my grandfather died about a year later, my father coming into a lot money.

Even then running and owning private racing cars was probably like just tearing up pound notes and throwing them down the drain, but he came into another large inheritence when my grandmother died in 1956. At one time or another he owned three garages in the Wrexham/Ruabon area and yes he also promoted wrestling matches!

By the late 1960's things turned a bit sour and he was made bankrupt in about 1969 or 68 (not sure on the date). He then turned to what was his longest interest and love, which was game fishing. He was an avid fisherman and was the best spey caster with a large double handed salmon rod I have ever seen. I was with him on the opening day of the season on the Welsh Dee in 1964 when he caught 8 salmon.

He started manufacturing fishing rods, especially salmon rods mainly of split cane forming a company called Cambrian Fly Fishers. A year or two later he branched out into country clothing. This company was very successful through the 1970's and 80's, and at one time included a shop in New York at 5 East 52nd Street. I managed the shop for nearly 5 years in the late 70's and early 1980's living in Manhattan, which was a big culture shock to someone brought up in North Wales.

In the early 1990's he retired to his first love of fishing and ran a one man fishing tackle shop first in Chirk and then in Oswestry, which closed when he died in 1997.

There's lots of stories about my father I could tell you, he was a character and although I had some serious arguments with him over the years it was difficult to stay angry at him for long. Anyway, if anyone reads this and wants any more information, ask away.

He did own a Volvo P1800, I remember being driven in it. He also had a Bentley with the a record player in it, it took singles with the centre punched out like the ones they use in juke boxes. The only record I can remember ever being played was "My boy lollypop" but that could be because I liked it!

The Aston Martin DBR2 was used for the film "The Green Helmet" starring Bill Travers a lot of which was shot in North Wales, doubling for sections of the Mille Miglia. I think he did some driving for the film.

Unfortunately, I was too young to remember a lot of the cars he owned. I do remember meeting Frank Costin, who designed the Marcos, he was living in Llanberis at the time.

Oh, I don't know who Bob Diggory is, my father didn't have any nephews being an only child.

[johnwilliamdavies]

Would you happen to have a photograph that I could put onto my site?


--------------
Welsh Motor Sport History

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by johnwilliamdavies
Would happen to have a photograph that I could put onto my site?

--------------
Welsh Motor Sport History

Well...what are you waiting for young fella ma lad

[Sharman]

Only just seen this thread, the Wrexham garage was bought by Nick Cussons of soap fame, who was also a cousin of the Goodwins i.e. Goodwin Racing F3 Brabhams etc

[Ratcatcher]

There are some photographs of him, I've got an old album somewhere, which I'll try and find. My mother had more, she passed away in January of 2005 very suddenly. She was living in France with my sister so I think my sister must have them. There is also a video tape taken from 16mm cine which includes some footage of the DBR2 I think, testing at Oulton Park.

My father, who did nothing by halves, got Ken Wilde to make a car for me. This was a replica of a formula one car, I don't know what scale but it fitted me at the age of about 6 or 7, with a two stroke engine. I even drove it at Oulton Park when he was testing cars there. I'll try and find a picture of that as well, maybe someone can identify what it was based on.

[Geoff E]

Sydney James H Diggory

Born: 22 Jan 1928
Died: Feb 1997, Wrexham District

EDIT: Oops! I hadn't seen his son's post. Sorry.

[Ratcatcher]

Just re-reading this thread, I can't really believe I found it! Bruce Halford I remember my father talking about and also Colin Escott and Jimmy Blumer. He always said the most frightening time he ever had in a car was being driven to the pub by Jimmy Blumer in his E-type Jag.

Also Brian Hetreed rings a bell with me. I'm sure my father was in a court case against him in the early 60's over the sale of a car. I don't remember the details, but it was at the High Court. I think Dig won the case, at least that's my recollection does anyone remember anything about it.

The painting of the Cooper Monaco is hanging up in my sister's house in France.

[D-Type]

For what it's worth, the car was a Frazer Nash (no hyphen) not Fraser Nash and the man was Archie Frazer- Nash (with hyphen).

