30 replies to this topic

[alfredaustria]

Hi all! I am looking for information about John Campbell-Jones. He drove the Lotus 18-Climax at the Belgian Grand Prix 1962. He returned with a Lola 4-Climax at the British Grand Prix 1963 and finished 13th. That is easy to find in all F1-statistics. But what is he doing now? Perhaps does anybody know how to contact him? I just want to send him a letter, but I really don't know how to find him. Your help is very much appreciated. Greetings from Vienna. Alfred

[Richard Jenkins]

It is not very difficult to find him - one TNF'r is a good friend of his. I'll let him get in contact when he sees this thread or there are a few more on here who knows his address.

JCJ is, from all accounts, a lovely chap. Doing very well & still visits many historic festivals. What is he doing now?

Here: http://www.oldracing...&firstname=John

[alfredaustria]

Hi Richie! Oh, yes!! For me it is difficult to find him. Do you see any possibility to forward on a letter to John? Or do you have another hint for me how to reach him? Thanks Alfred

[ensign14]

He really needs to write a book, JCJ was involved for quite a while in various forms of motorsport, and given the praise for Tommy Byrne's book maybe a view from the back of the 60s F1 grid would be a refreshing take?

[Doug Nye]

AlfOesterreich - I have sent you a PM which might help.

DCN

[alfredaustria]

Thank you very much, Doug. Your help is very much appreciated.
I wish you all the best. Regards Alfred

[alfredaustria]

Perhaps has anyone a nice photo of John? From his racing career and an actual photo? Thanks Alfred

[bradbury west]

You will find that John is a most charming man, with a phenomenal recall of that special period . Not always at the rear of the grid by any means, he surprised many people once with the speed of the F1 Emeryson in the wet, and perhaps knows more than most about the emergence of the ex-Godiva V8 in 65/66. TNFer Ted "Ferret" Walker will help with period shots. Current ones should not be difficult.
Roger Lund

[Michael Clark]

I had lunch with JC-J at Goodwood - charming fellow.

[Bjorn Kjer]

I need help here , why do my mind put him in conjunction with the Crawley/Taylor team in the late 50's early 60's ? He did after all enter his own sports cars ?

[David Holland]

Just noticed the thread this morning and I can just repeat what's been said already about John - probably the nicest bloke that has ever raced at GP level. Tim Parnell once said to me that John hadn't got a malicious bone in his body and most people of that era remember him with affection. I often give John a lift from his north London flat on the way down to the Goodwood meetings. In fact our Doug was very generous with his time, under his busy schedule, to upgrade JC-J with a better viewing facility at the recent Revival as John usually turns up last minute without any fanfare or whatever.

Bjorn - I don't know that team you mention in connection with John. He raced with John Fredman from his Stratford Mews garage in Earls Court - where Cosworth was spawned. He later used an old Lotus transporter, from his days when he worked there with Graham Hill, and often toured Europe with David Piper.
Alfred - I'd imagine you have his contact details now, but be prepared to wait for a reply as John is quite forgetful. His old friends at the track such as Pipes and Tim always address him as John "Shamble" Jones as he often forgot something at the race meetings - usually his helmet!

I had experience of this a few years ago when dining at a local pub after another Revival meeting and John's wallet was not in his usual pocket. So after getting the landlord to check everywhere and assuming a pickpocket had it away; it turned up weeks later after one honest person handed it in and the good people of Goodwood posted it back!

He has a great story to tell and I have tried to get an interview I did in print but I've been told it's a bit too obscure. What it really means, I think, is another revision and better editing by my goodself - but lack of time and talent may make that a hard task!

I have some recent digital photos of John - I will find them and post a couple later....

[bradbury west]

David, I recall that there was a piece on JC-J in Vintage Racecar a while back
Roger Lund.

[Bjorn Kjer]

1961 in his own Cooper 51 & 53 : Goodwood 10 , Brussel 9 , Napoli R , Crystal 6 , Branda 12 , Brands 7
injury kept him out for 2 races entered
62 for Emeryson : Brussel 5 , Goddwood 2 x NS , Aintree 6 ,Silverstone 11 ,Crystal R , Beligium GP (Lotus) 11
Solitude CP , injury kept him out of 2 further races entered
1963 For Tim Parnell Aintree ,Silverstone & Rome retired in Lotus , British GP 13 in Lola

[Bjorn Kjer]

Sorry about the Taylor & Crawley confusion.

What I meant was : Cornwall Garage & Eng. Co. Ltd , his garage ?

