32 replies to this topic

[Paul Taylor]

His name crops up in many Motorsport magazines throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. I understand that he raced what, at the time, were classic/vintage cars and I have pictures of him racing a Napier Railton, Maserati 250F and Bira's old ERA...

What can you tell me about him? Birth/death if applicable, where he was from, how he could afford to race such expensive cars, his racing heritage, pictures, anecdotes etc...

[terry mcgrath]

I believe he has a son Ludovic Lindsay who also races cars
terry

[Doug Nye]

FROM BURKE'S PEERAGE:

Hon. Patrick Lindsay was born on 14 November 1928.1 He was the son of Sir David Alexander Robert Lindsay, 28th Earl of Crawford and Mary Katherine Cavendish.1 He married Lady Amabel Mary Maud Yorke, daughter of Philip Grantham Yorke, 9th Earl of Hardwicke and Sarah Katharine Lindley, on 16 December 1955.1 He died in 1986.1
Hon. Patrick Lindsay was educated at Eton College, Eton, Berkshire, England.1 He gained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the service of the Scots Guards.1 He was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford University, Oxford, Oxfordshire, England.1 He was a director of Christies, and head of the Old Masters department.1
Children of Hon. Patrick Lindsay and Lady Amabel Mary Maud Yorke
Laura Mary Lindsay b. 10 Oct 1956
Alexander Ludovic Lindsay+ b. 16 Sep 1957
James Richard Lindsay+ b. 4 May 1961
Valentine Lindsay+ b. 6 Oct 1962

Patrick was an enthusiast for all things mechanical as well as being a trained fine art authority and connoisseur. His cars included the Napier-Railton, his famous ex-'Bira' ERA 'Remus', his aircraft included a Spitfire, a Fieseler Storch and the Morane-Saulnier parasol monoplane which he described to me as being "a kind of Napier-Railton of the air", he loved steam engines and was involved with the Engineerium living museum...why, he even had a pencil sharpener powered by a 27-litre V12 Rolls-Royce Merlin engine...

After heavy accidents in 'Birdcage' Maserati, 250F and London-Sydney Bentley - rolled in Afghanistan from memory, when the cliffside road crumbled away under its weight - he was so full of metal pins, nuts and bolts he allegedly set off airport security scans whenever he stepped through the arch. He founded the Christie's motor car department, which begat Robert Brooks as the Hon. Patrick's assistant and protege, which begat Brooks Auctioneers which begat the modern Bonhams. He was an assured, imposing, aristo - selectively friendly/helpful/dismissive/superior/bloody rude as he saw fit, or felt. Flew himself up to the Strathallen Collection aircraft Sale in Scotland in the Spitfire, navigating visually beneath a low cloud base by following the A74 (with his radio switched off to stop ATC "bothering me"). Upon arrival above Strathallen his staff memorably announced "The auctioneer is overhead". Died much too young after contracting an aggressive cancer. At his best could be an engaging, impressive, splendidly Britannic enthusiast...and loony.

DCN

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by terry mcgrath
I believe he has a son Ludovic Lindsay who also races cars
terry

..and who is an occasional TNF poster

All three sons in fact race (or raced)

[alansart]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
his aircraft included a Fieseler Storch
DCN

On occasion seen flying over Silverstone, it's pilot watching the racing from above. It always seemed to be going backwards - the Fieseler Storch could fly very slowly

[Lola5000]

as young kid I was always reading about him and his fantastic race's with Neil Corner in his Ferrari Dino.With W Green also racing the 2 of them.

[Alan Cox]

Quite a few more on file if they are of interest. The Hon Patrick was a permanent fixture at VSCC and other historic meetings for donkey's years and he could always be relied upon to give his all in whichever car from his fabulous collection he was entered. As Doug says, he did give the impression of being ever-so-slightly "loony" (a term applied in an affectionate way!). I don't know whether Ludovic might be prevailed upon to add some history to this thread, if he reads this.

I seem to recall that he always wore Hush Puppy (suede) shoes with his city suit when he was on the auctioneer's rostrum.

