52 replies to this topic

[Stephen W]

It is with great sadness that I have to report the death of Tony Marsh at the age of 77.
He was the 6 times winner of the British Hillclimb Championship, a feat that has so far not been equalled. He first won the championship in 1955 at the wheel of a Cooper-J.A.P. and followed it with two more championships in 1956 & 1957 both at the wheel of the Cooper. After a break from hillclimbing when he tackled F1 & F2 races he completed another hat-trick of hillclimb championships starting in 1965 this time at the wheel of the Marsh Special. The Marsh Special was developed from initially a standard single seat special into a superb 4 wheel drive racer.

He was a keen allround motor racing sportsman tackling trials, hillclimbing, sprinting, circuit racing as well as rallies. He was also a devoted winter sports enthusiast as well as being a very able pilot and yatchsman. His autobiography "TONY MARSH The great all-rounder" reads like a Boys Own annual. Tony had a keen sense of fun and his exchanges with fellow sprinter John Garnett were legendary.

He will be sorely missed.

[Cirrus]

Oh no - more bad news.

The world of hillclimbing and sprinting has become much the poorer this last week.

[sterling49]

Oh no - more bad news.

The world of hillclimbing and sprinting has become much the poorer this last week.

I used to read about Tony, he seemed to be forever on the back page of MN, which was their favoured place, to report the R.A.C. Hillclimb championship. The culture and tradition that die with Tony, simply irreplaceable.

[Tim Murray]

This is dreadful news. It's only a couple of years ago that Tony signed my copy of his autobiography, which included a couple of good-humoured digs at my mate Dave Cutcliffe. As a young man I felt that to maintain symmetry Tony, having won the British Hillclimb Championship in 1955-56-67 and 1965-66-67, should continue the sequence in 1975-76-77 etc, but sadly it was not to be. RIP Tony, and sincere condolences to his family and friends.

[Richard Jenkins]

Terrible, terrible news - and I must say, a surprise as despite recent frailities, was doing quite well.
I haven't got round to reading his autobiography so this is something I must try & do.

I'm especially sorry to see Tony go as it was an article on him & his career, in 1997, that first got me thinking about "what happened to some of the other drivers". Through that & a bit more research, WATN was born, so I, in some ways, owe Tony a debt of sincere gratitude for having an amazing life - he was definitely the very first driver whose details I kept & whose contempary photo I kept for reference.

A fine driver too - an inspiration to us all.

RIP, Tony.

[Andrew Fellowes]

Another great name gone, Condolences to family and friends.

[Bjorn Kjer]

Very sad to hear , he also raced in Danmark.

[Richard Young]

Yet again, the world has become a poorer place.
Tony Marsh was a true gentleman, and one (of many, I must say) who made this paddock 'new boy' feel comfortable the first time I ventured out of the Emerald Isle to climb a hill or two.
We were paddock 'neighbours' at (I think) Loton Park and the fact that he came and introduced himself made a great impression on me . There were very few who had done as much as he had in the sport, yet he came over for a chat as though he, too, was just another amateur scrabbler.
They don't make' em like that any more.

[sterling49]

A very talented and able commentator too; I particularlly enjoyed him working alongside Peter Hamilton-Smith at Oulton Park.

Was it the same Anthony Marsh that commentated at Brands?

[David Force]

Very sad, like Sterling I was brought up reading about his exploits on the back page of Motoring News.

Also a real Formula 1 privateer and great all rounder.

No doubt his life and that of Allan Staniforth will be celebrated at Harewood this weekend.

Two top blokes in every respect.

Anthony Marsh the commentator and Tony Marsh the hillclimber are not the same.

[cdrewett]

Was it the same Anthony Marsh that commentated at Brands?

No, Tony Marsh was 6 times British hillclimb champion, also competed in Grands Prix in late 50s-early 60s including the 1958 German GP.
Anthony Marsh, well known commentator, no relation.
Chris

[Tim Murray]

Anthony Marsh the commentator is indeed, sadly, no longer with us:

Anthony Marsh - commentator

[fuzzi]

What a blow. My condolences to his family and friends.
Another hero gone, but not forgotten

[Haine Kane]

Sad news

RIP

Tony MARSH is the same driver who came to LE MANS 24 hours in 1960 with John WAGSTAFF and finish 14th with a LOTUS ?

[fines]

RIP.

[Stephen W]

Sad news

RIP

Tony MARSH is the same driver who came to LE MANS 24 hours in 1960 with John WAGSTAFF and finish 14th with a LOTUS ?

Quiet right Haine, it was a Lotus Elite. During the race Marsh and Wagstaff took a 'softly, softly' approach and despite having to change the starter motor they cruised through to finish 16th on the road. They won the "Index of Energy" and such was the care they took the Elite finished the race on the same wheels/tyres and never had the brake pads changed either.

[taylov]

What sad, sad news.

I got to know Tony well in the paddock at Gurston in recent years. Always happy to chat, he became used to me bringing him a succession of 1950s programmes to sign. He would never complain and always have a story to tell.

