Rumblings, April 1961

The New Notting Hill

Anything that relieves congestion in the centre of great cities is to be commended and so it is worth noting that Notting Hill Gate, which had become a rather unsavoury thoroughfare divorced from the fashionable West End of London by Hyde Park, is getting a face-lift. A new tube station and blocks of luxury shops, office blocks and flats have contributed to the change, although quiet tree-lined streets off the Bayswater Road still play host to some of the wealthiest families in England. One tenant of the new shopping area of Notting Hill Gate is E. B. Meyrowitz, Ltd., who have leased No. 47. These premises were opened towards the end of February by Lord Boothby, whom we always enjoy seeing and listening-to on T.V.

E. B. Meyrowitz Ltd. was founded in New York in 1875 but the London company is entirely British-owned. Many famous racing motorists and aviators have ordered Meyrowitz goggles from the shop in Old Bond Street and now, believing that Notting Hill is going to rival Knightsbridge as a shopping centre, Meyrowitz have taken new premises there, augmenting another new branch which was opened last year at Wilmslow, Cheshire.

In opening the new London shop Lord Boothby said that while he could not truthfully say that he is an ardent fan of barometers, because he doesn’t understand them, he has spent his life losing, dropping or sitting on spectacles and thermometers (supplied, of course, by Meyrowitz), without which he couldn’t survive. Every time they saw him through.

Busy Beaulieu

The Montagu Motor Museum at Beaulieu, near Brockenhurst, in Hampshire, has a very busy season ahead of it, as the following fixture list indicates:-

April 8th: The Veteran Car Club of Great Britain (South-West Section). 

” 9th: The British Racing & Sports Car Club. Ends Rally 3.30 p.m. Daffodil Sunday.

” 15th:  The Southsea Motor Club. Ends Rally a.m.

” 16th: The Vincent Owners Club. Daffodil Sunday.

” 30th: The Vintage Austin 12/4 Register and Bullnose Morris Club Rally.

May 13th: The Standard Register Rally.

” 13th: The Cosmopolitan Car Club.

” 21st and 22nd: Whitsun: The Beaulieu Traction Engine Rally.

” 28th: The Vintage Sports Car Club Rally.

” 28th: The Radio Society of Great Britain Mobile Rally.

 June 3rd and 4th: The Jaguar Silver Jubilee Rally.

” 11th: The Historic Commercial Vehicle Club Rally.

” 17th: Auction of Veteran and Vintage Vehicles, 2.30 p.m.

July 2nd: The Burnham-on-Sea Motor Club Rally.

” 11th to 15th, inclusive: “As You Like It.” Produced by the Esso Dramatic Society in the Cloisters of Beaulieu Abbey (evening).

” 22nd : Beaulieu Flower Show.

” 29th and 30th: Jazz Festival.

Sept.17th: ” Lost Causes” Car Rally.

” 24th: The Ford Model-T Rally.

A particularly interesting new fixture is the “Lost Causes” Car Rally, scheduled for September 17th, when forgotten makes rendered immortal by Lord Montagu’s recent book, will assemble by the famous Motor Museum—a nostalgic variety of such defunct marques can be expected to assemble by the Museum buildings, to delight historians, old-timers and vintage-car fanatics.

Tony Brooks Ltd

Racing drivers once again travelled along Brooklands Road, Weybridge, on March 2nd, not, alas, to race at the old Motor Course, which is defunct, but to attend the opening of Tony Brooks’ new Showroom and Shell Service Station. Stirling Moss, Innes Ireland, Graham Hill, Reg. Parnell, Sir James Scott-Douglas, Bt., and many other racing drivers, and, of course, the motoring Press, came along to wish Tony well in his new venture, Raymond Mays performing the opening ceremony.

Tony Brooks Ltd. are B.M.C. agents, at this historic garage beside a one-time entrance to the Track, which was owned before the war first by Eric Fernihough, then by Charles Brackenbury.

To be so close to a track which Tony never knew, and to get lost because once-familiar roads in its vicinity have been rendered confusing by ugly new neon-lit concrete throughways in the Weybridge and Byfleet dormitory towns, was sad indeed. But times change and it is fitting that a famous racing driver of today will control a motor business on a site so extremely well known to racing motorists and motorcyclists of the pre-war years.

It was fitting that Raymond Mays should be asked to open the rejuvenated garage, for he holds for eternity the Brooklands Mountain and Campbell circuit lap records, with his supercharged 2-litre E.R.A. Besides, Brooks is likely to drive again for B.R.M. this season.

This Month’s Best Story?

A local paper, making an announcement relating to the Forces’ Motoring Club became confused and referred to it as the Forces’ Maternity Club, to the embarrassment of the area secretary, who is a bachelor. . . .

Things They Say: “Motor manufacturing in Britain is a highly competitive, efficient industry run by dedicated men (unless they were dedicated to their work they would not be in the industry, for taxation has removed all other incentives).”— The Motor, of February 15th.