18 replies to this topic

[Digs]

Good afternoon all,

 

My first post, but hopefully the first of many as I track down some interesting stuff from 1940s and 50s rallies and racing.

 

I've got some photos from the 1952 RAC Rally, featuring a Jowett Javelin no 48, registration number FNJ 957. The event seems to be April 1952, and we are told that the principle driver of this car was Tony Hodgson.

 

We are trying to find out more info about the car, where it finished, and also to try and identify the people in a couple of photos of the car, which may have been his support team and/or navigators etc. Wikipedia, source of all kinds of interesting and unproven conjecture, suggests that the Javelin won its class and Best Closed Car at the 52 rally, but this seems odd as the rally doesn't seem to have a winner until 53 onwards, so how can there be class winners? Hopefully someone can help to clarify.

 

It seems the people who post here know more than anyone else on historic motorsport, so hopefully you can answer the questions that we haven't found answers to.

 

Photos to follow when I manage to work that bit out

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Jack.

[Tim Murray]

There were class awards in the RAC Rally from its inception in 1932, but as you say there was no official award for best overall performance until 1953. This hasn't stopped people creating unofficial results lists for the events before 1953 based on overall scores.

Edited by Tim Murray, 19 September 2013 - 12:45.

[Vitesse2]

'Best up to 2.5 litre closed car' was indeed won by a Jowett in 1952, but it was driven by Frenchman Marcel Becquart, usually better-known for his racing exploits in a sports Jupiter. In those days, the RAC wasn't the stage rally into which it evolved and still retained some of its pre-WW2 origins as little more than a reliability run to a seaside resort like Torquay, Blackpool or Scarborough with various gymkhana-like exercises along the way and a concours d'élégance at the end. This report of the final day of 1952 from The Times will give a flavour:

 

Edited by Vitesse2, 19 September 2013 - 15:19.

[Digs]

This is incredibly useful, and I am aware of Marcel Becquart but had not put two and two together.

 

Hopefully this photo is visible, these are the people we are trying to identify, and indeed the event - it seems that from the above article there was only one Jowett, driven by Becquart, and that doesn't fit with the people or indeed the car in these photos. Could it be another year, perhaps 51 or 53, that Tony Hodgson drove this car in the RAC Rally?

 

http://jowett.net/ga..._serialNumber=1

[Tim Murray]

I’m sure there must have been more than one Jowett in the 1952 event. I don’t have the Autosport report for 1952, but I do for 1953, where 16 Jowetts were entered. There’s no mention of Tony Hodgson, and the only Jowett to win its class (Touring Cars 1301 – 1600 cc) was driven by E. Elliott.

[Pete Stowe]

There were a number of Javelins in the 1952 rally. That of DC Hodgson was classified 49th in the Closed cars under 2500cc class. (source: Autocar report). The entry list in Autosport also had DC Hodgson (Javelin), starting from Hastings.

[Fred Gallagher]

Car number 48 in 1952 was indeed D.C.Hodgson.

 

The tall gentleman on the left of the top photograph is, I'm pretty sure, Maurice Gatsonides who drove Ford number 50.

 

Fred

[Digs]

Car number 48 in 1952 was indeed D.C.Hodgson.

 

The tall gentleman on the left of the top photograph is, I'm pretty sure, Maurice Gatsonides who drove Ford number 50.

 

Fred

 

Hi Fred,

 

Can you confirm your source for this? I have now got Autosport for 11th April 1952 and it has a big feature on the rally, including lots of info on Becquart, but sadly little about Hodsgon or the other Jowetts entered. Is this in the previous edition, or recorded somewhere else?

 

Thanks for the lead on Gatsonides, I will research further.

 

Jack.

[Fred Gallagher]

I have the official programme for the event.

 

I was quite sure it was Gatsonides and I think the fact he was running only two cars away from the Jowett adds to the evidence.

 

Some further information found: Hodgson lived at Aster Cottage, Water Mill Lane, Bexhill and his co-drivers were John Batten of Eastbourne and R.Mackenzie Low of Bexhill. It was Hodgson's first rally and they did finish. Information from The Evening Argus, 8th April 1952 reproduced in Sporting Jowetts by Noel Stokoe.

 

Fred

[Digs]

Hi Fred,

 

Can you advise who was driving car no 47 and 49? If they were stopped for some reason and drivers catching up for a chat, that might help us to find the man on the right.

 

Is there a copy of the programme for the rally somewhere, a library or archive perhaps? This sort of information is really valuable, but seems hard to find for interested parties.

 

Thanks,

 

Jack.

[Vitesse2]

 

According to the filename, this is Gatsonides in 1954. Nail on head, I think.

 

Source: http://www.leblogaut...de-vitesse.html

[Fred Gallagher]

The chap on the right could easily be one of Hodgson's crew.

