70 replies to this topic

[humphries]

Can I pick the collective brain?

One task I am continually battling to complete is to find out the full names of the less well-known drivers prior to WW2.

Of these, many were Bugatti drivers. These lesser lights came from a variety of backgrounds. Many were dilettantes of the first order; some from the aristocracy, some from the ranks of the nouveau riche and others, unashamedly, playboys or toyboys. Quite simply an off-the-peg Bugatti racing car was acquired and away they went. Most soon realised that it was a little more difficult than it looked and a damned sight more dangerous. They then move on to other activities in which to dabble.

Other drivers were more serious if not particularly talented. Garage owners, or their sons or a trusted employee sometimes embarked upon a racing programme for publicity purposes. Also a few, relatively humble folk, rose to the challenge of being a full-time racing driver and failed. Usually they ran out of money or hurt themselves. Some were happy to plug along in a seat better than those provided in the grandstand.

Hopefully some of the drivers on my list are known to a TNFer because they have seen their full name as the winner of some obscure hillclimb or sprint. Perhaps some were members of a prominent family in a TNFer locality. Perhaps some became brighter lights in other sports or occupations of which a TNFer is knowledgeable. For TNF Bugatti chassis beavers this, possibly, is a piece of cake. Any help would be appreciated.

L.Lancaster.......Raced the ex-Bertie Marshall Brescia in 1923

Mamloux...... This driver appeared in the 1924 Coupe de L'Automobile at Montlhery when the circuit was inaugurated. I have an inkling he drove Ballots previously.

Ferry........Drove Bugattis in 1925/1926. Any relation to the man who built Ferry racing cars in the 1950s?

G.Blackstock.....Raced at Brooklands and was included in the official Bugatti team for the 1924 JCC "200" , although as the was common in those days the team entrant was an individual, J.O'Day..... who raced a Bugatti the previous year.

Foucher, Fouchet or Fauchet....Appeared in Spain as well as France between 1924-1926.

Dufour.....A Salmson driver who went on to race Bugattis 1925-1927 or two different people?

Minciotti.......Came 2nd in the 1925 Coppa Acerbo and 4th at Mugello.

B.de Vitis.....A Targa Florio regular who was in a Bugatti in 1926.

A.Eysserman....Raced in North African events.

Ivernel......or should that be "Ivernel"?

Deloron and Lasnier....The latter headed Chiron at Reims 1926 for a while.

Laval..........No relation to the famous or notorious one?

F.Taylor.....Active at Southport Sands 1926-1928.

Pecoraro and Astarita.....Italians active in 1926.

C.W.Johnstone......who raced a Bugatti at Brooklands 1926/1927.

Santoleri......who raced a Chiribiri before his Bugatti.

R.V.Fontes.....1927-1929; a relation of young Luis Fontes?

Ge or Gejean or Jean Ge......raced in 1928. Shades of Max Jean, Jean Max!

Arrivabene.......or possibly "Arrivabene"!

Velitchkovitch.......Tomas?

Torres......San Sebastien 1928

Parker.......did well in sprints. French or English ex-pat?

Madame Depret.........or Despret.

Lemoine........Reims 1928. Was he an aviator?

G.Lane-Jones......1928/1929 British

J.D.Jeavons or Jevons....1929 British

R.C.Stewart.....Brooklands 1929. Ronald?

J.R.Jeffress.....who raced an Alfa as well as a Bug.

R.G.Maurice....1929..British

F.E.Roberts.....1929..British

Jones....who raced a car belonging to a Miss Bird, 1920s. Of the Custard family like Christopher.

Grimaldi........surely one of the Grimaldis of Monaco.

le Gall.......Dijon 1929.......le Foll..... Dieppe 1929......A case of a reporter's poor handwriting?

J.A.Welch...used a Bugatti 37 1929/30.

Avon.......BNC driver then Bugatti 1929-1930.

Bychawski or Bichowsky or any other permutation!

Caisson or "Caisson"

A.N.Spottiswoode.....Any connection with the book publishers Eyre & Spottiswoode?

I.S.Pollock......Brooklands 1930

Delommez.....who plugged away between 1930-1932.

Avattaneo......with the big boys at Monza 1930

J.Walker.....who campaigned his Bugatti up North 1930-1934

A.S.Llewellyn...who raced in the 1931 Brooklands "500"

Bilotti.......who raced a Delage V12 in 1931. Was he the same guy who raced a Bugatti earlier with the spelling Belotti?