He raced at the Avus in the Berlin GP for F2 cars in 1958. Here he is ( the furthest of the two) chasing George Wicken's Cooper #10.



While Tony signed this photo (and the programme), he told me the tale of his first practice lap of the Avus. He had raced at Montlhery in the past so he felt he knew all there was to know about tracks with banking. At the Paris track he had found that the car would find its own course on the banking relative to its speed. Tony laughed as he told the tale of how he tried the same technique at the Avus North turn. The Cooper shot towards the top whilst its hapless driver tried to scrub off some speed. Somehow he managed not to shoot straight over the top. He got the car to turn only to head straight back down the banking before he managed to get the car under control. All this was told with a broad grin.

My trips to Gurston will never be the same. I will miss you.

[David Holland]

Very sad news indeed. I had the great pleasure to meet Tony at his wonderful farm and he proudly showed me around his cars in his amazing garage.
A true gentleman - I always found it amusing that a great hill climb champion lived in the village of Steep....

[Hieronymus]

I have a handwritten letter that Tony sent me a couple of years ago. He replied after I asked him some questions about his racing career. Any driver that takes the time to answer to an enthuasiast's letter, will always score a 10/10 with me. From the tone of his letter, I could gather that he was a most decent man.

RIP Tony!

Edited by Hieronymus, 08 May 2009 - 19:41.

[Geoff E]

His book has been much in evidence at hillclimbs this year http://www.shelsley-.......p;si=75&dc=

I'm not sure if he was at Shelsley last weekend - his car was, driven by his son(?) Simon Marsh.

[Doug Nye]

Shocked to hear this afternoon about Tony's death. He was absolutely The Man in hill-climbing when I first 'crossed the fence', and of course with his Lotus 18 and his BRM he was a very capable privateer circuit racer, and F1 race winner... He had considerable technical capability to make the most of his natural skills as a driver; very much a motor sportsman of stature. I never knew him well, but he was always very cooperative and helpful.

DCN

[cdrewett]

His book has been much in evidence at hillclimbs this year http://www.shelsley-.......p;si=75&dc=

I'm not sure if he was at Shelsley last weekend - his car was, driven by his son(?) Simon Marsh.

Tony wasn't at Shelsley last weekend. Simon told us that he was in hospital but doing ok and expected out soon. So it was a terrible shock to learn of his death. Still if we had the choice, most of us would vote for an active and successful life right up to the last week. It's his family who really suffer and deserve our condolences.

[Ian McKean]

Very sad news.

Can anyone confirm whether (as one of my late parents told me when I was a boy) he was from the Marsh Pork Pies family?

[Tim Murray]

There's no actual mention of pork pies in his autobiography, but as the 'family' firm was Marsh & Baxter of Brierley Hill, South Staffs, the ham and bacon curers, who later acquired Harris's of Calne, sausage makers, I feel sure pork pies would have been one of their products.

Edited by Tim Murray, 10 May 2009 - 20:08.

[Haine Kane]

This is my tribute to Tony MARSH


Copyright : Haine Kane

[Martin Pfundner]

A very talented and able commentator too; I particularlly enjoyed him working alongside Peter Hamilton-Smith at Oulton Park.

Tony Marsh the hill climb champion and Anthony Marsh the commentator were two separate persons. I happened to get Tony Marsh's address from Anthony Marsh when I tried to engage him for the 1959 Zeltweg Airfield Race, the first-ever F2 event in Austria. Tony Marsh came with his Cooper-Climax and won the race ahead of David Piper (Lotus-Climax) and Ernst Vogel (Porsche RSK), followed by the two Equipe Nationale Belge Cooper-Climaxes of Bianchi and Pilette.
Of course I had to have him at Zeltweg the following year, when he passed Stirling Moss (Walker-Porsche) into the lead on lap four, but finally had to be content with fifth place in his Lotus-Climax. Moss won ahead of the two works F2 Porsches of Herrmann and Barth, with John Campbell-Jones (Cooper).

I am very sad indeed to hear that he passed away, such a charming and competent gentleman driver.

Martin Pfundner

[Gabrci]

This is so sad and unexpected. As a tribute, here is a photo he kindly sent me last summer.

[Vicuna]

Tony Marsh seems to have had an interesting life.

RIP

[Alan Cox]

Just to clear up any remaining confusion over the identities of Tony Marsh and Anthony Marsh, here is a photo which Ted Walker passed to me today at Prescott, with a request to post it here. It features Anthony Marsh sitting in Tony's Lotus 18 at Brands Hatch in 1960, while Tony kneels alongside.

[bradbury west]

The tyre choice looks fascinating, SP3/Duraband radials? Would they have been slave wheels or wet weather kit?
Roger Lund

[Richard Young]

SP3s were 'the next big thing' in 1960. I seem to recall they were used by Porsche at the Solitude F2 race that year and apparently worked very well - at least when compared with what else was available at the time.

