 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
�������Timepasses bringing change����������� ����������������������������� ������ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sir� John returned from Monaco ,Rodger Bailey left for pastures greener ,John Richard� Aley puchased one of the A35s� and raced it a few times� with good� results ,but� it did not give the buzz that his Mini JRA85 did� Frank Hamlin� did one or two continental events� with John Aley in the mini� all� with� very satisfacory� results,��� |
|
|
|
For� some time my wife and I had discussed the timing of� any family we might be blessed with she felt that that her natural maturnal instincts were telling now was the time. We tried for several months� then suddenly� Suzanne� was� on the way .this news made the decision for us, gave us cold feet, with too many unknowns to travel to the other side of the world,with the� need to earn money� to stay solvent even more important now� than ever before. In due time,� Suzanne came into our turbulent lives,a beautiful� 8lb 12 oz� baby .girl. |
|
|
|
The need to maintain solvency was paramount with the arrival of Suzanne which was a factor in the decision to stay in the UK the scenario offered by John Clarke and Jerremy Bates was as near an ideal outlook that one could envisage , had events not conspired against us all the outcome would have been different better or worse ? Who knows? , but certainly different, I got stuck in to making the best I could with the resourses to hand the stable at Harwood Lodge was dry and had no leaks We started trading Johns Father Mr Harold Clarke introduced us to all his ascosciates and monitered the progress of the fledgling firm , Keeping acurate accounts and ensuring that the trade accounts were paid promptly. The early days were a struggle but all new businesses were ever thus, however Stich-mi-Lane -Engineering was the begining of a rearguard action that made it prescence felt and still does eaven today today some nearly fifty years later under the name of WESTUNE |
|
|
|
The decisison to move north once taken had to be made to work, It was inconcievable that to return to Don at Cambridge was an option , whilst Im sure he would have helped as much as he could , the return to the area where my fathers brothers family were well established in the motor trade owning the local Renault Dealership would have been a severe embarassment to us. The growth that this particular time produced was realy the hey day of franchised motor trading in the UK.
Having showed steady progress for many years after an initial filip directly atributable to the motor racing involvement at Brooklands as it was in those days
My uncle Sid was a recognised authority on competition machinery of the time.,My early days at Harwood Lodge were spent trying to generate the ambiance of a Mews type of entity where enthusiasts could come and get their problems solved on a personal basis,something that the franchised dealers were having problems providing , due to the ever increasing comercialisation of the trade |
|
|
|
The family home� was� Harwood� Lodge up on the flanks of the moors� to the east of� Bolton. A spacious stone built country house, of some considerable age� .
It was subdivided into two separate units the front housed Mr A Holt MP and his family , the rear part and the more substantial section of the whole was the
Clarke property access as via a private drive to a courtyard area running alongside the house the whole being cobbled .
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
The� first swallow� side car bodied� car being delivered to Bolton Police. From the manager of the first UK company to� be designated a Jaguar agent.Parkers of�Bolton. |
|
|
|
|
|
John and wife Ruth� lived above the stables� in beautifully� apointed flat� the stables had� adequate workshop� space� to get one car under cover.� Over the years� the equipment� of a fine workshop had been� accumulated , ramp, compressor� tools etc, this is where the Big Healey lived and had been prepared� By John and David .Their father Mr� Harold Clarke was a total� gentlman ,� having been� in the cotton trade� for many years , owning and running a bleach and dye works� in an� adjacent valley� Quarlton Vale.A keen� motorist and a friend in earlier times of� the Parker family of Bolton who helped a certain Bill Lyons with the production of the first Swallow Sidecar at the company that was later� to become Jaguar� Cars. Now� you know� where the Big� Cats realy originated� from!!!!!! |
|
|
|
John Clarke had put in an entry for the qualification for the Big Healey at le-Mans that year, with a view to running it if successful .It was taken over and put through the system with less than an ideal outcome. |
|
|
|
The Le Mans� qualification did not go well� for several reasons� most� beyond� the control of� those involved , the car returned to Bolton and plans laid for� another event of� long distance nature the Tour de France.� An entry obtained and�� and� the car made ready� a much more� suitable event� in view of the cars rally heritage, Ex Nancy Mitchell.� The drivers� were to be initially John Clarke� and Jeremy Bates.� The plan for the establishment of their speed shop was in progress and they confimed that our move was on prior to the Healey leaving for the start of the tour . |
|
|
|
The start was in the South of France, a date was set� for me to serve my notice with Don and the wheels� of an irreversible� event began to turn,� At scrutinising�� for the tour� Jeremy Bates had a Telegram that was to� have many� unavoidable effects .,� The most� important of these� as far as� we were concerned was that� there would� be drastic changes in the original plan . Just what the changes would� be was not at that stage clear it depended to a large degree on Jeremy and his view of the way foreward..the worst possible situation to find oneself in, events conspiring to take control of the future out of our hands. |
|
|
|
�The� telegram was to tell� Jeremy that his father a high ranking executive at Cunard had passed away suddenly, with the imediate effect of this� would be that the joint venture between� John Clarke� and him woud have to be drasticaly altered, as Jeremy would have to devote much more� time� to his family estate.in the borders� Antons Hill just outside Coldstream , itself a splendid country seat with all the bells and whistles , rivers and streams with private fishing etc,. |
|
|
|
Mr Clarke being of kindly disposition with an insistence� that correct behavior should� prevail at all costs. A very keen� motorist� very apreciative of� fine� machinery and� quality workmanship.David , Johns brother was a farmer operating a battery hen operation on land adjacent to the house, also an enthusiastic competition motoring fan. |
|