Toia......This name appears at the Targa over many years. All members of the same Sicilian family?

Fassi, Fleccia, Pao.....All at Casablanca 1931.

Borgait......who shared the Grimaldi Bugatti in the 1931 French GP.

L.Abit......1931

Cousinie....raced his Bugatti regularly from 1931-1933.

Ansellin, Rougeyron, de Bejarry......La Baule 1931. The French equivalent of "Who's Who" would be most useful. Club membership ( ACF ) would no doubt be mentioned.

V.Stasny or Josef Stasny......Brno 1931

C.T.Rhodes......1932.......S.Rhodes.......1933.......same or different Rhodes.

Dominici and "Chiqito".....Casablanca 1932

Bernasconi.........La Baule 1932 and with the big boys at Monza 1932.

Leygonie.......entered by Mme Marguerite Mareuse at Dieppe 1932. Was this the same driver who shared an OSCA with Lance Macklin at Le Mans, 1954?

"Mistral" and "Moulin"........Surely pseudonyms (?), at Nice 1932 and elsewhere in Provence.

A.Ducouret................1932/33

"Angelo"...... Ecurie Friederich, Marseilles 1933.

Porter......1934, French or English ex-pat?

Eonnet or Bonnet......A "good friend" of "Helle-Nice".

Rolland.........1934, Albi. Father of the great Jean Rolland?

Blondiaux.......1934 regular.

A.Renaldi ......Montlhery (MCF) 1934. The Ferrari driver Jean Renaldi of the early 1950s?

and finally.......J.W.Reus......racing a Bugatti 51 in the 1936 Grosser Preis von Deutschland at the mighty Nurburgring, racing against Auto-Union and Mercedes-Benz and Nuvolari. Just how did this Dutchman get an entry? Was it to make the field more "international" or did he have some political clout?

If anyone can shed any light on the above I would be pleased to hear.

John

[paulhooft]

about reus..
I have heard he was dutch, but rumour has it,
that he had some sympathy for the regime,
may be that is why he was given a starting place,
a Bugatti type 51 was almost antique by 1936
Paul

[anjakub]

Jan Bychawski see: http://forums.atlasf...light=bychawski

[David McKinney]

I can probably help with some of those when I have more time at my disposal, John.
In the meantime, wasn't it R U Fontes? I'm sure I've seen both, but came down in favour of the 'U' over the 'V'

[Hans Etzrodt]

Originally posted by humphries
Can I pick the collective brain?
A.Eysserman....Raced in North African events...

Eysermann, Francois from Tunisia

[Vitesse2]

Thought I could help on Reus ... he's in a caption in Eberhard Reuss' German GP book.

Unfortunately he's just described as "Mijnheer Reus"!

More seriously, some of these (and more - not all Bugatti men) are ones I'm looking for too as they ran in Voiturette races in the 30s: thanks for Madame Mareuse's prénom BTW!

I've always assumed "Ivernel" was a nom de course and I'd guess "Mistral" is as well - IIRC he only raced in the south of France - but don't be too sure about Moulin, John: one of the greatest heroes of the French Resistance was one Jean Moulin. I don't think he ever raced cars though and I'm unsure whether he was a sheep or a windmill .....

I've never seen an initial for Abit either: might he perhaps be l'Abit rather than L Abit?

[Hans Etzrodt]

Foucher, Fouchet or Fauchet....Appeared in Spain as well as France between 1924-1926.
Fouchet at 1925 Spanish GP (source: Angel Elberdin)


Dufour.....A Salmson driver who went on to race Bugattis 1925-1927 or two different people?
Maurice Dufour (Bugatti T13 1.5-liter) won the 1921, Mar 12 Mont Agel hill climb.


Minciotti.......Came 2nd in the 1925 Coppa Acerbo and 4th at Mugello.
Minciotti (2-liter Bugatti)


A.Eysserman....Raced in North African events.
Francois Eysermann from Tunisia won the 1926 Tripoli GP (source: Valerio Moretti).