On this one you can ignore my signature.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by D-Type
the man was Archie Frazer- Nash (with hyphen)

...after he changed it in the 1930s. Before that he was Archie Frazer Nash
(Sorry about the signature)

[MarkWill]

What colour was the Volvo 1800? If it was a white one, then I used to drool over it on the way to school (Ruabon CPS - my mother taught there). It was the colour "The Saint" Simon Templar`s, which made it the most desirable car around.

Mark

[D-Type]

Originally posted by David McKinney

...after he changed it in the 1930s. Before that he was Archie Frazer Nash
(Sorry about the signature)

David, do you know if the gun turret had (has?) a hyphen? Aircraft websites seem to split about 50-50.

[David McKinney]

No I don't
I'll see if I can find out

[Alan Cox]

I thought that the Frazer-Nash-designed turrets were made by Nash and Thompson.

[Ian McKean]

When the company's own adverts described the car as a "Frazer-Nash" how can you be so sure it was a "Frazer Nash"?

[D-Type]

Originally posted by Ian McKean
When the company's own adverts described the car as a "Frazer-Nash" how can you be so sure it was a "Frazer Nash"?

William Boddy's Sports Car Pocketbook and Denis Jenkinson's Racing Car Pocketbook - my two gurus

According to David McKinney, who knows about these things, the company used both at different times while Archie added the hyphen to his name in the early thirties.

I have never read Jenks's AFN history, but i'm sure it is all explained there.

[DjohnB]

Originally posted by MarkWill
What colour was the Volvo 1800? If it was a white one, then I used to drool over it on the way to school (Ruabon CPS - my mother taught there). It was the colour "The Saint" Simon Templar`s, which made it the most desirable car around.

Mark

From memory, the first P1800 was white, the same as Roger Moore's in "The Saint"

When I retire, I hope to restore one as a project.

[Tim Murray]

Originally posted by Ian McKean
When the company's own adverts described the car as a "Frazer-Nash" how can you be so sure it was a "Frazer Nash"?

From The Chain-Drive Frazer Nash by David Thirlby:

The use, or not, of a hyphen was not resolved until 1955 when Frazer-Nash wrote to the then Editor of the Chain Gang Gazette and the following paragraphs from his letter were printed in that magazine in 1957. "The family name of Frazer Nash was unhyphenated, but to avoid confusion my mother adopted it as a hyphenated name somewhere about 1905, which I did also, but used the name Nash alone with cars and commerce. For example, the original G.N. of course stood for Godfrey and Nash. After the 1914-18 war, I re-adopted the hyphen for myself but did not use it on the car. Some confusion arose over this in connection with foreign patents, and I finally legalised it by deed poll sometime before the 1939 war - I am not sure of the exact date, but it will be at Somerset House.

"As I see it, therefore, the legal aspect of the thing is that when Aldington acquired A.F.N. Limited and the Frazer Nash interests round about 1928, he acquired the title of the car then existing, that is without the hyphen, but as far as I am personally concerned my own name is correct with a hyphen."

[D-Type]

I think we should leave it there and return to Syd Diggory.

[Ted Walker]

Didnt he also race a 2.5 Climax Lotus 18 as well ???

[wdm]

Originally posted by Ted Walker
Didnt he also race a 2.5 Climax Lotus 18 as well ???

This is something that I'm particularly interested in finding out more about... Whether he raced it himself, I don't know. He certainly entered it for Bruce Halford a few times. And this was the car raced by Ron Flockhart 'Down Under' in 1961/62.

Willie

[DjohnB]

Originally posted by Ted Walker
Didnt he also race a 2.5 Climax Lotus 18 as well ???

From memory, this was the ex Lotus Works car driven by Innes Ireland

.

[DjohnB]

Originally posted by DjohnB



From memory, this was the ex Lotus Works car driven by Innes Ireland

.

Sorry, I meant to say it was the ex Jim Clark works car #374. Innes Ireland usually drove car #371

Jim Clark had driven this car to victory in 3 races in New Zealand during January 1961, and raced it at the Siracusa GP in Italy on April 24th 1961.

