17 replies to this topic

[BRG]

In the current Motor Sport magazine, the Parting Shot is a picture of Bruce McLaren seated in the road-going McLaren M6 GT outside the Home Counties Dairy in East Horsley back in 1969.  MS have reproduced it by photographing his daughter Amanda McLaren seated in a McLaren 570GT outside the same shop, now an estate agents.

 

I just wondered, why East Horsley?  It's just down the road from Ken Tyrell's woodyard, but otherwise I know of no racing connections for the village.  Any ideas? Did he live locally at that time?

[Vitesse2]

Bruce lived in Walton-on-Thames, so not far away. A reasonably pleasant drive down the B365.

 

https://www.standard...en-a125741.html

 

Just a thought, but maybe Eoin Young lived in or near East Horsley?

[2F-001]

Something to do with the Barley Mow pub, perhaps? Not far away...

Edited by 2F-001, 16 September 2024 - 10:55.

[BRG]

If you lived in Walton-on-Thames, you possibly wouldn't drive out to East Horsley just to pose in front of the Home Counties Dairy - it was hardly the stuff that dreams were made of!  The Eoin Young thought might be a clue though?

 

What was the significance of the Barley Mow?  Did that have motor sport connection?  And it is in WEST Horsley (not far away, but not close to the picture venue).

[Doug Nye]

West Horsley/East Horsley - little difference really, separated by little more than 3/4-mile.  Eoin Young - Bruce's sometime secretary/PA, energetic racing writer/columnist, publicist and all round good-fun personality - lived south-east of the village centre, the opposite side of the main Guildford/Epsom road from, for example, Bobby Bell and Martin Colville's Lotus-dealing garage which was situated closer to West Horsley, with the Barley Mow pub beyond that.  The publican there was motoring minded, 'Oyne' developed into one of his most enthusiastic (and - in my view regrettably - most thirsty) regulars, and he later based his memorabilia shop and store there or thereabouts.  I think for a period - following a split from his very pleasant wife, formerly John Surtees's secretary - he even lodged in the pub.  

 

Barley Mow racing get-togethers became a regular fixture for Eoin and his circle and assorted racing prominenten.  West Horsley also became home to a Ferrari restoration/preparation/profiteering specialist outfit whose name is on the tip of my tongue but irretrievable just now.  I think some of the other initial McLaren team members - such as Tyler Alexander (???) - also lived in that area.  There was plenty of reason for Bruce to have taken his M6GT there...

 

DCN

[BRG]

Thank you, Doug, I think that explains it.  Although why they chose to pose outside a dairy rather than somewhere a little more picturesque in the nearby area will probably remain a mystery!

[Alan Baker]

Thank you, Doug, I think that explains it.  Although why they chose to pose outside a dairy rather than somewhere a little more picturesque in the nearby area will probably remain a mystery!

"One careful owner. Only used to go down the road to get the milk."

[Doug Nye]

Narrow lanes I suspect.  Maybe the dairy was the only instantly convenient location outside which the photographer could stand far enough back to get the entire car in the frame...  This part of west Surrey can pose a challenge in that respect.

 

DCN. 

[SamoanAttorney]

West Horsley also became home to a Ferrari restoration/preparation/profiteering specialist outfit whose name is on the tip of my tongue but irretrievable just now.  

 

Modena Engineering and Michael Scott?

[Myhinpaa]

Interview with Michael Scott: https://apex.custodi.../michael-scott/

 

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Edited by Myhinpaa, 17 September 2024 - 13:09.

[Doug Nye]

Correct.  Obviously my memory is at fault insofar as Modena Eng were evidently based in East Horsley (see ad above), not West Horsley.  I suppose it could be said that I've made a bit of Horsley of that...   