Ivernel......or should that be "Ivernel"?
Ivernel (2-liter Bugatti)


Velitchkovitch.......Tomas?
T. Velickovic (Bugatti T35B) won the 1930, Feb 1 Mont des Mules hill climb


Torres......San Sebastien 1928
Francisco Torres (source: Angel Elberdin)


V.Stasny or Josef Stasny......Brno 1931
Josef Štastny; from Prague with reserve driver Vlad. [Vladimir?] Štastny; (Bugatti)


…J.W.Reus......racing a Bugatti 51 in the 1936 Grosser Preis von Deutschland…
J. W. Rens also appears as J.W. Reus

[alessandro silva]

Vittorio Astarita winner of the Sorrento-S. Agata hillclimb in a Chrysler on 20/5/1928, 2nd Tripoli GP, behind Eysermann, 2/5/1926, winner of 500 m. flying start Naples 7/3/1926. Surname from a noble Sicilian family

Giuseppe Pecoraro, 3rd in the Spoleto-Forca di Cerro hill climb, Bugatti T37.

Arrivabene without “-“.

More to follow

[humphries]

Well, the ball has got rolling. Thanks. That's Astarita, Pecoraro, Dufour, Eysserman, Torres, two (?) Stasny and Bychawski initially logged unless queried.

An aside - in the 1960s-1970s there was a Jack Maurice hill-climbing and sprinting some expensive cars and I was wondering if he was a relative of R.G.Maurice.

Again thanks.

John

[Jimmy Piget]

Hi friends,
I'm back after a very large gap, due to private life disaster which made me down under my knees.
Now that I realize that i did not sank, I can go back to my mainb fun : motor racing history...

[QUOTE]Originally posted by humphries
Can I pick the collective brain? (...)

L.Lancaster.......Raced the ex-Bertie Marshall Brescia in 1923[/QUOTE]

He was too a motorbiker.

[QUOTE] Mamloux...... This driver appeared in the 1924 Coupe de L'Automobile at Montlhery when the circuit was inaugurated. I have an inkling he drove Ballots previously.[/QUOTE]

This is the spelling used in the Black Books. I yet informed Paul that it is to be spelled "Mamlouk" (after the "mamluk" people who were the local bonapartist servants in Egypt in the first years of the XVIIIth Century) and that obviously was a pseudonym.

[QUOTE] Ferry........Drove Bugattis in 1925/1926. Any relation to the man who built Ferry racing cars in the 1950s?[/QUOTE]

Probably not.
And was not much first-named "Jules" (as I have seen written here & there) — this was the name of the political man which created the mandatory school in France.
Do you know, incidentally, that Jean Ferry (the car maker & Renault engine tuner) was the father of French minister & philosoph Luc ?

[QUOTE] A.Eysserman....Raced in North African events.[/QUOTE]

As yet told, François Eysermann was living in Tunisia. After the independance of this country (1956) he went on to finish his life in Marseille, still in the garage business, and died circa 1973.

[QUOTE] Lasnier....The latter headed Chiron at Reims 1926 for a while.[/QUOTE]

He was a mechanic.

[QUOTE] Laval..........No relation to the famous or notorious one?[/QUOTE]

Definitely no.

[QUOTE] C.W.Johnstone......who raced a Bugatti at Brooklands 1926/1927.[/QUOTE]

Charles Johnstone, nicknamed "Paddy", also a motorbiker, was from St Johns Wood, in the UK.

[QUOTE] Velitchkovitch.......Tomas?[/QUOTE]

Was a Jugoslavian count. The spelling here is the French one, in sSrbo-croatian it is likely Velictovic.

[QUOTE] Torres......San Sebastien 1928[/QUOTE]

Francisco Torres.

[QUOTE] Madame Depret.........or Despret.[/QUOTE]

Either "Desprez" ??? Her first name was Marie.

[QUOTE] Lemoine........Reims 1928. Was he an aviator?[/QUOTE]

Yes, the altitude world-recorder Gustave Lemoine.

[QUOTE] Grimaldi........surely one of the Grimaldis of Monaco.[/QUOTE]

Not quite. He was Prince Enzo Grimaldi, from Catania in Sicily.

[QUOTE] le Gall.......Dijon 1929.......le Foll..... Dieppe 1929......A case of a reporter's poor handwriting?[/QUOTE]

Both these names are very spread family names in Brittany (I mean : the French province of Bretagne).
They need to be spelled with a capital L, and, hence, to be alphabetically ranged at the L letter.

[QUOTE] Bychawski or Bichowsky or any other permutation![/QUOTE]

Jan Bychawski or Bichawski, was a scientist of Poland.

[QUOTE] Toia......This name appears at the Targa over many years. All members of the same Sicilian family?[/QUOTE]

Franco Toia in 1931.

[QUOTE] Borgait......who shared the Grimaldi Bugatti in the 1931 French GP.[/QUOTE]

Or perhaps Borgati ? Borgatta ?