 

46 J.A.Lucas Ford

47 E.T.Jamieson Riley

48 Hodgson

49 D.E.Harris M.G.

50 Gatsonides Ford Consul

 

Fred

[CoulthardD]

I can recommend "Sporting Jowetts" by Noel Stokoe, which is now starting to appear in those cheap book shops for less than a tenner. Lots of info on the Jowetts in races and rallies of the '50s.

 

DC

Edited by CoulthardD, 28 September 2013 - 09:25.

[Rupertlt1]

Trying to find information on Tom Sawell - entered R.A.C. Rally 1952 - T. J. Sawell (Jowett). Said the demise of Jowett was a bad business, involving the Ford takeover of Briggs Motor Bodies.

He was an early mentor, later took me to Goodwood, Brands Hatch etc where he was a senior marshal. Owned a red Jaguar 3.8 automatic and a blue A.C. Aceca, with Bristol engine. I recall topping 120 m.p.h. near Petworth. He was in the publishing trade in London, I think to do with yachting. Spoke about Cowes. He had a leg injury, hence the automatic. He spoke about trials and it appears he competed in a supercharged Dellow, circa 1951-1953. I remember him saying the cars became increasingly freaky and I guess he lost interest. He had a son, Roger, who drove a Lotus 7. He was unfailingly kind. Can anybody add to the story? RGDS RLT

 

P.S. Lived at Hayes Common, Kent. 

 

P.P.S. Unsurprisingly I have discovered his company was called: Sawell Publications Ltd, 4 Ludgate Circus, London E.C.4. (Tel. Fleet St. 4353-8.) 

Edited by Rupertlt1, 19 February 2015 - 19:18.

[Rupertlt1]

1952 R.A.C. Rally entries (Source: The Motor)

Open Class Jowetts:

H.L. Hadley

L.C. Proctor

G.M. Sharp

W.J. Skelly

F.E. Still

T.C. Wise

 

Closed cars under 2500cc class, Jowetts:

R.M. Barford

T.D. Dundas

W. Edwards

W.W. Fulton

D.C. Hodgson

J.C.L. Jacobs

K.G. Marsh

T.J. Sawell

Dr. Thomas Smallhorn

R.H. Wilkins

 

#191 Marcel Becquart/Roy Lunn, reg HAK 743

See 1953: https://revslib.stan...tem/fj778gv9149

 

[Note: No sign of E. Elliott.]

 

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 08 March 2015 - 13:11.

[Rupertlt1]

Ref the photographs I notice Gatsonides drove a Jowett in the 1951 R.A.C. Rally - what number was he?

 

http://www.motorspor...s-recent-events

 

Are we certain these pictures are from 1952? (I can't tell.)

 

RGDS RLT

[Rupertlt1]

Results of the British Rally of the R.A.C., 1951

June 4-9. No General Category

1,500 c.c. Open Cars

1. Brown, H.R.G., 120.57 points lost

2. Mrs. Mitchell, H.R.G., 120.61

3. Hopkinson, M.G., 121.53

1,500 c.c. Closed Cars

1. Readings, M.G.,  124.4 points lost

2. Van der Mark, Jowett Javelin, 126.63

3. Shaw, M.G., 127.75

Over 1,500 c.c. Open Cars

1. Appleyard, Jaguar, 109.61 points lost

2. Morgan, Morgan, 112.99

3. Goodall, Morgan, 114.55

Over 1,500 c.c. Closed Cars

1. Harper, Vauxhall, 125.03 points lost

2. Hartwell, Sunbeam-Talbot, 126.21

3. Elliott, Bristol, 126.76

Ladies' Cups:

Unlimited open cars: Miss Newton (Jaguar)

1,500 c.c. Closed Cars: Miss Van Damm (Hillman Minx)

Over 1,500 c.c. Closed Cars: Miss Corbishley (Daimler)

Team Prize:

The Morgan team-Morgan, Goodall, Steel.

Edited by Rupertlt1, 03 March 2015 - 13:56.

[Rupertlt1]

Tulip Rally 1953, HAK 743 is here: 

 

http://www.carelgodi...0427tulpen.html

 

RGDS RLT

[Rupertlt1]

Here is some more information ref Tom Sawell competing in a Jowett Javelin:

RAC Rally of GB 1952
#78 KLR 363

LMC London Rally 1952 (Sept 19-20)
#191 KLR 363, Finishers Award
(#193 also a Jowett Javelin)

See: http://www.motorspor...s-recent-events

Exeter Trial 1954
#254 KLR 363

Kentish Border Car Club - Broadstairs Rally 1954 (June 6)
#42 KLR 363

RGDS RLT

Edited by Rupertlt1, 22 March 2015 - 14:18.