From the Archive: Drifting into 1950’s Goodwood and the Sussex Trophy
The breadth of the Berrybrook Archive is one which we take pride in. From a wide-ranging stack of motoring literature, to a vast array of 1980s brochures, the collection is a rich consortium of motoring memoribilia. Perhaps this is no better demonstrated than by a series of photographic prints made by an amateur photographer in the 1950s. The photographs in question were captured at the iconic Goodwood World Championship and Formula 1 races, upon which today’s celebrated Revival is based.
Motor racing in the 1950s saw the likes of Roy Salvadori, Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks, and Mike Hawthorn, amongst others, sporting a fresh breed of legendary motor cars around the 2.4 mile track. The photographs shown here depict snapshots of multiples race, probably between 1956 and 1960. The unknown photographer has labelled one photograph the ‘Sussex Trophy Cup 1500cc’ which has been helpful in reaching this estimate, and using the drivers and their numbers it is possible to pin down the races to at least the latter half of that decade. A rare photograph of Bluebird CN7 (see final photo), possibly shown here on its first outing and test-run at Goodwood, also points to a slightly later date of 1960.
Emerging from war-torn Europe, the re-awakening of grand prix racing in the 1950s was truly a revival, particularly following the opening of tracks such as Goodwood in West Sussex. And, in many respects, the photographs depict some of the most important cars in Formula 1 history driven by some of the greatest names in motoring. We are therefore privileged to be able to care for, and share here, some interesting moments from this seminal period in the sports history.
Figure 1: The start of the Sussex Trophy Cup. N/E(?) 1500cc US/C.
Figure 2: A herd of Formula 1 cars race down the opening straight, including Stirling Moss, Tony Brooks, and Roy Salvadori in their Vanwalls.
Figure 3: A well-timed photograph of hot-shoe, Reg Parnell, in an Aston Martin DB-3S. Reg retired from racing in 1957.
Figure 4: Al Makst(?) in a Cooper Climax, built by the Cooper Car Company (the namesake later becoming part of the Cooper versions of the Mini production line).
Figure 5: Stirling Moss, “the greatest driver never to win the World Championship”, seen here in No. 7, a Vanwall.
Figure 6: The Hawthorn/ Chapman Collision. An article in ‘Motorsport’ dated 1956 speaks of a ‘Hawthorn/Chapman dice’ which ended when Hawthorn’s ‘Lotus slid sideways on and to avoid ramming it Hawthorn put his Lotus sideways, the two cars meeting as they came to rest across the course.’ Hawthorn’s bad luck persisted when Lotus’ car body started rubbing on its tyre, leading to a pit-stop and Chapman’s eventual record-breaking win.
Figure 7: An intrepid cine-photograph joins Reg Parnell in his Aston Martin DB-3S to capture first-hand the daring moments of the Grand Prix.
Figure 8: B. Holt in a British Connaught, appearing similar to the 1955 Type B held at the National Motor Museum (see here). A Bill Holt is recorded as driving a Connaught during the 1955 Formula 1, III Glover Trophy at Goodwood, again, making it difficult to pin down the year of the print series.
Figure 9: Stuart Lewis-Evans driving the unpainted ‘Toothpaste-tube’ Connaught B-Alta. Lewis-Evans drove this intriguing car to victory in the 1957 Glover Trophy (see more here).
Figure 10: One of Europe’s premier post-war racers, Duncan Hamilton in a D-Type Jaguar fitted with two-way radio to pits.
Figure 11: Stirling Moss and Tony Brooks racing past crowds in Vanwalls.
Figure 12: Roy Salvaldori in Aston Martin DBR1/1, eventually finishing in second place during the Sussex Trophy in 1957.
Figure 13: C. Davis(?) in No.25 a 2-litre Lotus Bristol MK X.
Figure 14: A George Emery and son, ‘Emeryson’, probably raced here in the Formula 2 category.
Figure 15: Maurice Charles in No. 81, a D-Type Jaguar.
Figure 16: Stuart G. Young in a 1 1/2-litre Par-Son MG sports-racing car.
Figure 17: Could this be Bluebird CN7 being demonstrated by Campbell on its initial public launch at Goodwood in 1960?
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