On the subject of Tony, I was wondering who else might have come close to taking the non-existent "ultimate all-rounder" title.
In addition to F1, F2, hill climbs and occasional sports car races, Tony was also pretty good in sporting trials. The only other names that come to mind are Ken Wharton and Sir Stirling.
Any other possible contenders ?

[Barry Boor]

This is terribly sad news.

I am so pleased that I got Tony's autograph at Goodwood a few years ago.

Of no consequence whatsoever, but, Tony Marsh races on....

[David McKinney]

I don't recall him winning as many international rallies as Moss or Wharton, or doing as well in trials as Wharton or Marsh

[Ted Walker]

Re post 39.May I sugest that you do some homework before posting !!!!!!!!!!!

[David McKinney]

Giraffe, old chap

Richard Young's original post used "all-rounder" to describe someone who excelled in rallying or trialling as well as racing. My post re Jim Clark was directing you to that

And I'm not sure if you're accusing me of bombarding you with PMs, but the fact is I haven't sent you even one

[fines]

It's not about "names", it's about something that used to be a sort of "TNF culture" - people always tried to be accurate here, and were happy to be corrected if they were wrong! That does not seem to be the case anymore with many of the more prolific "new posters", and some of the "older ones" (including me) have a hard time adjusting. As for me, I'd rather read ten thousand curt posts from David McKinney than most of the elaborated stuff from those who seem to regard themselves as "lesser posters" - no offense meant, it's just my opinion and I may well be a dying species, but I'm not going to go out in a whimper!

[David McKinney]

This has given me an idea; do you think there is scope for a "Classic TNF" for the likes of you, Fines? A sort of gentleman's club with a password, with padded leather Chesterfields and bookcases stacked upto the ceiling where the heirarchy of the forum can retire to with cigars & G&T's.

Nail and head, G

That's only a sllightly exaggerated take on what TNF used to be

[Ted Walker]

Quite right David,Things aint what they used to be.

[Haine Kane]

Hello Friends,

I want to complete my file, do you know where Tony MARSH passed away ?

Thanks

[Richard Jenkins]

Hello Friends,

I want to complete my file, do you know where Tony MARSH passed away ?

Thanks

Petersfield, Hampshire, I believe, unless anyone knows differently? He was taken to the "local" hospital & the Petersfield local press seem to indicate he died there?

[Mal9444]

http://www.telegraph...Tony-Marsh.html

[Kingsleyrob]

http://www.telegraph...Tony-Marsh.html

Thanks for the link Malcolm, interesting.

I've been reading about the Nurburgring for over forty years now and cannot recall this reference (in the obituary) as to what it is "known as":

"The demanding 14-mile track with 172 corners known as "The Green Hell" because of the circuit's lush scenery".

Perhaps I've been reading the wrong books. Or, perhaps more likely. my power of recall is diminishing.

Rob

[Richard Jenkins]

Haine, the Independent obituary seems to indicate Marsh died in Portsmouth.

[alpine]

I've been reading about the Nurburgring for over forty years now and cannot recall this reference (in the obituary) as to what it is "known as":

"The demanding 14-mile track with 172 corners known as "The Green Hell" because of the circuit's lush scenery".

Perhaps I've been reading the wrong books. Or, perhaps more likely. my power of recall is diminishing.

Rob

Rob,

if my memory serves me right (not always does these days now ...), Jackie Stewart coined this moniker in the late sixties. Maybe this was not adopted by the British press, but at least in German papers, the term "Grüne Hölle" was commonly used. Wasn't there also a book with this title?

regards

alpine

Edited by alpine, 29 July 2009 - 09:32.

[bradbury west]

[quote name='alpine' Rob,
if my memory serves me right (not always does these days now ...), Jackie Stewart coined this moniker in the late sixties. Maybe this was not adopted by the British press, but at least in German papers, the term "Grüne Hölle" was commonly used. Wasn't there also a book with this title?
alpine

ISTR that being mentioned, with JYS quoted, in another Marsh obit, presumably from which the newspaper has distilled its version.
Roger Lund

[Alan Cox]

A rather fine Bill Henderson photo of Tony aviating at Rest-and-be-Thankful. Just look at the state of the tarmac.
http://www.motorraci...henderson03.htm

[David McKinney]

ISTR that - or something very much like it - being published in the day

[Alan Cox]

It probably appeared in Autosport, as Bill was their Scottish correspondent

[David McKinney]

Possibly even on the front cover, now I think about it

[taylov]

I was at Gurston Down last Sunday and there was Tony's Gould GR55 sitting in the paddock with his name still on the side of the cockpit.

The car is now driven by Tony's son, Peter and there was a magic moment at lunchtime when Peter qualified 4th on a damp track for the Top Twelve run-off for British Championship points.

As the green Gould came to the line the hill was getting wetter still. A cautious start and a slowish 117mph at Hollow proved the right approach and a storming drive further up the hill put Peter Marsh into 3rd place in the Championship run-off. His first "podium" in the car.

When he returned to the paddock there was loud applause from all present - how Tony would have smiled.