He then drove it at Silverstone on May 6th 1961, and on June 3rd 1961 it was entered by Syd Diggory at Brands Hatch to be driven by Bruce Halford, but it did not start.

Recent photos of the car can be seen here

http://www.atspeedim...otus_18_f1_374/

[DjohnB]

Originally posted by wdm

This is something that I'm particularly interested in finding out more about... Whether he raced it himself, I don't know. He certainly entered it for Bruce Halford a few times. And this was the car raced by Ron Flockhart 'Down Under' in 1961/62.

Willie

Quite correct. He raced it at 2 meetings in New Zealand in January 1962, but on both occasions, retired, and did not finish.


David (in New Zealand)

[bill patterson]

The 2.5 Climax Lotus 18 was entered for Malcolm Templeton and raced at the very windy 1962 Cluntoe Meeting in N.Ireland - the car was finished in a pale yellow with a 4" wide black stripe similar to the DBR1 Aston's colours. Jim also brought a dark blue (black?) Knobbly Lister to the Meeting

Malcolm Templeton, a noted competitor from Ballymena N.Ireland, had raced motorcycles then a Lotus 11, Lotus Formula Juniors, a Lotus 22 with a Twin Cam and finally a Brabham BT14 before he retired.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by bill patterson
the car was finished in a pale yellow with a 4" wide black stripe similar to the DBR1 Aston's colours

That's the colour it was in NZ
I didn't realise Templeton had raced it (probably thought it was a misprint if I read it at the time )

[RAP]

The 2.5 Climax Lotus 18 was entered for Malcolm Templeton and raced at the very windy 1962 Cluntoe Meeting in N.Ireland - the car was finished in a pale yellow with a 4" wide black stripe similar to the DBR1 Aston's colours. Jim also brought a dark blue (black?) Knobbly Lister to the Meeting

Bill
Could you provide any more information about this meeting eg date, results as it doesn't seem to have been covered by Autosport.
Thanks
Richard

[Bob Diggory]

re Sid Diggory
My father Bryan Diggory and Sid wer, I was told, cousins. The Diggory family in Llangollen was large and I never understood exactly how they were all related. In 1996 I bought a Formula Junior called the Lightning which was thought to be based on the Diggory Gwyniad chassis. I spoke to Sid later that year to see if he could identify the car. I now believe the Lightning is an Envoy variant not a Diggory. A gwyniad still exists but it owner will not part with it - great shame.
I uesd to spend most summer weekends fishing at the Bont in Trevor just downstraem from Sid's house, in my Aunt Ginny's corridor at the Bont was a photo of Sid drifting a small yellow car through Lodge corner at Oulton Park - I seem to recall it was a Lola not a Cooper but that was 40+ years ago my memory is not that reliable.
Bob Diggory Shropshire

[bradbury west]

Diggory seems to have operated quite a team. I am in the process of looking through a raft of more early 60s programmes loaned to me for my research project, and one in particular makes interesting reading.

Lancs and Cheshire CC, Oulton Park Oct 1 1960

1) 10 lap race for Sports car upto 1000cc and 1172 sv
Diggory S J Marcos 998 cc driver F Costin, presumably Francis

2) same details for a 10 lap race for various saloons and GT cars (Hard tops only)

3) 10 lap Formula Libre,
Diggory S J Aston Martin 4200cc
Diggory S J Lister Jaguar 3800cc for Colin Escott

4) 10 lap race for sports cars upto 2000cc
details as above for marcos and F Costin

5) Daily Mirror Trophy 15 laps Sports Cars
Diggory S J in the Aston martin again, this time at 4208cc and
as above Lister Jaguar for Colin Escott

No results are available, and I do not know whether he owned or simply entered the cars, and Oulton was just down the road for him, but he certainly seemed prepared to put it about a bit. They may have been just a final foray at the end of the season, and for sale.

Interesting,. nonetheless.

Roger Lund.

ps The trouble with old programmes is that they suddenly assume the position of key reading matter. Marvellous stuff

[Roger Clark]

apparently his Aston Martin also raced at Silverstone the same day. Mike Lord drove it and took two hours. What average speed is that - without motorways of course!