Obituaries

D A Aldington

The sad news that Don Aldington has died closes one more link with the old days of racing at Brooklands and the pre-war Frazer Nash cars. DA Aldington was the younger brother of HJ Aldington. As a young man he was trained as a wireless operator and rode a Ricardo Triumph motorcycle for relaxation.

This soon palled, and he decided to follow brother HJ into the motor trade at first as a partner in a Singer agency in Mortlake, using an early GN for getting to and from home. After which Don joined HJ at Aldington Motors, Frazer Nash agents and tuners of these cars. When HJ Aldington acquired AFN Ltd, Don, with a single share, became the other director.

HJ, or ‘Aldy’, was joined by another brother, Bill, and ‘Aldy’, Don and Bill became synonymous with Frazer Nash cars. The first two brothers took part in competition events, Don, who had married Miss Eileen Ross, being co-driver to ‘Aldy’ in the 1930 JCC Double-Twelve hour race and riding with Mrs Wisdom and the Hon Mitchell Thompson in other races.

Although HJ led in the business and competition activities, Don was a very able driver himself, winning, for instance, handicap races at Brooklands in 1933 and 1934, averaging 93.69mph in one of these, including a lap at 99.21mph, with a non-supercharged Frazer Nash.

The unforgettable individuality of the AFN works at Isleworth was fostered by the three Aldington brothers, Don backing-up HJ on the sales and publicity side, while Bill organised the business. In an age when it was possible to buy a new ‘Chain-Gang’ Frazer Nash, Don was very much a part of that happy period of sporting motoring.

Phil Hunter

As we went to press we were deeply saddened to learn that Phil Hunter, 750 MC’s first General Secretary and a Vice-President of that active A7 club, had died in his mid-80s; he was active to the end. Our condolences to his wife Bernadette and family.