16 replies to this topic

[keithwjones]

Has anyone got any info on Peter J Mutton who died at Mallory Park in 1959.

He was racing a Cooper - Norton 500 Formula 3.

He was born in Liskeard, Cornwall in 1931.

I have seen entry at http://www.motorspor...hp?db=ct&n=2635

Keith

[RAP]

I don't know anything about Mutton's background but he seems to have first raced 9 Oct 55 at Brands with an Iota. Ran this through 1956. Then 57/58 raced the Viper Norton with little success. For 59 he got a Cooper VI Norton and was 6th at the Maidstone & Mid Kent Silverstone before his crash.

[keithwjones]

RAP

Great that is the type of information I am after, where did you get it from?

Let me explain more - I am doing this for his daughter who would have been 5 years old at the time of his death and still lives in Cheltenham.

Peter Mutton was born in Liskeard, Cornwall in 1931. At the time of his death he was living in Cheltenham.

The crash involved Don Parker who was the champion that year in 1959.

When I have got full details I will update Motorsport Memorial.

What I am trying to find is a picture of Peter and his car.

Keith

[keithwjones]

Info from BARC

I have just looked up the programme for that particular meeting and found the entry list.

The car (No. 64) was entered by J. F. Denley (Driver: P. J. Mutton) Cooper-Norton 499cc and had a white/red colour scheme.

The event programme also had handwritten times and of course there was only one entry each for Mutton and Parker (car no. 63) as it seems they collided after only completing one lap both having the same lap time of 1:10.4. There were only seven cars that started the ‘7 – LAP SCRATCH RACE’ (for 500cc racing cars.) which started at 2.00pm.

In the BARC 1960 year book editorial there is a paragraph which states the following:

“This final meeting (referring to a previous paragraph) and the one at Mallory Park on the previous week-end were both marred by fatal accidents to Club members, Peter Mutton being killed in a 500cc event at the Leicestershire circuit, while Jon Townend died as a result of a practice accident at Goodwood. This darkened the end of what was so nearly a season without fatalities and in which a number of very serious looking accidents had resulted in remarkably light injuries to the people involved and once more they proved that in motor racing one can never be too careful, and there is still much to be learned on the subjects of motor racing safety.”

the results of the 1959 racing are also mentioned and that he was listed as a competitor at the Mallory race.

[keithwjones]

Complete name: Peter John Mutton
Birth date: 17 May 1931
Birth Place: Liskeard, Cornwall
Death date: 19.Sep.1959
Death Place: Market Bosworth, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
Nationality: English
Gender: male
Age at death: 28

He is buried at St Ive church, near Liskeard, Cornwall there is a stone and model racing car on the grave.


Keith

[RAP]

Keith
Sorry not to have replied sooner - been away from home.

My source is the relevent Formula One Register Fact Book on Formula 3. If you wish I can extract a full listing of his races.

RAP

[keithwjones]

RAP

That would be very kind if you could do that. Thank you.

Keith

[RAP]

PETER MUTTON – RECORD OF 500cc RACES

Source – Formula 1 Register Record Book – Formula 3 by Sheldon & Rabagliati
NB List will not therefore include any sprint/hillclimbs or Formula Libre races.

Date Race Car Result

9 Oct 1955 Brands Hatch Sporting Record Trophy Iota Norton Qualified for Consolation Race
2 April 56 Brands Hatch Sporting Record Trophy Iota Norton Probably a non-starter
20 May 56 Brands Hatch Sporting Record Trophy Iota Norton
21 May 56 Crystal Palace Redex Trophy Iota Norton 5th Heat 1, Final result unknown
23 June 56 Silverstone MMEC Iota
6 Aug 56 Brands Hatch Iota Norton Did not qualify for final
18 Aug 56 Oulton Park John Bull Trophy Iota Norton Crashed in Heat
8 Sept 56 Goodwood Iota 14th
16 Sept 56 Mallory Park Notts SCC Iota Norton Retired in Consolation race
6 Oct 56 Silverstone N Staffs MC Iota Norton 8th
14 Oct 56 Brands Hatch Sporting Record Trophy Iota Norton Retired in heat – radius arm
22 April 57 Brands Hatch Sporting Record Trophy Iota Norton
25 May 57 Silverstone Notts SCC Viper JAP
9 June 57 Brands Hatch Juniors Race Viper Norton
10 June 57 Crystal Palace Redex Trophy Cooper Norton 7th in Heat. Unplaced in Final ( J Denley)
6 July 57 Mallory Park BRSCC Viper Norton
5 Aug 57 Crystal Palace BARC Viper Norton 5th (and last – very small field)
6 Aug 57 Mallory Park Notts SCC Viper Norton
7 April 58 Brands Hatch Juniors Race Viper Norton
11 May 58 Mallory Park BRSCC Viper Norton
26 May 58 Crystal Palace BRSCC Viper Norton 15th
21 June 58 Silverstone MMEC Viper Norton
28 June 58 Mallory Park BARC Viper Norton
12 July 58 Full Sutton BRSCC Viper Norton
4 Aug 58 Brands Hatch World Sports Trophy Viper Norton Non starter
27 Sept 58 Goodwood BARC Members Viper Norton Retired
5 Oct 58 Brands Hatch Juniors Race Viper Norton
26 Dec 58 Brands Hatch Francis Beart Trophy Viper Norton Non starter
9 May 59 Silverstone MMKMC Cooper Norton 6th
18 May 59 Crystal Palace Redex Trophy Cooper Norton 16th on grid; unplaced in race
19 Sept 59 Mallory Park BARC Cooper Norton Fatal crash

