8 replies to this topic

[Michael Ferner]

I was surprised to read in this week's German weekly Die Zeit in an interview with famous primatologist Jane Goodall the rather incidental remark that her father "was a racing driver" - the context in which it was mentioned (the financial background of the family, and that her mother was a novelist) made it sound like it was his profession, so not a 'gentleman driver' which I would think was rather rare in Britain in the thirties (Goodall was born 1934). Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia...ki/Jane_Goodall) has the name Mortimer Herbert Morris-Goodall (1907–2001), and calls him "a businessman". Anyone know anything about him? I should add that the German word Rennfahrer for racing driver would include anyone racing motorcycles as well.

[Vitesse2]

Originally an Aston Martin man, founder of AMOC, competition manager for Healey, team manager for Jaguar and Camoradi: https://www.historic...m?driverID=2955

[Vitesse2]

Extract from Dale Peterson's book "Jane Goodall: The Woman Who Redefined Man": https://libraryaware...3ddh87wfrxdgm3a

[Doug Nye]

Good Lord - I had no idea that Jane Goodall was Mort's daughter.  He was very helpful to me on the Dick Seaman/George Monkhouse book, since he had witnessed the Spa accident and visited poor Dick in hospital - shortly before he died.  His wife was very pleasant and engaging too, tolerant of someone she regarded as providing a diversion for the old man...  I might have the wrong impression, but in old age at least he seemed very popular amongst both the Aston Martin and Jaguar fraternities.

 

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 21 July 2023 - 08:27.

[Tim Murray]

I’m somewhat startled to read this too - I had no idea there was any connection between them. Here’s what Racing Sports Cars knows about him:

https://www.racingsp...Goodall-GB.html

Edit: how soon we forget

Mortimer Morris-Goodall

[Alan Lewis]

Coincidentally (and a bit off-topic), I was looking for a similar "connections" thread in light of the passing of Jane Birkin last weekend. But I couldn't find one and decided there was no point creating one because most TNFers would already know she was related to "Tim".

[Michael Ferner]

I didn't! What was Jane B's relation to Tim, if I may ask?

 

 

As for Morris-Goodall, that sounds much like a 'gentleman driver' to me, I have to say. The context in the interview was that Jane G's parents did have 'odd jobs' so that the family was not really affluent, but if her father was able to buy sports cars and race them, I think the opposite must've been true! Anyone know how he made his money (supposing you don't do that by finishing outside of the top ten every once in a while in a long-distance sports car race)?

[Tim Murray]

I didn't! What was Jane B's relation to Tim, if I may ask?

Jane’s father David Birkin and Tim were first cousins - their fathers were brothers - so Jane and Tim were first cousins once removed.

[2F-001]

I didn't know of that Birkin relationship either! Furthermore, I hadn't heard/seen that Jane had died...

I need to get out less.

Edited by 2F-001, 21 July 2023 - 18:12.