FEATURE : PARTING SHOT
We remember …
In recent times , the sport has lost Geoff Deacon , Frank Williams and Stephen Curtis
We were very sorry to learn of the passing of Geoff Deacon , one of the Club ’ s scrutineering team . Nigel Edwards said : “ Geoff ( never Geoffrey ) generously spent much time with me when I was a raw trainee , taking me under his wing and I still use his thorough inspection routine to this day . He had some very amusing idiosyncratic ways , which will be remembered fondly by all his scrutineering colleagues , along with his ability to take a joke at his expense . Sadly , we saw little of him over the last few years , due to his failing health .”
In late November the sport lost one of biggest names , Frank Williams . From being a hope but penniless racer to the creator of one of the best teams in F1 history , Williams led an incredible life and left a huge mark on many . Stories of how Frank wheeled and dealed in his formative years are the stuff of legend and his determination and tenacity took him to the top of the sport . Later , catastrophic injuries sustained in a road accident failed to slow him down very much . The legacy of his achievements and his remarkable character will live on in the sport .
We are indebted to David Morris and Annie Curtis for this appreciation of the life of Stephen Curtis , who was one of the prime links back to the inaugural Griffiths Formula race at Castle Combe back in 1966 . He died in the summer aged 81 , having continued to race until his final years .
“ Stephen first set eyes on a ‘ proper ’ car when Martin Morris , who also worked for Ambrosia , arrived at a factory cricket match in his Le Mans Rep Frazer Nash . Thus was Stephen introduced to the VSCC , Anthony Blight ( Martin ’ s solicitor ) and the Chain Gang . Stephen soon decided he needed a car of his own and on advice from Martin , bought a Falcon Frazer Nash . It turned out that the ‘ advice ’ arose because Martin had never had a chain Nash and wanted to see what it was like !
Stephen Curtis enjoying his Frazer Nash
“ Over the years Stephen owned a superb selection of cars including : four Chain Gang Nashes , two Post War Nashes , Cooper Bristols ( single seater and sports cars ), various rear-engined Coopers from 500 up to a V8 Buick Cooper Monaco , MG Special , Dixon Riley , Brooklands Riley , Ferrari Dino , Bugatti , the ex-Phil Scragg HWM Jaguar , D Type Jaguar , and more recently an XK120 .
“ In his retirement Stephen did not put his feet up but went motor racing more . He raced all over the world in his own and borrowed machines ; Le Mans ( C Type , Talbots , Le Mans Replica Nash and MG K3 ), Monaco ( HWM and Le Mans Replica ), Laguna Seca in the US , ( 4CL Maserati and ERA R2A ), Phillip Island in Australia , ( ERA R11B , HWM and Le Mans Rep ) and Goodwood ( Talbot BGH 22 HWM and Le Mans Rep ) as well as VSCC meetings in the UK . Stephen was equally generous in sharing his cars and Paddins Dowling , James Wood , Flavien Marçais and David Morris were all extremely privileged to be entrusted with them on many occasions whether it was sharing the drive with him or being allowed to wear them out on his behalf .
“ Stephen enjoyed an extremely long competition career , competing well into his late 70s . One of his proudest moments was winning the 1500cc class at Wiscombe Hill Climb in R10B , which was a tribute meeting to his dear friend Martin Morris . He also put in many hours testing cars on behalf of David Morris , driving ERA R11B , ERA R5B ‘ Remus ’, ERA R10B , Maserati 4CLs , Birdcage Maserati and MGK3 .
“ Stephen - Stevo - passed away after a short battle with cancer . He was an example to us all ; he loved life and lived it to the full – he was generous , kind , charming , an English gentleman .”
Part of the Frank Williams legacy
74