[QUOTE] L.Abit......1931[/QUOTE]

Louis Abit

[QUOTE] Rougeyron......La Baule 1931. The French equivalent of "Who's Who" would be most useful. Club membership ( ACF ) would no doubt be mentioned.[/QUOTE]

André Rougeyron, born Domfront (Orne) 22 September 1899, died in a road accident at La Ferté-Macé (Orne) 29 December 1967. He was also an air fighter, a car engineer, a race official, a Resistant and, later, the mayor of Domfront. As a race marshall, he was hurt by a crashing car in the 1958 GP de Caen and lost one leg as a consequence.

[QUOTE] Bernasconi.........La Baule 1932 and with the big boys at Monza 1932.[/QUOTE]

Italian-born, French naturalized. He can be first-named Ricardo or Richard, according to either of his nationalities.

[QUOTE] "Moulin"........Surely pseudonyms (?), at Nice 1932 and elsewhere in Provence.[/QUOTE]

Unlikely, as Moulin is a very common family name in France. However, definitely not the great resistant Jean Moulin.

[QUOTE] Rolland.........1934, Albi. Father of the great Jean Rolland?[/QUOTE]
He was a motorbiker who died in a 2-wheel race accident at Carcassonne, circa 1934. He was perhaps first-named Jules, but was unlikely a relative of "our" Jean.

[QUOTE] Blondiaux.......1934 regular.[/QUOTE]

Robert Blondiaux.

[QUOTE] A.Renaldi ......Montlhery (MCF) 1934. The Ferrari driver Jean Renaldi of the early 1950s?[/QUOTE]

This was the pseudonym of André Carré who was involved in the Talbot-Lago sage after WWII. He raced as "Jean Rénaldi" and died circa 1992.

Jimmy

[anjakub]

Jimmy,
Welcome to TNF, again, in our second home.

[alessandro silva]

Antonio Arrivabene from Milan 1st 1500class GP Monza 26/6/1927 Bugatti T37, 52nd MM 1927 (Fiat 501) in 33 hours!

Addendum, Pecoraro, probably from Perugia. Luigi Fagioli’s co-driver in the 1929 MM (Salmson DNF). 34th in the 1930MM (OM, with Silvio Felicioni)

more to follow

[humphries]

Jimmy

Many thanks. You had been noticed by your absence. Good to have you back on board.

One query. Is the Enzo Grimaldi likely to be a relative of the Enrico Grimaldi who raced up the hills for Scuderia Etna in more recent times?

Some detective work required on "Mamluk". He was going well in the inaugural race at Montlhery before two punctures so he may have been a works driver but which one. Why on earth would he want to use that name? Although, I believe they, the Mamelukes in English, had a fearsome reputation as fighters.

Alessandro....also many thanks.

I have found a 1924 Ansaldo driver called Gino Minciotti who may be the Bugatti driver of the following year. Can you confirm?

Just for interest's sake does Arrivabene translate into English?

John

[Hans Etzrodt]

Jimmy - nice to see you back at TNF. We were missing your expertise contributions.

[alessandro silva]

Grimaldi is a common surname in Sicily.

Yes, Gino Manciotti or Minciotti, I do not know which one.

Arrivabene means "One who comes well", rather common in Milan.

I have problems with Santoleri. I know I have something about him, but I cannot find it anymore.

[Jimmy Piget]

Originally posted by humphries
Jimmy

Many thanks. You had been noticed by your absence. Good to have you back on board.

Some detective work required on "Mamluk". He was going well in the inaugural race at Montlhery before two punctures so he may have been a works driver but which one. Why on earth would he want to use that name? Although, I believe they, the Mamelukes in English, had a fearsome reputation as fighters.
John

Thanks, John.
(& also to Hans & Andrzej)

It seems that there was a sort of fashion on pseudonyms in France in the '1920s, when they were obscure mechanics or works test-drivers. Remember this Montlhéry race for cyclecars with "Annibal" and "Asdrubal" running on "Amilcar"...
I'm afraid Philip Marlowe can't be of use for us : there obviously is NO Montlhéry archives, and the ACF once answered me that they never kept a listing of their licences, with biographical information...
But, who knows, some day, someone will send a photograph to such a magazine as "La Vie de l'Auto", mentionning "the driver 'Mamluk' was my grand-father"...

