260 replies to this topic

[10kDA]

I don't see that as crass at all, not least because female same-sex relationships were never illegal under English law. It was, according to a 1930s Lord Chancellor, 'a vice that was, in his judgement, exceedingly rare' since 'of every thousand women, taken as a whole, 999 have never even heard a whisper of these practices.’ Not sure where he got those numbers from, but 'tennis at Eastbourne' would have been just as obvious as 'confirmed bachelor' to the more savvy reader of an obituary or other profile while simultaneously meaning nothing to the uninitiated.

 

https://rebeccajanem...in-4ea1b7732b0d

OK, I was not familiar with the context.

[Odseybod]

It always puzzled me (purely for observational reasons, of course) that in my last full-time job, which was with a large magazine publishers in Peterborough, several of my colleagues and acquaintances freely admitted to more or less having a season ticket for the tennis at Eastbourne, yet I don't recall any confirmed bachelors, either sduspected or admitted. Something to do with the work ethic there, perhaps?

[BRG]

I don't see that as crass at all, not least because female same-sex relationships were never illegal under English law. It was, according to a 1930s Lord Chancellor, 'a vice that was, in his judgement, exceedingly rare' since 'of every thousand women, taken as a whole, 999 have never even heard a whisper of these practices.’ Not sure where he got those numbers from,

Maybe he was channelling Queen Victoria who - at least apocryphally - didn't believe in female same-sex relationships so that they were omitted from the legislation outlawing homosexuality.

[FLB]

I assume the 'bachelor' label was a rather crass nod to Mike's orientation ? God's sake , we didn't see Hunt termed a ' Surrey bachelor ' ... 

Alan Henry used the phrase 'This confirmed bachelor...' in Mike Beuttler's entry for his book Formula One: Driver by Driver. Not being British like Henry (and assuming it must be an idiom), I thought it was a strange way of describing someone.
 

[Nemo1965]

This is very interesting... I have to say that I think the most logical explanation for the strange derision of Beuttler is, indeed, his homosexuality. But.. but... 

 

I remember that (strange how stuff pops up) when Huub Rothengatter popped up in F1, several English F1-journo's use the little sentence: 'Rothengatter, who is reputed to have rich friends...'

 

That peeved me, back then. Yes, I knew that Huub was not going to set the world of F1 on fire. But I thought one had to admire his tenacity (he had broken his back, halfway his racing career). So why this covert way to diminish his presence in F1?

 

So my question is: could the derision also be explained by plain hate for the 'perceived paydrivers'?

[2F-001]

I recall, in the mid 1980s, seeing Dominique Delestre - who hailed from Nancy, in France - repeatedly referred to in the press as Nancy-boy Dominique Delestre... I never knew whether this was some cheap and silly joke based on word play (that the writer presumably thought was clever) or a cheap insult based on someone's belief or perception of the driver's orientation.  

[john winfield]

I recall, in the mid 1980s, seeing Dominique Delestre - who hailed from Nancy, in France - repeatedly referred to in the press as Nancy-boy Dominique Delestre... I never knew whether this was some cheap and silly joke based on word play (that the writer presumably thought was clever) or a cheap insult based on someone's belief or perception of the driver's orientation.  

 

Tony, that must be at least the third time you've posted that terrible joke!  (It's an age thing, I know......). I was at college with Dominique in Reims, and knew him a little; he liked a joke and I think he'd find it funny. However many times it was told!  

[2F-001]

I must confess, John, that during lockdown my memory - or at least my power of recall - has suffered markedly. I really have no recollection of raising that matter before! I'm glad though that he would not have been offended by it; I didn't know if the expression would be understood by a non-native English speaker.

 

So... apologies if I've told this before too:

I was at Silverstone for that wet F3000 race, sitting high in the startline stand, above the clouds of spray and looked on in horror as Thierry Tassin coasted along, on line, engine dead, belts undone, seemingly trying to get up out of the seat... when Dominique arrived, full chat and unsighted...

Edited by 2F-001, 01 March 2021 - 12:06.

[Odseybod]

OK then, I'll ask ... Was he rear-ended?

[john winfield]

OK then, I'll ask ... Was he rear-ended?

 

Ho, ho, Tony. What does it matter? He was/is a nice guy. I kick myself for not realising that he'd had a bad smash back in 1985 (?) as I could have visited him in Northampton hospital. Here's a post of mine from back in 2008.

 

Slightly OT but it might be of interest. Do you remember Dominique Delestre who raced F3000, had the big shunt at Silverstone and then managed Apomatox / the Prost junior team? He makes 1:6 replicas now and they look rather good;
http://www.fcmodelca...mula_1-news.php

A long time ago I was at the same French Business School as DD in Reims. He was a couple of years ahead and helped with candidate selection on the day that I turned up for interview ( in Ponders End unfortunately, not very exotic....). When asked what we knew about Reims, I think I was the only candidate who, in terrible french, mentioned the old Grand Prix circuit - he put a big tick against my name and told his colleague that I must be given a place!

He may not have been the quickest of F3000 drivers but he was certainly brave. Each year at college we used to have a huge night-time barbecue (mechoui?) at one of the old WW1 forts outside Reims. One year a guy, wandering about in the darkness, above the cave cut into the hill, tumbled down the 'chimney' directly above the barbecue. DD, on cooking duties, tried to catch him as he fell and ended up in hospital with various injuries. Sadly, despite DD's efforts, the other guy died.

[2F-001]

Oh yes... it was a "biggie" as my Dad used to say. I think they both came away with broken arms - though it could have been an awful lot worse.

The race had already been restarted once and was only twenty or so laps in and I don't think it was restarted (again, memory might be faulty!).