RAP

[keithwjones]

RAP

Thank you

Keith

[keithwjones]

Thanks to Paul Sheldon and Duncan Rabagliati I have a comprehensive Formula 3 racing history for Peter Mutton.

Keith

[rbm]

can anyone shed any light on the Viper JAP/Viper Norton? was this a rebuild/rename of Peter Mutton's Iota, in the same way other Iotas were renamed (Buzzie, Hell's Hammer, Milli-Union etc).

[keithwjones]

Only info I have is:

22.04.1957
32 Peter Mutton P J Mutton Iota Norton

25.05.l957
54 Peter Mutton P J Mutton Viper JAP

09.06.1957
38 Peter Mutton P J Mutton Viper Norton

Keith

[keithwjones]

Peter J. Mutton started the Race 1 of the BARC Members Meeting held at Mallory Park on 19 September 1959 with the Cooper equipped with a 500 cm3 Norton engine, entered by J. F. Denley. That event for Formula 3 cars was the first race of the day, and during the 2nd of the seven scheduled laps Mutton's #64 white/red Cooper collided with Don Parker's #63 car just after the start/finish line. Both vehicles overturned and the two drivers were thrown onto the track.

Parker and Mutton were taken to hospital at Market Bosworth, Leicestershire; whilst Parker was not seriously injured, Mutton was not as fortunate and passed away that same day. He was born in Liskeard, Cornwall in 1931 and lived in Cheltenham, England.

At the end of the season Don Parker was the winner of the British Formula 3 Championship.

Keith

[ceebdub]

I am new to this forum, but spotted this post, Muttons son Phil was one of my good mates I worked with him in the early 80s restoring classic cars, he then went to RAM F1, Lola Haas and ended up at Williams during the Mansell era.
I then started working with him again running historic F1s, we were invloved with Hunt's Mclaren, Shectke'rs Wolf, Vileneuve's T3, Depaillier's Tyrrell, Rosberg's Williams, they were great times and we got to drive the odd car aswell. Unfortunately Phil fell ill and died aged 39. A great blokle and I am glad to see his fathers name and to remember him.

[HiRich]

Originally posted by rbm
can anyone shed any light on the Viper JAP/Viper Norton? was this a rebuild/rename of Peter Mutton's Iota, in the same way other Iotas were renamed (Buzzie, Hell's Hammer, Milli-Union etc).

This is only a working theory, based only on timelines and with no supporting evidence:
1954: Ian Raby races the IER Midget, perhaps based on the Cooper he used in 1953. Sells the car at the end of the year.
1955: Trevor Shaddick appears in the IER Midget
1956: The IER disappears, to be replaced by the Shaddick-Viper
1957: Shaddick reverts to a Cooper. After one final run in his Iota, Peter Mutton starts with the Viper, which he uses until the end of 1958.

I think it more likely that Mutton's Viper is that Cooper-based IER Midget rather than a re-work of the Iota.

[69GP]

Keith.

Reading this topic with serious interest, My Father was in fact a friend of Peter Mutton , And also raced a cooper 500cc, and also lived in cheltenham. I am at present reserching my Fathers Motor Racing History, Peters Daughter, May well remember meeting with my brother , i think in a wine bar in Cheltenham, And discussing this very subject...Regards Geoff

[keithwjones]

Now in contact with Geoff.

 

Keith