Bill Boddy
Encyclopedia
William "Bill" Boddy, MBE
(22 February 1913 – 7 July 2011) was a British journalist who was the editor of Motor Sport
from 1936 to 1991. He contributed regularly to Motor Sport magazine, continuing a career that lasted eighty-one years.
track where he had first gone in 1927. He worked with Brooklands Track & Air for two and half years from 1931. Bill Boddy drove the original HRG
sports car, 1,497 c.c., at the Lewes Speed Trials
on 4 September 1937 with a best time of 27.4 sec, finishing third in the novices class. Boddy entered his Lancia at the Prescott opening rally on 10 April 1938; his 1924 Aston Martin being commended by the judges in the Best Kept Car Competition. He also entered the Lancia 1,352 c.c. at the first Prescott speed hillclimb on 15 May 1938. Sydney Allard
won the last speed event to be held in England prior to World War Two. Having set the fastest time at the Horndean Speed Trials, his car overturned past the finish line. Both he and his passenger, Bill Boddy, were thrown clear and uninjured.
Throughout World War II
he was employed by the Ministry of Aircraft Production at Farnborough
working on Air Publications, but he kept Motor Sport going in his spare time for the duration. After the war, he recruited Denis Jenkinson
for Motor Sport to provide race reports. In February 1946 Motor Sport published a four-page "Obituary" for the Brooklands
circuit, with the headline: "Built at his own expense for the nation's good, by the late Mr. H. F. Locke King - 1906. Betrayed by bureaucracy and declared an industrial area - 1946."
He was awarded an MBE
in 1997. Boddy leaves three daughters and lived alone after the death of his wife, Winifred.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(22 February 1913 – 7 July 2011) was a British journalist who was the editor of Motor Sport
Motor Sport (magazine)
Motor Sport was founded in the UK in 1924 as the Brooklands Gazette, the first edition appearing in July of that year. In August 1925 the title was changed to the all-encompassing "Motor Sport". For most of its history , the editor of the magazine was Bill Boddy.The monthly magazine underwent a...
from 1936 to 1991. He contributed regularly to Motor Sport magazine, continuing a career that lasted eighty-one years.
Career
His first published article, in Motor Sport in 1930, was on the history of the BrooklandsBrooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
track where he had first gone in 1927. He worked with Brooklands Track & Air for two and half years from 1931. Bill Boddy drove the original HRG
HRG Engineering Company
HRG Engineering Company also known as HRG, was a British car manufacturer based in Tolworth, Surrey. Founded in 1936 by Major Edward Halford, Guy Robins and Henry Ronald Godfrey, it took its name from the first letter of their surnames....
sports car, 1,497 c.c., at the Lewes Speed Trials
Lewes Speed Trials
The Lewes Speed Trials were speed trials held on a defunct course in Lewes, Sussex, England, sometimes known as "The Motor Road."-History:The first meeting took place on July 27, 1924, on "a private road near Lewes", location unidentified. The event was organised by the Brighton & Hove Motor Cycle...
on 4 September 1937 with a best time of 27.4 sec, finishing third in the novices class. Boddy entered his Lancia at the Prescott opening rally on 10 April 1938; his 1924 Aston Martin being commended by the judges in the Best Kept Car Competition. He also entered the Lancia 1,352 c.c. at the first Prescott speed hillclimb on 15 May 1938. Sydney Allard
Sydney Allard
Sydney Herbert Allard was the founder of the Allard car company and a successful racing motorist. He was remarkable in that he achieved sporting success in cars of his own manufacture....
won the last speed event to be held in England prior to World War Two. Having set the fastest time at the Horndean Speed Trials, his car overturned past the finish line. Both he and his passenger, Bill Boddy, were thrown clear and uninjured.
Throughout World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he was employed by the Ministry of Aircraft Production at Farnborough
Farnborough
Farnborough may refer to:* Farnborough, Berkshire, a small village and civil parish in the English county of Berkshire* Farnborough, Hampshire, a town in the Rushmoor district of Hampshire, England...
working on Air Publications, but he kept Motor Sport going in his spare time for the duration. After the war, he recruited Denis Jenkinson
Denis Jenkinson
Denis Sargent Jenkinson , Jenks or DSJ as he was known in the pages of Motor Sport, was a journalist deeply involved in motorsports...
for Motor Sport to provide race reports. In February 1946 Motor Sport published a four-page "Obituary" for the Brooklands
Brooklands
Brooklands was a motor racing circuit and aerodrome built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, and was the world's first purpose-built motorsport venue, as well as one of Britain's first airfields...
circuit, with the headline: "Built at his own expense for the nation's good, by the late Mr. H. F. Locke King - 1906. Betrayed by bureaucracy and declared an industrial area - 1946."
He was awarded an MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
in 1997. Boddy leaves three daughters and lived alone after the death of his wife, Winifred.
Books
A partial list of the books written by William Boddy follows:- The story of Brooklands, 1948.
- The world's land speed record, 1951.
- Continental sports cars, 1952.
- The history of Brooklands motor course, 1957.
- The Bugatti story, 1960.
- Montlhéry: The Story of the Paris Autodrome, 1961.
- The sports car pocketbook, 1961.
- The vintage years of the Morgan three-wheeler, 1971.
- The history of motor racing, 1977.
- Volkswagen Beetle, 1982.
- My thirty years of motoring for Motor Sport, 1982.
- Mercedes Benz 300 S.L., 1983.
- Volkswagen Beetle Type 1 and the New Generation, 1999.
- Brookland's Complete Motor Racing, 2002.
- Brooklands giants, 2006.