 

One time Nick Mason loaned me his 250GTO for a couple of weeks, for a GTO monograph book I was preparing.  Yes, I know, It's a tough life...but I gratefully collected it from Modena and my first few hundred yards behind the wheel of that wonderful car were through the Horsleys.  A great and close school friend of mine lived there, and for a period ran a small car dealership from a local filling station's forecourt nearby.  Add Eoin Young's residency and the area does have a bit of motoring related history, if only - of course - very, very minor.

 

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 17 September 2024 - 18:49.

[Nigel Beresford]

Let’s not forget that many at the Tyrrell Racing Organisation also used the Barley Mow as one of its “locals” (along with the Black Swan near Effingham) for the daily lunchtime expedition for a pint. Different times and probably unthinkable these days but then this is a forum dedicated to nostalgia.

Teddy Mayer was also very local, living in one of the Clandons, as did Ken Tyrrell.

Ref DCN’s comment - Tyler Alexander was not so close in fact. He based himself in Weybridge.

[Doug Nye]

Thanks Nigel - I was unsure about that...

 

Further back in time Charles Mortimer, pre-war Brooklands motor-cycle racer, postwar Healey racer, gentleman motoring book dealer, etc etc, lived nearby, or at least in the Horsley/Effingham area - as, I believe, did early-'50s Aston Martin driver - and Goodwood 9-Hours winner - Eric Thompson.

 

Charles was a wonderfully smooth trader.  After making a purchase from him he would shake you warmly by the hand and smile, then add in his cut-glass, honeyed, Queen's English, "Thank you soooo much for the business...".

 

Whereupon you would realise that this master of marketing had just totally filleted your wallet.  It was his business which Eoin Young first worked with, and eventually took over.  Eoin unfortunately tended to brag about the sales killings he had just made - which was absolutely not Charlie Mortimer's style.  He in contrast was the absolute soul of total discretion.  As a customer you would exit with your purchases, feeling somewhat bruised...yet, mysteriously, somehow privileged to have just been shafted by a master.  

 

DCN

Edited by Doug Nye, 19 September 2024 - 08:02.

[BRG]

Let’s not forget that many at the Tyrrell Racing Organisation also used the Barley Mow as one of its “locals” (along with the Black Swan near Effingham) for the daily lunchtime expedition for a pint. Different times and probably unthinkable these days but then this is a forum dedicated to nostalgia.

No love for the Hautboy in Ockham, which was the nearest watering hole to the wood yard in Long Reach?  Now turned into apartments.

 

The Mucky Duck (Black Swan) is very gastro-pub these days, but still hosts a classic car meet on a Sunday morning each month - although I think these are in abeyance at the moment due to the roadworks at junction 10 of the M25/A3 which is paralysing the whole area,

[Nigel Beresford]

True, The Hautboy was closest but for some reason it wasn’t favoured. Most of the time it was the Mucky Duck that was used, except for Fridays when the Barley Mow was preferred - especially if it was a sunny summer’s day because of the nice garden.

The Jovial Sailor in Ripley was also an occasional destination.

[RS2000]

I recall The Hautboy featured in the CAMRA guide to "Good beer in Surrey" in the early 70s. 

I lived the "other side of the tracks" from Burwood Park at the time and occasionally walked unchallenged around it (it had no permanent security, unlike St George's Hill where many celebs lived, along with Tony Brooks and Denny Hulme I believe). I tested my newly-built rally car at night on Michelin racers on the nearest low-populated roads that passed Tyrrell and on down Horsley way.

Edited by RS2000, 19 September 2024 - 20:02.

[BRG]

The one thing I recall about the Hautboy was that it was the only pub I knew of  that had a minstrel's gallery.

 

I used Long Reach at night to set up the spotlights on my Mini and my Escort.  Sorry if I dazzled you, RS..

[jtremlett]

Just as an aside, the last owner of Modena Engineering is currently in the news for things he did whilst he owned Harrods.

 

I've never been into the Hautboy but last time I passed by it, a few years ago, it was all boarded up and looking very sad.  I believe it has since been converted into flats.