J.G. Parry-Thomas
Encyclopedia
John Godfrey Parry-Thomas (6 April 1884 – 3 March 1927) was a Welsh
engineer and motor-racing driver who at one time held the Land Speed Record
. He was the first driver to be killed in pursuit of the land speed record.
Parry-Thomas was born in Wrexham
, Wales
, the son of the curate of Rhosddu. The family moved to nearby Oswestry
when he was five years old, and he was educated at Oswestry School
. He went on to study engineering at The City and Guilds College in London.
Parry-Thomas became chief engineer at Leyland Motors, a company whose main products were commercial vehicles. He filed for and received a number of patents, in the fields of electrical and automotive engineering. After the First World War he and his assistant Reid Railton designed the Leyland Eight
luxury motor car, which was intended to compete with Rolls-Royce
. His experience of driving this car around Brooklands
in 1920 persuaded him to give up his career with Leyland and become a full-time motor-racing driver and engineer.
and went on to build such cars as Campbell's Blue Bird. From 1923 he also lived in 'the flying village' there, in a bungalow converted from a First World War hut named The Hermitage. It was an ascetic life, shared only with two Alsatian dogs and his cars, in stark contrast to the hedonism of the Bentley Boys
. Parry-Thomas achieved some success on the circuit, winning 38 races in five seasons and setting numerous records.
. He acquired the incomplete Higham Special from the estate of the deceased Count Zborowski and rebuilt the car as one of the first dedicated to the record alone rather than circuit competition. The car was powered by a huge 27-litre Liberty
V-12 aero-engine. Without Campbell's money and prestige, or Segrave's factory connections, Parry-Thomas was unable to obtain a brand-new Napier Lion
, as the other record contenders were planning.
In April 1926 the car, now named Babs
, was finally complete. He celebrated by driving the lanes around Brooklands that same evening, despite his lack of headlamps.
A few days later, despite the poor conditions and soft, wet sand, Parry-Thomas took the record at Pendine Sands
, Wales, the same six-mile beach that Campbell
had used in 1924 and 1925. The following day, 28 April 1926, he raised it to over 170 miles per hour (76 m/s), a record that stood for almost a year.
on 3 March 1927 while trying to regain his own world land speed record
that had been broken just weeks earlier by Malcolm Campbell
on the same beach. He was suffering from influenza and turned down a lucky black cat charm from a little girl, announcing "I will put my faith in my maker!" His Liberty-engined car, Babs, used exposed chains to connect the engine to the drive wheels, and the high engine cover required him to drive with his head tilted to one side – the right. On his final run the right-hand drive chain broke at a speed of 170 mi/h, causing a fatal head injury.
Parry-Thomas was buried in St Mary's Churchyard in Byfleet
, Surrey, close to the Brooklands Circuit. His car was buried at Pendine Sands close to where he died. Some 40 years later, and not without controversy, it was recovered and over the next 15 years restored by Owen Wyn Owen
at the time a member of Bangor University
. It is now on display at the Pendine Museum of Speed
, Carmarthenshire, and occasionally at Brooklands Museum
.
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
engineer and motor-racing driver who at one time held the Land Speed Record
Land speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
. He was the first driver to be killed in pursuit of the land speed record.
Parry-Thomas was born in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, the son of the curate of Rhosddu. The family moved to nearby Oswestry
Oswestry
Oswestry is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, close to the Welsh border. It is at the junction of the A5, A483, and A495 roads....
when he was five years old, and he was educated at Oswestry School
Oswestry School
Oswestry School is a co-educational independent school, located in the town of Oswestry, Shropshire, England. Founded in 1407 by David Holbache and his wife Guinevere Holbache, it is the second oldest non-denominational school in England....
. He went on to study engineering at The City and Guilds College in London.
Leyland Motors
Leyland Eight
The Leyland Eight was a luxury car produced by Leyland Motors from 1920 to 1923. The car was designed by the chief engineer of Leyland Motors, J.G. Parry-Thomas and his assistant Reid Railton, and was intended to be the finest car available...
luxury motor car, which was intended to compete with Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce Limited
Rolls-Royce Limited was a renowned British car and, from 1914 on, aero-engine manufacturing company founded by Charles Stewart Rolls and Henry Royce on 15 March 1906 as the result of a partnership formed in 1904....
. His experience of driving this car around 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...
in 1920 persuaded him to give up his career with Leyland and become a full-time motor-racing driver and engineer.
Brooklands
In partnership with another engineer, Ken Thomson (motor racing engineer)|Major Ken Thomson from New Zealand, he started Thomas Inventions Development Co. Ltd., based inside the Brooklands circuit itself. After his death, this company became Thomson & TaylorThomson & Taylor
Thomson & Taylor were a motor-racing engineering and car-building firm, based within the Brooklands race track. They were active between the wars and built several of the famous land speed record breaking cars of the day....
and went on to build such cars as Campbell's Blue Bird. From 1923 he also lived in 'the flying village' there, in a bungalow converted from a First World War hut named The Hermitage. It was an ascetic life, shared only with two Alsatian dogs and his cars, in stark contrast to the hedonism of the Bentley Boys
Bentley Boys
The Bentley Boys were a group of wealthy British motorists who drove Bentley sports cars to victory in the 1920s and kept the marque's reputation for high performance alive...