[Hieronymus]

What is the meaning of "Hon"?? Honourable?

How and why this title?

[Alan Cox]

A postcard depicting Patrick Lindsay's "Air Force", painted by Philip Castle

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Hieronymus
What is the meaning of "Hon"?? Honourable?
How and why this title?

Younger sons of the higher ranks of the British peerage are "The Honourable"
As a son of an earl (see above), he was this Hon. Patrick Lindsay

[Hieronymus]

Originally posted by David McKinney

Younger sons of the higher ranks of the British peerage are "The Honourable"
As a son of an earl (see above), he was this Hon. Patrick Lindsay

Thanks David

[fuzzi]

Ah, hero time!

I marshalled regularly at VSCC events through the seventies and always enjoyed watching HonPatLin racing. He was skilled, fast and brave and never failed to thank the marshals after events with a wave and smile. Although the VSCC didn't bother with practice times to sort out grid positions in the main scratch races (they put the fastest cars and drivers at the front) it was still necessary for the drivers to complete three laps during practice and while some drove as if pole position depended upon it HPL drove round in Remus at a nice comfortable speed wishing us "Good Morning."

I remember him best driving Sir Ralph Millais's Type 59 Bugatti to lead the Seaman Trophy Race at Oulton Park before the gearbox gave up, and the sight of him and Martin Morris rushing though Knicker Brook in pursuit of Colin Crabbe in the W125 Mercedes Benz several years later.
Great Days

[Lola5000]

Originally posted by fuzzi
Ah, hero time!

I marshalled regularly at VSCC events through the seventies and always enjoyed watching HonPatLin racing. He was skilled, fast and brave and never failed to thank the marshals after events with a wave and smile. Although the VSCC didn't bother with practice times to sort out grid positions in the main scratch races (they put the fastest cars and drivers at the front) it was still necessary for the drivers to complete three laps during practice and while some drove as if pole position depended upon it HPL drove round in Remus at a nice comfortable speed wishing us "Good Morning."

I remember him best driving Sir Ralph Millais's Type 59 Bugatti to lead the Seaman Trophy Race at Oulton Park before the gearbox gave up, and the sight of him and Martin Morris rushing though Knicker Brook in pursuit of Colin Crabbe in the W125 Mercedes Benz a year or so later.
Great Days

great days,down here in Australia i only got to read about these guys,even now i remember race results,stories and photos.
He and his ERA feature very well in that great book on ERA's from 20 odd years ago.
What was the race they could never seem to win?

[Alan Cox]

Originally posted by fuzzi
I remember him best driving Sir Ralph Millais's Type 59 Bugatti to lead the Seaman Trophy Race at Oulton Park before the gearbox gave up

Driving the aforementioned T59 from, I think, 1967 and wearing his trademark red rugby jersey. Photo courtesy of Eddie Whitham

[Stephen W]

Patrick Lindsay in the ex-Bira ERA runs round the outside of Simon Phillips (Lotus 16) at Stowe Corner, Silverstone.

[Alan Cox]

[taylov]

Originally posted by fuzzi
Ah, hero time!

Couldn't agree more. First saw him at the Crystal Palace around 1961/2 racing his ERA against the similar mounts of Waller, Cottam and Day. As a 11 year old kid I thought the smell and noise was fantastic. I was hooked. Happy days.

Tony

[ghinzani]

Originally posted by terry mcgrath
I believe he has a son Ludovic Lindsay who also races cars
terry

Valentine used to race too, quite succesfully - I recall him having a ding dong battle with Dennis Hilleard in 91 in the Autofarm Modified Porsches. Anyway one time he rang up our offices because he wanted to buy a Winnebaego and as we were the championship organisers then he thought we might know of ones whereabouts. My then boss had the attitude 'everythings for sale' so offered him our Chevy powered thing. "No problem" he says, "I will come and have a look , where are you?". "Plymouth" came the reply... slight pause on the phone "ok I'l be there in an hour or so, its just down the M3 isnt it?".... Boss explains its a bit more distant than that, to which he says, "ok where can I land and what road goes to Plymouth from London". At which point my boss for the sake of road and air travellers alike suggests he might like to wait a week or so and we would bring it to Brands.. The thing that always cracked me up was the London centric view - somewhere down the M3... yes but then so is a quarter of the country.