[bradbury west]

Bjorn, I will send you some stuff.
Roger

[alfredaustria]

Perhaps has anyone a nice photo of John? From his racing career and an actual photo? Thanks Alfred

[richie]

Originally posted by Richie Jenkins
It is not very difficult to find him - one TNF'r is a good friend of his. I'll let him get in contact when he sees this thread or there are a few more on here who knows his address.

JCJ is, from all accounts, a lovely chap. Doing very well & still visits many historic festivals. What is he doing now?

Here: http://www.oldracing...&firstname=John

Richie Jenkins, not to be confused with me. You say his daughter is a TV actress, I've googled him to establish her name without success. Do you know her name?

[Paul Rochdale]

You're not trying. How about Michelle and Emma Campbell-Jones?

[Rupertlt1]

B.A.R.C. Yearbook 1960, Page 116, lists two Campbell-Jones, competitors :

 

Campbell-Jones, J.

Campbell-Jones, R.

 

Campbell-Jones, R., is listed as a competitor at the 37th Members' Meeting at Goodwood, 11th July 1959.

 

I also have a Campbell-Jones, P., racing a Singer at Brunton Hill Climb in 1952.

 

Can anybody connect these people and shed any more light on their activities?

 

RGDS RLT

[BenR]

I would also love to contact John. I have spoke to his daughter Emma on twitter a few tines and she passed my letter onto him with hope of getting an autograph for my sons collection but so far been unsuccesful. If anyone could help I would appreciate it

Thanks

Ben

[bradbury west]

Looking for something else, I realised that John celebrates his 85th birthday today. Congratulations to him, he is a delight to know. As mentioned above, a book of memories from him would be very worthwhile

Roger Lund

[Bjorn Kjer]

Does any of you have a contact adress(e-mail) to J.C-J , ple

ase ?.

[bradbury west]

John Campbell-Jones celebrates his 90th birthday today. Congratulations, John.
I have been fortunate enough to speak with him and meet him over recent years and he is a delight to know.
Roger Lund

Edit, spl.

Edited by bradbury west, 21 January 2020 - 01:36.

[rudi]

Maybe someone here can help.

John Campbell-Jones drove an A6GCS Maserati at the 1961 Boxing Day Meeting at Brands Hatch.

Quite an old car in 1961! Was it his own car?

[Rupertlt1]

Maybe someone here can help.

John Campbell-Jones drove an A6GCS Maserati at the 1961 Boxing Day Meeting at Brands Hatch.

Quite an old car in 1961! Was it his own car?

 

#64 he is listed as the entrant/driver, Event 4 Christmas Trophy

RGDS RLT

[rudi]

Yes #64, but also entrant for #77 Maserati A6GCS 4th Reserve, driver to be nominated !

Seems strange to see two A6GCS entered in an end of 1961 race in England.

[bradbury west]

There may be some link with the cars via Danny Margulies who at that time was John’s  racing manager… and had just started working out of part of the garages in Shaftesbury Mews, of which JC-J was landlord. I will check my JC- J notes. They may have been early imports from Italy or just UK raced cars which Dan may have been contemplating selling.  Lots of may haves and maybes there, I know, but Incan see a direct link, especially as the  Boxing  Day  race was local and a bit of a jolly boys’ outing sort of event.

Roger Lund

[rudi]

Thanks.

Seems that the Boxing Day races attracted some A6GCS. In the 1958 Boxing Day race there was an A6GCS, driven by John Barnett, perhaps not the same car as in 1961.

[68targa]

This advert appeared in Dec 1961and Jan 1962 Motor Sport .

[bradbury west]

Thanks for taking the trouble to check that out. I planned to do it today just to cross check what I had written.

With a sale list like that Dan needed to keep the cash  moving, so if cash was tight and the rent due I can imagine JC-J opting for a couple of races in lieu of payment. ….  Arrangements in lots of areas were often quite relaxed and flexible in those days, and John was a good bloke.

I am not quite sure just how closely Dan worked with David Piper in brining old racers etc back from Italy, or Europe in general, or whether they worked separately.  In a long and entertaining conversation late last year with David Piper, DP told me he originally based his GTO in the Mews, so may have prepared his earlier racers there too,  before  he de camped his Ferrari operation to Modena. 

Roger Lund

[68targa]

That must have been a really interesting conversation that you had with DP.

In the book Pipes: David Piper and the Springbox Series, he mentions that his "close friend and mentor Danny Marguilles wanted to do the Targa Florio in a C-Type Jaguar".  This was in 1956. He goes on to mention that at the time he was buying right-hand drive Lancias in Italy and bringing them back to the UK for sale and this was how he managed to buy his first GTO.  There always seemed to be a selection of Lancias for sale in the Margulies adverts.