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Edward Lewis - information sought


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#1 Bakeryman

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Posted 01 June 2014 - 22:38

I am looking for any information (or photos), about Edward Lewis and his cars (he used to race Lotuses in the 1950s). Is he still alive? I believe there is an Edward Lewis Cup, presumably donated by or named after him.  It is still awarded and if so what for? "



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#2 raceannouncer2003

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 06:10

There is an Edward Lewis Trophy mentioned at this link:

 

http://sprintdiaries...ress.com/about/

 

Vince H.



#3 Cirrus

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 06:24

I very much doubt that Edward Lewis is still alive. He always seemed quite old to me when I worked for Gordon Spice in the Seventies (mind you, I was only about 20 myself at the time...). He made the Westover driving boots and always insisted in being paid in full on delivery. I seem to think he was based somewhere in Buckinghamshire. There are a couple of pictures of him here... http://www.lotus7reg....co.uk/lss6.htm


Edited by Cirrus, 02 June 2014 - 06:24.


#4 cooper997

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Posted 02 June 2014 - 09:35

A google search brings up www.historiclotusregister.co.uk that published a piece in their issue 9 1994/95 magazine - it relates to his MkVI. You might find a Lotus enthusiast on TNF who has the mag to get a scan.

Stephen

#5 Morris S

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Posted 03 June 2014 - 13:13

He raced a Westover Racing Riley 1.5 in the early 60's, then a Mini Cooper 997 and on to a  Don Moore tuned 1071 Cooper S , I do have photos of him in the Minis. 



#6 Dutchy

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Posted 04 June 2014 - 11:49

Edward Lewis owned and raced my Cooper 500 Mk VIII in the mid 1980s. I believe he retired to Spain shortly after selling the car



#7 Bakeryman

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Posted 20 June 2014 - 14:04

Many thanks for the responses to my enquiry.  I have established that Edward Lewis is alive and well and lives in Menorca. The Cup named after him was donated by him to the Lotus Seven Club who award it annually to the member who best improves their performance in Club events during the year.  A Lotus Elite he used to own and race is now being restored in Australia and he is being kept informed of progress.



#8 2F-001

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Posted 20 June 2014 - 14:26

Sorry not to have spotted this thread earlier...

Edward was one of the honoured guests (Hazel and Clive Chapman were amongst the others) at the Lotus Seven Club's big event to mark "50 years of the Seven" held at Norfolk Showground (and the following day at Hethel) in 2007. He was on good, and engaging, form and I remember having a long chat with him. With his drives at Brighton and Prescott that weekend in Sept '57 he's an essential part of the Seven's history.

#9 pete53

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Posted 20 June 2014 - 14:47

I believe the unfortunate Mini pilot ( around 55 seconds in) is Edward Lewis. Here appears as no 77 in the original programme.

 


Edited by pete53, 20 June 2014 - 14:52.


#10 ReWind

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Posted 02 October 2015 - 18:02

According to the BRDC Edward Lewis passed away on 23 September 2015.

 

 

Edward, who was originally from Northampton, will be remembered by many Members of a certain age as the manufacturer of the Westover range of racing boots and driving shoes which were particularly popular among the racing fraternity in the 1960s. He began racing in 1951 with Rileys which were followed by a succession of early Lotus models including a Mk VI, a Mk IX and the prototype Climax-engined Seven and it was with an early Elite that he gained the success which enabled him to be elected to Full Membership in 1959. He then switched to touring cars for 1960 with a Don Moore-prepared Austin A40. This was the year when the nascent British Saloon Car Championship organised by the BRSCC was limited to 1000 cc cars and given the title of the SupaTura Cup although they regularly raced with the bigger Jaguars. Along with fellow A40 racer ‘Doc’ Shepherd, Edward regularly rang rings round at least some of the Jaguars, ending the season third in the championship behind ‘Doc’ and John Young’s Ford Anglia.

The BSCC expanded to embrace all classes again in 1961 when Edward began the season with a Don Moore Austin Mini Se7en before switching to a Riley 1.5, with which he was a regular 1600cc class front runner through to the end of 1962 although invariably up against the similar car of Alan Hutcheson and the factory Sunbeam Rapier Series IIIA of Peter Harper. It was back to a Mini for 1963, initially a 997 cc Mini-Cooper until the 1071 cc Mini-Cooper S was homologated part way through the year. As ever Edward was one of the leading privateers, entering under the banner of Westover Racing. He called a halt to his touring car racing after a nasty crash at Crystal Palace on 1964. However, his passion for Norton motor-cycles – he built up a collection of some 20 vintage and post-vintage variants – kept Edward in touch with cars through the Formula 500 movement and he ended his car racing career with second place in one such event at a Historic Sports Car Club meeting in 1985, the year in which he and his wife Marjorie retired to Spain.

Edward stayed very much in touch with the BRDC and regularly attended the Grand Prix and the AGM until the last few years. To his wife and his family, who were with him when he died, and to his many friends the Club offers its most sincere condolences. Edward’s funeral took place on 29 September.

 

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