BTW he used to have an absolutely mint Carrera RS with the V12 stickers emblazoned on it, a real thing of beauty. Apart from the Blue Coral K3 they (Dennis & Valentine) generally used to make the rest of the higher class runners (934s, 930s etc) look stupid - I think they even beat the K3 in the wet once, probably Brands.

Anyway nice bloke who only knew flat out driving like a loon, but had it all in proper perspective whenever I saw him in the bar/paddock afterwards, sounds like it was genetic.

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by ghinzani
Valentine used to race too

As stated in Post 4

V12 is the telecomms company he founded

[hhh]

Doug,
You put it absolutely right.
A true gentleman. a hell of a driver (and a bit of a hellraiser too!) and he invented the art of being an auctioneer!!
I remember a few occasions sitting in a crowded auction room; when he knew you it was not impossible for him to focus on you as if you were bidding............
Always did a fantastic job for his client-sellers, he was so quick and alert that you never knew if there were ANY real bidders at all!!!!

[P0wderf1nger]

Originally posted by Doug Nye
He founded the Christie's motor car department, which begat Robert Brooks as the Hon. Patrick's assistant and protege, which begat Brooks Auctioneers which begat the modern Bonhams.
DCN

I remember him bringing the gavel down on the BRM Collection during the October 1981 Motorfair at Earls Court - you did the notes for the catalogue, didn't you Doug?

Most of the big items seemed to come down to a duel between Tom Wheatcroft and Victor Gauntlett. At one point, Lindsay thought Wheatcroft was getting something too cheap. He leaned his right elbow on the lecturn, turned stage left, paused for effect, then said in a low voice, 'Pull your finger out Victor'. Brought proceedings to a complete halt...

Big Lou and Jean (hair only average height) signed my copy of the catalogue. A good night.

Paul

[Doug Nye]

Patrick's auctioneering sang froid was once put to the test and emerged triumphant when offering a very rare and valuable piece of porcelain, if I recall correctly. He introduced it to the packed Saleroom audience as "Now Lot 41 - a wonderful and important piece, now showing on my right..." - whereupon a brown-coated porter raised the item for all to see, only to lose his grip, and pop the piece into the air, through which it turned a delicate somersault, before plummeting towards the floor. The terrified porter then made a despairing grab to catch it, but instead merely batted it - sending the magnificent piece hurtling across the auction room to impact upon the floor - and shatter into a thousand fragments!

"Oooohhhh", gasped the audience.

Up on the podium, however, the Hon. Patrick didn't turn a hair. Without his voice missing a beat he continued seamlessly:

"Lot 41 - withdrawn."

"And now ladies and gentleman Lot 42..."

Mr Cool.

In a meeting with terribly important clients in - I believe - the Christie's boardroom, he had delegated financial dealings to his minions. He followed the conversation for some time, before apparently concluding that these people were in fact rather dull and (worse) boring. He absent-mindedly toyed with his spectacles case, before using its spring-loaded lid mechanism to snap it onto the end of his nose - whereupon he rested his hands back on the table, raised his head, glasses case attached to his nose, and without saying a word simply looked straight at these most important - but really too, too dreary and boring - clients. It was, literally, no skin off his nose...

An independent man...of independent means.

DCN

[cdrewett]

I would love to know more about the occasion at Rouen when the vintage racers were performing before or after the French Grand Prix, and Patrick let Jim Clark have a go in Remus during practice. I think Jim was immediately on the pace but I don't know how his times compared with Patrick's.

[Allan Lupton]

Tony Charnock, writing in the VSCC Bulletin (No 83) :
"The highlight of Friday's pracitce was Jim Clark's brief drive in "Remus". Patrick Lindsay had done a best lap of 2 min. 51 sec.; Jim Clark, having never before sat in the car, at once did a lap at 2 min. 48.7 sec. and proceeded consistently at that speed for several more laps."