[john medley]

A warm welcome back, Jimmy P. You have been missed

[David McKinney]

A few comments - I can’t contribute as much as I thought at first glance, though I have been beaten to a few by faster fingers:up:

First, I think it was R V Fontes after all. Known as Dick
The following are not very definite, but might steer research in the right directions:

Borgait or Bourgait?
Cousinie or Cousinée?
Delommez or Delomez?
Madame Depret or Despret. I also have a Desprez and a Mme Desprez - all one person?
Bonnet - one of these drove a Chenard-Walcker at Mt Ventoux 1929
le Foll - I have references to C le Fol and le Foli
Gé raced Chimay 1933
Jones Same as Lane-Jones?
George Lane-Jones
I.S.Pollock or Pollack?
Porter - described as French when he raced in Belgium 1934
Rolland - I have the Bugatti driver’s name as Jean
F.Taylor F B Taylor raced the ex-Mays Brescia 1925 and later
J.Walker - same as H J Walker (who raced a Bugatti in the north 1935-36)? And/or Lind-Walker (1939 Bugatti driver)?

[humphries]

David et al

R.V.Fontes. According to a Southport 100 programme he came from Altincham. I would be interested to know where the reckless Luis Fontes lived. As Fontes is a very uncommon name in the UK I am assuming it is Portuguese or Spanish. Presumably he was Ricardo?

The Jones driving Miss E. Bird's Bugatti was J.W.Jones. Miss Bird was from Knowle. In the same programme was G.Lane-Jones who came from Timperley.

According to my limited records Le Gall and Le Foll both only raced in 1929. Both raced a Bugatti, a 37A. In most reports it is Le Foll but in a couple it is Le Gall. Never, although racing in the same regions, did they compete against each other. I strongly suspect that they were one and the same. If the race entry form was filled out by hand, a flowery capital F or G plus the following letter could easily have been transcribed by the programme compiler as either Le Foll or Le Gall. My own handwriting scrawl takes some deciphering.

Jimmy

Enzo Grimaldi. Although he was a Sicilian I cannot find reports of him racing in Italy. Did he live in France? According to my incomplete records he only entered ( many dna's ) and raced in events in France and in North Africa.

John

[David McKinney]

Luis Fontes did his early racing at Southport, which was also an R V haunt.
Luis was of Portuguese extrraction, though whether related to R V or not I do not know

[ry6]

What about Mario Mazzacuratti who won the 1936 South African GP?

He owned a number of Bugs and one was very special - an ex-Nuvolari car that I think
had been made into a single seater and had an aeroplane badge above the radiator grill.

[anjakub]

And what about others not much known Bugatti drivers: George (Georges) Nadu from Romania and Ernst Simmons from Luxemburg?

[humphries]

Anjakub and Richard

Only too true that there are dozens of Bugatti drivers it would be nice to know more about but this thread was started simply to establish a first name. That we get snippets of additional information is a bonus that makes TNF special.

Mazzacurati is an interesting character and his version of his racing activities and connections in Europe need confirming. Ernst Simmons of Luxembourg?

John

[Vitesse2]

I'd like to see a definitive spelling and nationality for "Mario", as I believe he usually raced under that nom de course: in some sources he's Mazzacurati, in others Massacurati. I understand he took out South African citizenship some years after leaving Italy: did he perhaps change the spelling then?

[Marcor]

Le Foll: he droved a Sport 1500 cc Bugatti (Bugatti T37A ?) in 1929 in some French hillclimb. Nothing about him after or before 1929...

24 March, Argenteuil: 1st Sport 1500 cc (car not indicated as he was entered as an independant)
1 April, Saint-Lô: 1st Sport 1500 cc, Bugatti
28 April, Champillon, 1st Sport 1500 cc, Bugatti
12 May, Les 17 Tournants, 1st Sport 15000 cc (see Argenteuil)
26 May, Fontainebleau (La Béhourdière), 1st Sport 1500 cc, Bugatti

+ 7 July, GP de Dieppe, 13th, Bugatti T37A

Le Gall: I have him in the 1929 Bourgogne GP, driving the Bugatti T37A 37367A, 1106-EK, but I don't remember my source.