. Parry-Thomas achieved some success on the circuit, winning 38 races in five seasons and setting numerous records.
Land Speed Record
By 1925 Parry-Thomas realised that commercial success required a higher profile than Brooklands could offer, and switched his attention to the Land Speed RecordLand speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
. He acquired the incomplete Higham Special from the estate of the deceased Count Zborowski and rebuilt the car as one of the first dedicated to the record alone rather than circuit competition. The car was powered by a huge 27-litre Liberty
Liberty L-12
The Liberty L-12 was a 27 litre water-cooled 45° V-12 aircraft engine of 400 horsepower designed both for a high power-to-weight ratio and for ease of mass production.-History:...
V-12 aero-engine. Without Campbell's money and prestige, or Segrave's factory connections, Parry-Thomas was unable to obtain a brand-new Napier Lion
Napier Lion
The Napier Lion was a 12-cylinder broad arrow configuration aircraft engine built by Napier & Son starting in 1917, and ending in the 1930s. A number of advanced features made it the most powerful engine of its day, and kept it in production long after contemporary designs had stopped production...
, as the other record contenders were planning.
In April 1926 the car, now named Babs
Babs (Land speed record car)
Babs was the land speed record car built and driven by John Parry-Thomas. It was powered by a 27-litre Liberty aero-engine.Babs began as 'Chitty 4', one of Count Louis Zborowski's series of aero-engined cars named 'Chitty Bang Bang'. As it was built at Zborowski's estate of Higham Park near...
, was finally complete. He celebrated by driving the lanes around Brooklands that same evening, despite his lack of headlamps.
A few days later, despite the poor conditions and soft, wet sand, Parry-Thomas took the record at Pendine Sands
Pendine Sands
Pendine Sands is a length of beach on the shores of Carmarthen Bay on the south coast of Wales. It stretches from Gilman Point in the west to Laugharne Sands in the east. The village of Pendine is situated near the western end of Pendine Sands....
, Wales, the same six-mile beach that Campbell
Malcolm Campbell
Sir Malcolm Campbell was an English racing motorist and motoring journalist. He gained the world speed record on land and on water at various times during the 1920s and 1930s using vehicles called Blue Bird...
had used in 1924 and 1925. The following day, 28 April 1926, he raised it to over 170 miles per hour (76 m/s), a record that stood for almost a year.
Death
He was killed at Pendine SandsPendine Sands
Pendine Sands is a length of beach on the shores of Carmarthen Bay on the south coast of Wales. It stretches from Gilman Point in the west to Laugharne Sands in the east. The village of Pendine is situated near the western end of Pendine Sands....
on 3 March 1927 while trying to regain his own world land speed record
Land speed record
The land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a wheeled vehicle on land. There is no single body for validation and regulation; in practice the Category C flying start regulations are used, officiated by regional or national organizations under the auspices of the Fédération...
that had been broken just weeks earlier by Malcolm Campbell
Malcolm Campbell
Sir Malcolm Campbell was an English racing motorist and motoring journalist. He gained the world speed record on land and on water at various times during the 1920s and 1930s using vehicles called Blue Bird...
on the same beach. He was suffering from influenza and turned down a lucky black cat charm from a little girl, announcing "I will put my faith in my maker!" His Liberty-engined car, Babs, used exposed chains to connect the engine to the drive wheels, and the high engine cover required him to drive with his head tilted to one side – the right. On his final run the right-hand drive chain broke at a speed of 170 mi/h, causing a fatal head injury.
Parry-Thomas was buried in St Mary's Churchyard in Byfleet
Byfleet
Byfleet is an inland island village forming a suburb of Woking in Surrey, England. It is in the east of the borough between the River Wey and the River Mole, and is within the M25 motorway....
, Surrey, close to the Brooklands Circuit. His car was buried at Pendine Sands close to where he died. Some 40 years later, and not without controversy, it was recovered and over the next 15 years restored by Owen Wyn Owen
Owen Wyn Owen
Owen Wyn Owen is an automobile restorer and mechanic. He lives in Capel Curig, Snowdonia. His working life was spent as a lecturer in engineering at Bangor University, but he is best known for his outside achievements.-Restoration of Babs:...
at the time a member of Bangor University
Bangor University
Bangor University is a university based in the city of Bangor in the county of Gwynedd in North Wales-United Kingdom.It was officially known for most of its history as the University College of North Wales...
. It is now on display at the Pendine Museum of Speed
Pendine Museum of Speed
The Pendine Museum of Speed is dedicated to the use of Pendine Sands for land speed record attempts. It was opened in 1996 and is located in Pendine, on the South coast of Wales....
, Carmarthenshire, and occasionally at Brooklands Museum
Brooklands Museum
Brooklands Museum is an independent charitable trust, established in 1987, whose aim is to conserve, protect and interpret the unique heritage of the Brooklands site. It is located south of Weybridge, Surrey and was first opened regularly in 1991 on of the original 1907 motor-racing circuit...
.