30 replies to this topic

[Derwent Motorsport]

It’s interesting to compare the legacy of Clark and Moss.  Stirling was a living legend for more than fifty years and yet there is virtually nothing to commemorate his life.  With Jim there is the Museum, Rally, Trail, café, monuments at his birth  and burial place and the original Foundation and later Trust.

 

The Jim Clark Face Book page is very active while the Moss one is sadly not.  Has anyone got any views on the reason for this? 

 

There should be at least a blue plaque at Stirling’s home where he lives for 60 years.

 

As an aside how many other drivers have museums devoted them? Nuvolari, Senna ?

 

[Michael Ferner]

Fangio, von Trips... I'm sure there are dozens!

[ensign14]

The Jim Clark Face Book page is very active while the Moss one is sadly not.  Has anyone got any views on the reason for this? 

Less need to preserve the memory of Stirling Moss while he was alive?  I think a blue plaque has to wait until 2029.

[garoidb]

It’s interesting to compare the legacy of Clark and Moss.  Stirling was a living legend for more than fifty years and yet there is virtually nothing to commemorate his life.  With Jim there is the Museum, Rally, Trail, café, monuments at his birth  and burial place and the original Foundation and later Trust.

 

The Jim Clark Face Book page is very active while the Moss one is sadly not.  Has anyone got any views on the reason for this? 

 

There should be at least a blue plaque at Stirling’s home where he lives for 60 years.

 

As an aside how many other drivers have museums devoted them? Nuvolari, Senna ?

 

He was knighted, which is quite a significant public recognition but only possible for living people. 

[Vitesse2]

Less need to preserve the memory of Stirling Moss while he was alive?  I think a blue plaque has to wait until 2029.

Longer than that, I'm afraid. 2040. English Heritage administer the scheme in Greater London and their rules are now that a plaque can only be placed 20 years after the death of the person being commemorated. Wikipedia's suggestion that one can be placed a century after their birth appears to be incorrect.

 

So - as just one example - Jimi Hendrix, who died in 1970, has a blue plaque in Mayfair, which was erected in 1997.

 

The criteria are available on EH's website: https://www.english-...opose-a-plaque/

 

An alternative would be Westminster City Council's Green Plaque scheme. However, it seems they will charge £3500 + VAT for the privilege ... https://www.westmins...k/green-plaques

[Glengavel]

It’s interesting to compare the legacy of Clark and Moss.  Stirling was a living legend for more than fifty years and yet there is virtually nothing to commemorate his life.  With Jim there is the Museum, Rally, Trail, café, monuments at his birth  and burial place and the original Foundation and later Trust.

 

The Jim Clark Face Book page is very active while the Moss one is sadly not.  Has anyone got any views on the reason for this? 

 

There should be at least a blue plaque at Stirling’s home where he lives for 60 years.

 

As an aside how many other drivers have museums devoted them? Nuvolari, Senna ?

 

As you point out, he was a living legend. If Moss had been killed at Goodwood, and if Clark had survived Hockenheim, things might have been reversed.

[Roger Clark]

I think a statue at Goodwood, along the lines of the Mike Hawthorn/Lofty England one would be appropriate.  I would gladly contribute to a public subscription.

[Gary Davies]

Call me pathetic, but every time I travelled to Blighty to visit parents and sister, I'd take the opportunity of walking down Shepherd Street. Never found the courage to knock on the door. Always loved the number 7 on the roof.

 

 

Probably still will. 

 

Wouldn't mind seeing a statue at Goodwood. The location of his first win at a current circuit (19.09.49) and last race of his main career (23.04.62).

[BRG]

A Goodwood statue is probably in the pipeline, I hope, but what else might be down to commemorate him? 

[Jahn1234567890]

The Mercedes McLaren SLR Stirling Moss was named after Stirling. I always feel that a car manufacturer naming a model after a racing driver is quite a big honor.

[D28]

Fangio, von Trips... I'm sure there are dozens!

Gilles Villeneuve Berthierville

[rl1856]

Timing.  All of the memorials to JC were put in place in the many years following his untimely death, by people with direct first hand knowledge of his career.   Sir SM was a recent casualty, and the grass has not filled in above his grave.   His active years were far removed from his death, with many of the people who knew him and had direct knowledge of his achievements looking up to the sky rather than down at the dirt.  The vast majority of people viewed Sir SM as an Ambassador rather than a recently departed champion.   

 

Now if we are still having this conversation in 5yrs.....   

[brakedisc]

" All of the memorials to JC were put in place in the many years following his untimely death, by people with direct first hand knowledge of his career. "

 

How true. Just a shame plenty of them have been " dining out " on this relationship and with JC gone we have no way of knowing if their stories are true.   