[m.tanney]

Originally posted by humphries
I.S.Pollock......Brooklands 1930

When I saw this, I wondered if it might be Con Pollock, who raced an ERA in the late 1930s. Although the index of Boddy's History of Brooklands generally gives either a first name or initiials, in this case it only gives the last name. "Pollock" appears seven times in Boddy's book. The first entry has him racing a Lea-Francis in 1930. He is also listed as driving a Bugatti in the BRDC 500 Miles that year, hence his presence in this thread. The later references have "Pollock" driving an ERA in 1938 and 1938. They obviously refer to the man we know as "Con" Pollock. If "Con" was a nickname, it might explain Boddy's omission of a first name or initials. He may not have known the man's real name.
While looking for something else, I did a search for Pollock on the Commonwealth Wars Graves Commission's website. It shows an Ivor Stirling Pollock who died in 1940 (his name is on the Dunkirk Memorial) at age 26. Could this be our man? Would a 16 or 17 year old have been allowed to race at Brooklands in 1930? Does anyone have any information about Con Pollock - who he was, where he came from, etc?

Mike

[David McKinney]

It's a fairly big gap between 1930 and 1938.....
The ERA driver was A C Pollock, and IIRC was of the Irish persuasion

[ry6]

Marios's name was originally spelled with zz'ds but I understand he changed it to the "softer" ss as it was more "upmarket".
Perhaps our Italian members can explain.

He lived in South Africa "on and off" from about 1934 to after WW2. Then he seems to have returned to Italy for a spell. He was then seen in South Africa in the early 60's driving Maserati road cars - some sources say he was a Maserati agent.

John H - I have seen referrals to his European racing record prior to his arrival in South Africa and I have not been able to corraborate some of the successes the old race programs claim.

He was a flamboyant character and a most capable driver but I suspect some of these "claims" were "embellished".

[Mischa Bijenhof]

Lets not forget Dutchman John van Hulzen, who was appointed as Bugatti's official testdriver in the late twenties. His racing was limited to some dirttrack-races due to lack of funds. His only major race was the 1930 Spanish Grand Prix, which saw Van Hulzen end up in hospital after a big crash. (source: Hans van der Klis, Dwars door de Tarzanbocht )

[Hans Etzrodt]

Originally posted by Mischa Bijenhof
Lets not forget Dutchman John van Hulzen, ...
His only major race was the 1930 Spanish Grand Prix, which saw Van Hulzen end up in hospital after a big crash...

The eighth Grand Prix of San Sebastian on July 25, 1930 and the planned Spanish Grand Prix for sports cars on July 27 were both canceled due to the bad economic situation following the Wall Street crash in October 1929. The A.I.A.C.R. granted permission to the Royal Spanish Automobile Club to hold the eighth Grand Prix of San Sebastian, the largest Spanish auto race in 1930, on the famous Lasarte circuit near San Sebastian on October 5, 1930.

Contemporary magazines like MOTOR UND SPORT, A-Z Motorwelt and AUTOMOBIL-REVUE as well as books by Erwin Tragatsch, Georgano and Orsini/Zagari refer to this race as the Grand Prix of San Sebastian. Therefore this race cannot be adopted as the Spanish Grand Prix as it is referred to in many publications after WW II.

John van Hulzen received a serious head injury when his Bugatti T35 overturned and caught fire on lap 16 of this 30-lap Grand Prix of San Sebastian.

[David McKinney]

In spite of Mischa's claim, von Hulzen did contest other road races, eg the Dieppe GP in 1929 and 1930, in which he was sixth both times.

[humphries]

Mike

There is a fair chance that your Ivor Stirling Pollock is the Bugatti driver of 1930. As you state the index in Bill Boddy's Brooklands book is confusing. The less said about this index the better.

From my own records a T.S.Pollock raced a Lea Francis at Brooklands entered by Bill Craig on 22/03/1930. At the next meeting (24 May ) a J.S.Pollock drove a Lea Francis entered by himself in one race whilst an I.S.Pollock drove a Lea Francis entered by Craig in an event restricted to novices. On 9 June I.S.Pollock entered and drove a Lea Francis. Bill Craig was using a Bugatti 35B at this meeting and on 4 August the famous "Tim" Birkin replaced Craig for an outing in this potent car. I.S.Pollock was not entered for the August meeting but appeared on 20 Sept now with a Bugatti 37A , and was put on scratch for the Junior Short Handicap. Pollock and Craig ran this car in the "500" (4 Oct) but Pollock retired it with "carburation trouble". A 500-miler at Brooklands was a daunting challenge to anyone.

So it appears that Craig and the Pollock family were friends and T.S, J.S and I.S. may all have been just young I.S. (transcribing discrepancies again) or one of the other initials may have been those of a brother, or Pater.