[Ludovic Lindsay]

After Jim Clark got out of the car my father asked him about a particular corner and whether he was changing down for it. "Oh no, Patrick, that's flat!". Actually, he was always rather proud of the occasion, particularly as he'd only been racing Remus for just over 4 years and had only done a few laps there for the first time that day (and later on won).

Jim Clark retired from the race with a holed piston while Dan Gurney won and Jack Brabham got the fastest race lap of 2'11.4"...

I would include a rather good photo of the two of them together on the day (as well as a copy of the pair to "The Lindsay Airforce" picture) but can't work out how to download photos onto this thing. (Rather like my father I'm about as useful with a computer as I am with a box of tools).

Ludovic

PS-DCN, Spot on!

[D-Type]

The Rouen incident is being discussed in parallel on the Remus thread.

[Alan Cox]

A few more from the old B & W negative files. All Oulton Park Richard Seaman Trophy meetings
From the wet 1980 meeting

Pressing Peter Waller, 1978

[David Birchall]

These were the scenes that kept myself and many friends anxious to participate in 'Vintage Racing', although we were located in a motoring backwater: Vancouver. Patrick Lindsay and the others participating in these events, at that time, seemed to personify what "Vintage Racing" was....

[Ludovic Lindsay]

Another car that meant a huge amount to him was the Rolls Royce Phantom II he was given by the Maharaja of Jaipur on his honeymoon. He later drove it back over the Khyber Pass, through Persia and onto Turkey. As it happens my friend a colleague Paddy Mark has just made a beautiful film that features this car as well as a host of other extraordinary cars still in India. Well worth watching - Sunday, 8th March, 9pm on BBC4.

I read that it is:

"A rich visual feast, this one-hour documentary examines an obsession for Rolls-Royce motor cars that developed among India’s royal families in the first fifty years of the twentieth century. Starting with the story of the ‘Pearl of the East’, the first Rolls-Royce ever to arrive in India (1908), the film goes on to feature surviving examples such as the Nizam of Hyderabad’s ‘throne car’ (canary yellow, upholstered in gold brocade, with silver plated fittings throughout) and the Maharaja of Bharatpur’s heavily armoured tiger-hunting car. Meanwhile Arvind Singh, Maharana of Mewar, explains how his father had another Rolls-Royce specially converted to carry the royal cricket team to its matches. The program follows the fortunes of the princes and their cars as the exuberance of the 1920s gives way to Gandhi’s austerity and, eventually, India’s independence in 1947 – at which point these magnificent ‘mechanical elephants’ were largely abandoned in their royal motor houses. Since then, some have been resurrected, some exported to Europe and America and some have been sent to the scrap-yard.

There’s a trailer at:



Although not strictly a "racing" car it does so happen that my youngest brother Valentine needed to get one final signature for his competition licence. There was a 5 lap handicap at a VSCC meeting and this car was ready to go! All slightly embarrassing but it served its purpose. I do remember my father getting up to 90mph which was impressive for such a beast.

[Alan Cox]

I'm pleased to say the Ludovic has asked me to post these on his behalf - a quite fabulous picture from the Rouen caper, plus the companion painting to the Lindsay Airforce one posted earlier.

I think the one of JC and Patrick encapsulates much that is great about motor sport. I hope you agree..

Photographer not credited

[Doug Nye]

In view of recent discussions here about the marque, note Patrick's HWM with its flowing wings alongside the imposing Royce.

DCN

[David Birchall]

Thanks Doug, I thought perhaps is was a W'eird Peugeot....

[Giraffe]

I was marshalling at Old Hall for the 1970 Richard Seaman Trophies meeting at Oulton Park and witnessed with some astonishment HPL'S 3 lap "practice" on the Friday; it went something like: lap 1, "Good Morning Gentlemen", lap 2, "Lovely weather", & lap 3, "See you tomorrow chaps!"
It's such a shame that characters like the Patrick no longer grace our sport. His interaction with Jim Clark is an example of how to build a legend, and sadly for contractual, insurance and other reasons would simply not be allowed to happen today.