[Collombin]

How true. Just a shame plenty of them have been " dining out " on this relationship and with JC gone we have no way of knowing if their stories are true.

In a similar vein, I think a "Did Clark ever really say that?" thread could be a very busy one, but ultimately prove fruitless.

Your username has prompted me to mention that BBC4 (or was it Sky Documentaries? I can't remember!) showed a repeat of the Stirling Moss/Norman Dewis programme about the disc brake last night - might be available on some catchup thingy for those interested.

Edited by Collombin, 08 August 2020 - 10:14.

[Richard Jenkins]

I think the obvious comparison in terms of memorials is Senna and Fangio, with the latter dying a little over a year of the former.
I don't remember much tribute to Fangio at all at the time.

I don't know how many Fangio memorials there are now, 25 years on from his death and whether that's rectified somewhat. Of course there's more Senna memorials every year it seems.

[F1matt]

As someone who was too young to have the privilege to see Moss or Clark race I do feel honoured to have seen Sir Stirling complete several demonstration laps at Silverstone in 2013 (he was still quick) so while he was here there was no need for a museum or permanent memorial. In the case of Clark (and Senna) they were taken in the prime and taken far too soon.

[wheadon1985]

Watching the GP qualifying and they’ve just called him Jim Clarke 🙄

[Jahn1234567890]

Watching the GP qualifying and they’ve just called him Jim Clarke

 

I noticed that as well. Quite embarrassing to say the least...

Edited by Jahn1234567890, 08 August 2020 - 14:19.

[Vitesse2]

I think the obvious comparison in terms of memorials is Senna and Fangio, with the latter dying a little over a year of the former.
I don't remember much tribute to Fangio at all at the time.

I don't know how many Fangio memorials there are now, 25 years on from his death and whether that's rectified somewhat. Of course there's more Senna memorials every year it seems.

There are at least eight Fangio memorials: one in the Walk of Glory in Puerto Madura in Argentina, six statues of El Chueco and the W196 by Joaquim Ros Sabaté in various places and the joint Fangio/Senna one at Donington.

 

The University of Sheffield is home to the Sporting Statues Project. Their UK database records several motor sporting ones - including one of Stirling at Mallory - but their 'foreign' lists seem to be confined to cricket, football and baseball: http://www.offbeat.g...database_uk.htm

[absinthedude]

These things often take time. While Stirling's death might not have come out of the blue....I doubt that anyone was already designing, funding and arranging for statues, plaques or other memorials along with the requisite permissions. No doubt in the coming months and years appropriate memorials will be arranged. 

[BRG]

I noticed that as well. Quite embarrassing to say the least...

Thank heavens it wasn't at the 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, that would have been even more embarrassing.

 

Oops...

[Glengavel]

" All of the memorials to JC were put in place in the many years following his untimely death, by people with direct first hand knowledge of his career. "

 

How true. Just a shame plenty of them have been " dining out " on this relationship and with JC gone we have no way of knowing if their stories are true.   

 

Plenty of who? There's a statue at Kilmany, the JIm Clark Room in Duns and the memorial stone at Hockenheim, and various biographies. I can't think of anyone involved who has tried to otherwise cash in on his career.

[Doug Nye]

The most significant memorial that any of these bygone greats can have is surely just to be remembered by future generations.  

 

So if they interest you, do tell your children and grandchildren of what they did, and - perhaps more importantly, as role models - of the manner in which they did it...

 

 

DCN

[kayemod]

A fitting memorial to Sir Stirling ?

 

A statue on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square.

 

That's how great he was.

[E1pix]

Sounds like a project that may never happen without some collective efforts by some here.

 

Regardless of what The Man meant to us guys, our generation is aging, and fading, fast. Doubt any younguns today or in 2030 will campaign for this...

[Stephen W]

I admin the Stirling Moss - Racing Driver group on Facebook. Since he passed we have been inundated with applications to join including a large number of "Nigerian princes". At least 50% of applicants are not members of any other motor sport related group.

[E1pix]

Encouraging, Stephen.

[JtP2]

Watching the GP qualifying and they’ve just called him Jim Clarke

 

 

Autosport once managed it on the front cover announcing a report in the issue on the " Jim Clarke rally"

[Sterzo]

The most significant memorial that any of these bygone greats can have is surely just to be remembered by future generations.  

 

So if they interest you, do tell your children and grandchildren of what they did, and - perhaps more importantly, as role models - of the manner in which they did it...

 

 

DCN

Exactly. Much better than a second rate statue (and most of them are) or a memorial that becomes decrepit. Museums are OK if there's a collection of cars to display, but other memorabilia can be rather underwhelming.

[BRG]

I think regressing to oral history may not be the best choice.

[Sterzo]

...and I doubt that Doug Nye, who has been known to write down history, is advocating sole reliance on the oral tradition.