In 1931 Craig and Pollock raced the blue and white Pollock Bugatti 37A at the first three BARC meetings then the name Pollock apparently disappeared from Brooklands programmes although Craig continued to race the car. Had Pollock joined the Army and gone to Sandhurst?

In 1930 the minimum age limit for a driver's licence was set for the first time but this would not have applied to racing at a private facility like Brooklands. There the attitude would have been; "Got a suitable car, young chappie? Yes, then you are old enough". The famous Tony Rolt, later a celebrated soldier, was very young when he embarked on his racing career.

Do you have a rank and regiment for I.S.Pollock at Dunkirk?

Does anybody have any information on W.Y.Craig?

A.C.Pollock was a different driver, about whose personal details I know very little considering his well-documented E.R.A. racing record. "Con" would suggest that his name was Connor, but that is purely supposition.

Please tell me all this matters!!

John

[David McKinney]

It matters

[lanciaman]

Originally posted by Jimmy Piget


Thanks, John.
(& also to Hans & Andrzej)

Remember this Montlhéry race for cyclecars with "Annibal" and "Asdrubal" running on "Amilcar"...

[Jimmy Piget]

Originally posted by humphries
"Con" would suggest that his name was Connor, but that is purely supposition.

Conroy ?

[lanciaman]

Rene Dreyfus owned a wonderful Midtown Manhattan restaurant in the 50s (?)-80s called Le Chanteclair. He was a charming host and the upscale place had a small, lovely bar with Bugatti ashtrays and Bugatti-shaped water carafes (one of which I wish I'd appropriated). The choice seat was a table by the front window where one could observe the patrons arriving and as this was the hangout of choice for motorheads, racers and beneficiaries of the motoring industry, many familiar faces graced the place. Sardi's was/is the meeting place for the Madison Avenue Chowderheads and the International Motor Press Association, but Le Chanteclair was the place of preference as a watering hole and meal.

Behind the bar was a photo gallery of drivers and it was an honor to have one's photo hanging there. Sometimes brother Maurice was also on hand, but he was more dour than Rene. Food was excellent, prices were high, and a visit was, consequently, special.

Le Chanteclair closed in the 80s and Rene died in 1993, and I have wondered what happened to the excellent collection of memorabilia and photos. In any case, we were fortunate to have Rene and Maurice in their post-racing days as NY restaurateurs.

[humphries]

Jimmy

Conroy is possible, so is Conway but Connor is a far more popular Irish name, but who's to say he was Irish or of Irish origin? The fact is we don't Know. I think every other E.R.A. driver of this period is well-documented. Somebody will know, hopefully.

John

[Vitesse2]

Certainly the name Con Pollock looks and sounds Irish, but I wonder ...

He rates just one mention (as C. Pollock) in Brendan Lynch's "Green Dust", recording his battle with Robert Arbuthnot in the 1938 Phoenix Park Races. He hadn't run at Cork earlier in the year, but I don't think he'd bought Embiricos' ERA at that point. There's no record there of him having worked his way up through what little Irish motor sport there was either.

Phoenix Park 1938 was the last major Irish meeting before the war, so his absence from the country doesn't necessarily prove anything of course.

Perhaps the RIAC Guinness Segrave Library might know more?

[humphries]

Does anybody know if the T.V.G.Selby who raced a Bugatti in the early Thirties was the same Vivien Selby who was involved with the Bristol Le Mans team of the Mid-1950's?

[David McKinney]

The Bugatti driver was indeed Vivian.
I've always presumed they were the same bloke :

[wdm]

Leygonie's first name was Pierre, and you're correct: he WAS Macklin's 1954 co-driver.

He only raced once or twice, then gave up to become race manager for the Mareuse-funded Jean-Pierre Wimille. The pair of them (Leygonie and Wimille) became good friends thereafter: Leygonie was certainly in the pit crew during the two Bugatti Le Mans wins in '37 an '39; he housed Wimille's wife after her very near run-in with the Nazi concentration camps; and it was with Leygonie that Wimille conceived his road-going saloon.

I think I can dig out a photo of him, if that would be helpful to you...

Slainte,

Willie

[Nordic]

On the subject of Bugatti drivers, what do you think of 'The Bugatti Queen: In Search of a Motor-racing Legend' By Miranda Seymour?, I'm reading it at the moment and finding it a good read, if a little heavy going at times.
It contains referances to some of the drivers listed.

[humphries]

Willie

Excellent information. A photo would be appreciated. It is so much more satisfying to have a history of a person, however brief, rather than just a name.

One of my quirks is that I like to be able to put a face to a name. Regularly I thumb through old magazines just to refresh the memory of what a driver, especially the less well-known, looked like.
Often the only pictures you can find is of them wearing a helmet or cloth cap which still does not represent their true likeness. Mind you some people are photogenic, others are not. That's my excuse.

John

[wdm]

John,

A perfectly understandable "quirk"! Personally, I'd love to be able to hear many of the drivers of old speak: the voice gives away much of the character. I know there are some recordings (I have some!), but it annoys me to think of all the recordings of interviews that must be locked away in radio archives somewhere...

Anyway, I digress: here's Pierre Leygonie, in Wimille's pits for the 1946 St Cloud GP...

Willie

[Don Radbruch]

To the "Lesser Lights" who drove Bugattis you can add the name of Jack Brumby. This is going hurt Bugatti lovers but Brumby drove his Bugatti in jalopy races at Southern Ascot Speedway near Los Angeles in 1938. The races were on a track that was part dirt oval and part "off road". The rules specified pre-1928 cars, probably stock but the stripping of fenders and bumpers was permitted. The races were part racing and part comedy as the cars would litterly fall apart as they bounced over the rough course. Jack Brumby drove a stripped down 1926 Bugatti. There is no real record of how the Brumby Bugatti fared in the races but the hot combination was Don Farmer in a '27 Chevy Touring car. I have a couple of photos of the Brumby Bugatti and would be happy to e-mail copies to anybody who is interested. Contact me at radbruch@sandpoint.net

Sorry about this Bugatti Lovers.

Don Radbruch

[Adam F]

John,

Re. Con Pollock, I can now add some details.

Allen Conn Pollock was born in Bierley, near Bradford in 1902, the son of a Huddersfield worsted mill owner.
So he was already 36 when he bought E.R.A. R2A in 1938.

He later took over the running of the family mill in Honley, near Huddersfield.

He died in early 1969

Please tell me all this matters!!

Yes! It does matter.

[humphries]

Cheers, Adam.

Now we need Geoff to sort out the Conn! It is an unusual forename. Unfortunately Conn was a little too late for the 1901 Census.

As TNF has an ever expanding band of followers perhaps some newer members can also provide some enlightening info about the "lesser lights"?

John

[O Volante]

Robert Eonnet
was born 30 April 1912 in Paris, the son of Maurice Eonnet, broker at the Paris stock exchange, and Mlle Alice Dervaux. Assisted his father in his affaires until WWII. Great sportsman, playing tennis and golf, was diving and bobsleighing, plus sking for France. Also a keen amateur racer, most notably with a Bugatti 51 in 1934 (GP Vichy, heat 2, 8th, dnf for final; GP Dieppe, heat 1, 8th, dns in final). Of course this car was paid by his father, on the explicit understanding that his boy would not race it. When Robert won the Saint-Lô hillclimb (1934?), his activities with the 51 became public, and he had to give up racing ... In 1937 Robert got a Bugatti 57S Atalante, and for this ownership a short sketch on his life appeared in the new Laugier book on "Les 57 Sport", containing the info given here. During WWII, Robert served with the French air force. After the war he lived in Morocco; he died in Casablanca 14 March 1946.

[Vitesse2]

Originally posted by Adam F
John,

Re. Con Pollock, I can now add some details.

Allen Conn Pollock was born in Bierley, near Bradford in 1902, the son of a Huddersfield worsted mill owner.
So he was already 36 when he bought E.R.A. R2A in 1938.

He later took over the running of the family mill in Honley, near Huddersfield.

He died in early 1969



Yes! It does matter.

Too right it matters! Thanks Adam - I was beginning to think Pollock would remain a mystery man for ever.

According to The Times "Latest wills" column (May 13th 1969) Allen Conn Pollock was a resident of North Princes Gate, London SW at the time of his death. Can't find a death notice for him in 1968 or 1969 though.

[Vitesse2]

Guilbaud or Guilbaut?

A driver or drivers with this/these surnames was/were a regular entry at Picardy and elsewhere. First name seems to be consistent as Alain, although there's also an Edmond Guilbault at Dieppe in 1935, but he's probably a completely different bloke.

Just to complicate it, Venables claims (Racing 1500s p25) that he was actually a Pierre Guilbaut "who later became famous for his adventures with small boats". A quick Google doen't throw up any sailor of that name as far as I can see - just loads of French-Canadian genealogical references.